CONMEN impersonated police officers to target lone women driving through the district late at night.

Liakat Ali, 20, and Syed Mohiwan, 19, are thought to have illegally stopped and searched about 100 women travelling on local roads during April and May last year.

The college students dressed up as uniformed officers and patrolled Loughton and surrounding areas in a specially-modifed Vauxhall Vectra to stop unsuspecting motorists and demand on-the-spot fines for speeding.

Ali, of Juliette Road, Plaistow, and Mohiwan, of Balfour Road, Ilford, were both jailed for two years at Basildon Crown Court on April 24, after admitting charges of charges of theft, fraud, handling stolen goods, and of dishonestly making false representation.

Investigating officer Det Con Chris Horne said they stole thousands of pounds from women aged between 17 and 71 who were followed on main roads and then pulled over into quiet residential streets to be cautioned on their driving.

One of the men would question their victim in the back of the Vectra while the other searched their car for cash, mobile phones and other valuables.

One woman had her car 'seized' by the duo after she said she had no cash to pay the fine. They took her keys and called at her home a short time later to collect the money.

DC Horne said: "They picked vulnerable targets - usually women travelling alone after 10pm - and they managed to create a very believable scam.

"They produced fake warrant cards that were very realistic and managed to acquire police batons, handcuffs, two-way radios and flashing lights and two-tone sirens. They also fitted out their car with a screen and unit which is a good replica of the one we use in the Met. It would have all been very convincing for the layman."

DC Horne said a notebook taken from Mohiwan which contained details of the victims' names and addresses, and information downloaded from the duo's satellite navigation system, had been key evidence in the case.

He added: "It was important they were caught and made an example of because crimes like this can undermine confidence and create trust issues between the public and the police.

"What they did was brazen, calculated and cynical and one of our biggest worries is that there still might be woman out there who are under the impression they may have been targetted in this way by real police officers.

"I would advise any motorists who believe they are being stopped by a bogus police officer to pull over in a well-lit area and call 999.

"And I would urge anyone who thinks they might have been a victim of these conmen to contact me straight away."

Anyone who feels they may have been targetted should call DC Horne on 0203 276 0529.