SINTON, Texas — Local businesses in Sinton are on high alert after a scammer posing as a police officer began targeting stores with suspicious phone calls.
According to the Sinton Police Department, someone is using the name Lieutenant Sheppard and has been calling businesses in Sinton, pretending to be with the local police.
“He told them he was doing an audit inspection on their cash box and wanted to look at the money to make sure no counterfeits and things like that," said Lieutenant Daniel Alcalda with the Sinton Police Department.
On Sunday, Sinton Police warned the public on social media. Lt. Alcala confirms with KRIS 6 that Reveille Coffee Company received the scam call.
“He also asked the store clerk if they were working alone or if they had someone else working with them," he said.
The incident has left many local businesses uneasy. Dona’s Bail Bonds is one of several businesses expressing concern.
“I feel sickened about it honestly, it's very wrong to impersonate a police officer,” said Kayla Rodriguez with Donna's Bail Bonds.
Rodriguez said the recent incidents are especially troubling for small communities like Sinton, where residents have long placed their trust in local law enforcement.
“I don’t like that is happening in our small community. It’s very easy to trust the police here so it's unfortunate that someone would want to ruin that relationship that we have,” she said.
To ease concerns and restore public trust, Alcala says officers will be patrolling the area more frequently in the coming days to ensure the safety of local businesses.
If you or your business receives a suspicious call from anyone claiming to be with law enforcement, you’re urged to hang up and verify directly with the Sinton Police Department at 361-364-4400.
"This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy."
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
Catch all the KRIS 6 News stories and more on our YouTube page. Subscribe today!
