Cops: Man late for flight claims to be air marshal

[February 27, 2009]  MIAMI (AP) -- Authorities say a man running late for a flight flashed a fake police badge to airline workers and claimed to be an air marshal so they would let him through the gate.

Miami-Dade police said a 49-year-old man was booked on a flight to Los Angeles Wednesday night, but the gate had already closed and the plane was departing. After he showed the fake badge and claimed to be an air marshal, employees stopped the plane and let him board.

But real air marshals already on the plane recognized his fake badge and kicked him off.

Not content with avoiding arrest, police said the man went to an airport bar and began loudly complaining about missing his flight. That's when airport police arrested him.

The man was charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer.

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Information from: The Miami Herald, http://www.herald.com/

[Associated Press]

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