Cops: Man impersonated cop in Garden City Park, tried to restrain woman

A man in Garden City Park allegedly flashed what turned out to be a phony police badge and said he was a cop, before grabbing a female pedestrian’s cellphone and trying to restrain her, the Nassau County Police Department said in announcing his arrest.

Alif Chowdhury, 33, of Garden City Park, is charged with third-degree robbery and criminal impersonation of a police officer, the department wrote in a news release Thursday.

The incident happened at about 9 a.m. Thursday.

“The victim was able to flee the scene,” the release said, and she contacted the police.

Police found and arrested Chowdhury a short time later at his home.

The release did not say now the police department tracked him down and what evidence connected him to the case.

He’s set to be arraigned Friday at First District Court in Hempstead.

By Matthew Chayes

matthew.chayes@newsday.comchayesmatthew

Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.