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Revere Police Seek 'Serial Armed Robber' Who Poses As Officer

REVERE (CBS) - Revere Police are looking for a man they call a "serial armed robber" who poses as a police officer.

Sandro Anaya was convicted in 2011 of several armed robberies in which he pretended to be a policeman. He wore a badge and carried a BB gun that looked a lot like the weapons police carry.

Anaya was released from prison in February. Saturday, Revere Police spotted him driving a stolen truck. When they pulled him over, he was wearing a badge, had the same BB gun and handcuffs.

Anaya posted $1000 bail and was released. He failed to report for his appearance in court. Now police are looking for him.

The situation makes 18-year-old Andrew nervous. The high school senior was one of Anaya's victims'

"Once you're approached by him, he's very believable," Andrew tells WBZ-TV.

Andrew says he and his friends were hanging out outside of a Revere elementary school late one evening when Anaya approached them wearing a badge on a chain around his neck. He flashed a gun, told them he was a cop and demanded they throw down their wallets.

"The clothes he was wearing, he looked like a police officer, plus the badge. Someone shows you a badge, you're always going to believe them," Andrew said.

WBZ showed Andrew a photo of the badge, gun and handcuffs Anaya was found with this weekend.

"Look familiar?," WBZ asked. "Very familiar," Andrew said. "That badge with the chain thing going down and the gun. That's what he showed to us."

Now Andrew's worried what will happened now that Anaya is out. "A crazy guy like that, who knows what he'll do," Andrew said.

"For him to be able to walk out and be at it again, something's wrong," said Andrew's concerned mother.

She's disappointed he got out of prison so quickly and then was able to bail himself out when he got busted again.

"That's very upsetting to know that he's still out there and my son could be in danger," she said.

Revere Police are asking anyone with information on Anaya's whereabouts to call them at 781-284-1212.

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