Las Cruces police report three new incidents.

Las Cruces police say they will no longer make any traffic stops in unmarked vehicles for the time being in the wake of three new reports in recent days of woman being pulled over by men impersonating officers, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported today on its Web site.

Women drivers are urged to carry a cell phone and call 911 if anyone tries to pull them over, the Sun-News reported.

Since Feb. 25, when a woman was molested by two men posing as police officers in the early morning hours near El Paseo road, there have been six incidents, including one that may or may not be related to the police impersonators, the paper reported.

All six incidents have involved different vehicles and men of different descriptions, but in several cases the men have spoken a mixture of Spanish and English in their communication with the women, according to the Sun-News.

Four of the incidents have taken place at night, but there were two incidents on Monday afternoon, including one witnessed by a genuine city police officer who was caught in rush-hour traffic and was unable to give chase to a maroon and gray GMC Yukon with red and blue lights, the paper reported. The officer was unable to see the license plate.

Las Cruces police officer Kiri Daines told the paper some of the men have worn polo shirts with badges and one was wearing dark clothing that resembled a city police uniform.

In all six incidents the women were driving alone, and three were sexually assaulted, KVIA-TV (ABC-7) reported on its Web site.

"Keep your doors locked. Go to a safe location, and if you see any suspicious activity, perhaps you're driving by and say `that looks funny, that doesn't look like a traffic stop,' call 911. Let us know. We'd like to go check it out," Daines advised drivers on KVIA.

The new policy of no traffic stops in unmarked cars also applies to State Police and the Dona Ana County Sheriff's Department, the station reported.

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