“Those are illegal, bro” – APD Officer Yega

“I didn’t know” – suspect

By Antioch Police Department

Imitation may be the greatest form of flattery… but impersonating the police is a crime.

This weekend, Officer Yega and his K9 partner Loki were traveling on A Street when they spotted a red pickup truck equipped with police-style lights pulling cars over.

The self-appointed “officer” was a bit shocked when the real police showed up, and he immediately pulled over. When questioned, the driver claimed he bought the lights on TikTok and didn’t know he wasn’t allowed to pull people over.

“Because a guy cut me off,” he added.

“That’s illegal, bro,” Yega told him.

“I didn’t know,” the driver responded.

The driver was arrested, booked into jail, and the truck was towed away. TikTok cops will not be tolerated in Antioch. (See incident video)

UPDATE: Later, Antioch Police Communications Manager Stacey Malsom issued the following press release about the arrest:

On December 1, 2025, at approximately 5:00 p.m., an Antioch Police officer observed a red Ford F-150 pickup truck on A Street displaying flashing red and blue lights, causing other vehicles to pull over. The officer conducted a traffic stop and contacted the driver.

Following an investigation, the driver was arrested for impersonating a peace officer, and the vehicle was impounded. The unlawful use of emergency lights creates a serious risk to public safety, and the Antioch Police Department takes these violations seriously.

If you believe you were a victim of this incident or have additional information, please contact Officer J. Yega at JYega@antiochca.gov.

On a serious note:

If you’re ever unsure whether you’re being stopped by a real police officer, you can always call 9-1-1. A dispatcher will confirm the officer’s identity and ensure your safety.

If you believe you’ve had an encounter with the red pickup truck or the suspect involved in this incident, please call (925) 778-2441 and let us know.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

the attachments to this post:

Pickup truck with fake police lights 12-01-25 APD

Fake police lights arrest 12-04-25

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 4th, 2025 at 11:24 am and is filed under News, Police & Crime. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.