On Wednesday, two Suffolk men were arrested and charged with impersonating police officers after they stopped a male driver on Route 111 and then attempted to stop a female driver, who was warned away by the first driver. Credit: James Carbone

Two men were arrested late Wednesday and charged with impersonating police officers after they stopped a male driver on Route 111 and then attempted to stop a female driver, who was warned away by the first driver, Suffolk County police said.

Both incidents took place after 11 p.m. Wednesday and police said the two men were arrested after the first driver called 911.

Responding Fourth Precinct officers stopped the suspects' vehicle, a black 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe equipped with flashing blue and white lights, in a parking lot on Smithtown Bypass. They arrested the two occupants, identified as Franco Calla, 20, of Port Jefferson Station, and Robert Toomey, 23, of Smithtown, who were each charged with second-degree criminal impersonation and second-degree unlawful imprisonment. Both face arraignment at a later date.

In an interview, Suffolk Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison said the "key thing" for anyone pulled over by someone they suspect is not a police officer is to "stay at the scene, call 911, and have a uniformed officer come to the scene and take the report for you."

Police said in the first incident, Calla and Toomey, both in plain clothes, used the Tahoe to conduct a lights-activated traffic stop on the male motorist on southbound Route 111 at East Main Street in Smithtown at 11:13 p.m. During that stop, police said, the pair claimed they were undercover police officers and, while Calla "demanded" the driver's license, Toomey "ordered the man to surrender any drugs." When questioned by the driver, however, police said Calla and Toomey "admitted they were not police officers."

The pair then retreated to the Tahoe and drove off, police said.

Calla and Toomey then tried to pull over the female driver a short distance from the first scene, police said, but the attempt was thwarted when the first driver drove up and warned her about the men. Calla and Toomey then fled in the Tahoe, police said, while the first driver called 911.

Police are asking anyone who thinks they may have been a victim of the two — or of any similar incident — to call the Fourth Precinct at 631-854-8465. All calls will remain confidential.

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