THE report of a group of "Hijackers using fake police badges" (NST, May 8) to stop lorry drivers before making off with their loads troubles me.

The question that comes to mind when reading this report is how sure or confident can one be when a real policeman, dressed in civilian clothes, approaches you claiming to be a policeman and flashing his badge.

Do not forget that there were also cases where people were known to pretend to be policemen dressed in uniform with the intention of robbing the unsuspecting and gullible man on the street.

So, can someone in the police force tell me, as a concerned citizen, how do we distinguish between a genuine policeman from an impostor?

What will the consequences be if we question a policeman's authority on grounds that we are not sure if he is really a policeman or someone impersonating one?
As far as I know, if we question a policeman's authority, we might be accused of obstructing a government official from discharging his duties and we can be fined, or worse, end up spending a night or two in the lock-up.

Really, what are we supposed to do if we are faced with such a situation? And what are our rights in circumstances like these?