Fake cop took his wife’s police vehicle to 911 call and Wendy’s, officials say

🔴 A South Jersey man is accused of impersonating an officer in a marked federal car

🔴 Police say he called 911 and then responded armed to a home

🔴 Investigators later learned the cruiser belonged to his wife

WASHINGTON (Gloucester) — A South Jersey man is charged with taking his wife's police vehicle behind her back and playing cop.

Nicholas Cabral, of Sewell, is charged with impersonating a police officer and second-degree weapon possession for an unlawful purpose.

He's accused of making a call to 911 and then responding to the scene with a gun, the Washington Township police said.

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Cabral turned himself in last Thursday, police said. He's being held at Salem County Jail.

"Impersonating a police officer is an extremely serious offense and presents significant risk. The safety of our Washington Twp. police officers and the public remains our number one priority," the Washington Township police said on Facebook.

Armed response with a federal cruiser

According to police, Cabral called 911 around 2 p.m. on Dec. 10. He requested an officer to check out a home on Strand Avenue.

Cabral, who wasn't identified as the caller until later, said to the dispatcher that the home's front door was open. The property was under construction.

A Washington Township police officer arrived at the home a few minutes later, and a U.S. Homeland Security police vehicle arrived at the same time.

Cabral got out of the federal police cruiser and identified himself as a Homeland Security police officer, according to authorities. Armed with a handgun, he helped the local officer clear the home.

Police chief grows suspicious of Homeland Security response

However, the Washington Township police officer got suspicious. Police Chief Patrick Gurcsik said to 6abc Action News that it was unusual for a Homeland Security officer to respond to a minor municipal call.

A follow-up investigation found that the man, Cabral, had a valid license to carry the handgun. But he was not employed by Homeland Security or any law enforcement agency.

Real officers later found that the federal cruiser Cabral drove to the scene was his wife's work vehicle. Cabral's wife works as a police officer for Homeland Security.

She was away on a 20-day deployment. Police said that while his wife was away, Cabral took the vehicle out for joyrides.

Data from the vehicle's computer showed that Cabral activated the emergency lights and drove it on a Wendy's run.

His permit to carry a firearm has been revoked, 6abc reported.

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