In Odesa, the SSU Main Directorate for Internal Security apprehended an offender who committed robberies posing as a law enforcement officer with a fake SSU ID.

The SSU caught the perpetrator in action when he attacked a local volunteer and threatened him with a weapon.

The attacker tried to steal USD 50,000 from the victim, which the man had collected for Ukrainian defenders.

According to the investigation, the impostor had been carefully preparing the crime for almost a month, studying the victim’s daily routine and routes.

On the day of the robbery, the thief drove up to the victim’s house and waited for him to come out.

Then the robber put on a balaclava, pulled out a gun and put it to the man’s head, demanding the bag with the charity funds.

The law enforcement learnt about the criminal’s intentions at the preparation stage. The attempt was documented and the suspect – detained.

The detainee is a repeat offender who had previously served a sentence for serious crimes, including robbery.

He received ‘tip-offs’ on potential victims through connections in criminal circles or from social networks.

The SSU seized a pistol of unknown origin and money for Ukrainian soldiers, which he tried to steal from the victim.

The attacker was served a notice of suspicion under Article 187.4 of the CCU (robbery, committed under martial law).

The offender is in custody and faces up to 15 years in prison.

The operation was carried out jointly with the National Police under the procedural supervision of the Specialized Defence Prosecutor’s Office of the Southern Region.