The suspect picked up in this camera shot is accused of robbing a home while pretending to be a police officer searching for “contraband.” Credit: Facebook / Bexar County Sheriff's Office

A San Antonio man accused of robbing a West Side home while impersonating a police officer is in custody and facing a slew of charges, according to the Express-News.

Wearing a police vest and a blue ski mask, Salvatore Alfieri, 38, knocked on the door of a house on Sheep Hair Street on Friday and told a woman inside that he needed to search for “contraband,” the daily reports, citing local authorities. The alleged incident occurred around 6 p.m.

Alfieri is accused of confiscating the occupants’ phones once allowed inside and of taking a handgun and several thousands of dollars in cash, according to the Express-News. When the victim called the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office to file a report, she was “still not completely sure,” whether Alfieri was a legitimate officer, the daily reports.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar told the Express-News that Alfieri had recently experienced money problems. The suspect was allegedly in possession of marijuana and methamphetamine at the time of his arrest Sunday, the paper also reports.

During a live-streamed press conference on Sunday, Salazar said robberies conducted by criminals posing as police officers are common among drug dealers and often go unreported. Although Salazar said he didn’t think the victims are drug dealers, he added that Alfieri appeared to have specifically targeted the home.

Alfieri was arrested on a ride-share car two days after the incident after someone called in a tip about his location, according to the sheriff.

Alfieri faces charges including unlawful restraint, impersonating a public servant, burglary and interfering with 911 calls, the Express-News reports, citing a statement from Salazar.

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This article appears in May 18-31, 2022.

Michael Karlis is a multimedia journalist at the San Antonio Current, whose coverage in print and on social media focuses on local and state politics. He is a graduate of American University in Washington,...