A man has been arrested in Waterloo for allegedly taking a wallet while pretending to be an undercover police officer, according to the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier. Police says that 51 year old Douglas Hala often hangs out near a public phone at the police station that citizens use to report incidents to police. On Monday, a citizen used the phone in an attempt to turn in wallet they had found. Hala allegedly heard this, presented himself as an undercover officer, and took the wallet. Real officers found Hala with the wallet in his possession shortly there after. He has been charged with Impersonating a Public Official, fifth degree Theft, and Trespassing. Hala has been frequently warned about hanging out at the police station, including the day prior to this incident when he was removed from sitting under the phone. On January 2nd he was arrested for trespassing at Switch Nutrition where he showed an employee his knives, bathed in the bathroom sink, began doing martial arts, and refused to leave. In December, he allegedly threatened to kill employees at the Waterloo Residential Correctional Facility where he was also banned for trespassing.
