Police: Man posed as officer to steal gas

Chicago -- Suburban Chicago police say a man allegedly posed as a police officer to fill his Jaguar with free gas at least 10 times.

Police said Michael Wurm, 26, claimed to be a police officer and promised gas station employees he would return to pay later on at least 10 occasions in May and June in the Chicago suburbs of Lincolnshire, Buffalo Grove, Naperville and Deerfield, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Friday.

He was arrested July 24 after Illinois State Police stopped him for speeding on Interstate 55. Wurm told police he was a struggling record promoter.

"He basically said he was down on his luck," Lincolnshire police Detective John-Erik Anderson said. "His promotions were not bringing in a lot of dough. He was hard up on cash."

The suspect was being held in DuPage County Jail.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.