A 21-year-old Florida man was impersonating a police officer, telling a Nazareth woman he was going to arrest her son if she didn't hand over money for phones he claimed the victim had stolen, according to court records.



Darvell M. Kish, of Dania Beach, Fla., showed up at Barbara Schantz's home in the 100 block of Progress Street, claiming to be an officer of the law, court documents say. He allegedly told the woman he was going to arrest her son Nathan Schweizer unless she paid him $300 for the phones.



Nazareth police say they identified Kish through a photo. Schantz told authorities she feared for her family's lives because of Kish's visit, according to court records.



Police say Kish tried to track Schweizer at his job at Kohl's in Lower Nazareth Township, contacting managers there to tell them the victim had stolen phones from that store as well as from Kish himself. A manager at the store said Kish told them he was a member of the military police and had the power to take Schweizer into custody.



The manager at Kohl's said Kish was accompanied by a man and a woman when he came to the store looking for Schweizer.



Nazareth police say they believe Kish is not a member of any law enforcement agency. Kish was arraigned Thursday before District Judge David Tidd on charges of impersonating a police officer.



He was sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail.

