SEPANG: Actors playing policemen in movies or TV shows must get permission from the Royal Malaysia Police before they can wear police uniforms or use props resembling police equipment.

Three men found out the hard way when they failed to produce permits after shooting a drama segment.

Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said a patrol team saw the three men loading items into a vehicle near Lakefront Residence on Sunday.

The patrol team inspected the vehicle and found fake guns, police uniforms, police traffic cones and warning lights.

“Investigations showed that the items were used in a drama shoot. The suspects are actors and they also rented police equipment for movie and drama shows.

“However, no approval was obtained from the Bukit Aman Corporate Communications Depart­ment to use the items for the drama.

“All three suspects, aged between 29 and 64, are freelance actors and crew members of the production,” Comm Hussein told a press conference at the Sepang police headquarters yesterday.

He said the uniforms were bought online and are not police assets.

“One of them is a former policeman who retired four years ago. The other two are working part-time,” he added.

Comm Hussein said movie production houses must obtain special permission from the police if they want to use police assets as props in drama shows or movies.

Otherwise, they risk breaking the law and affect the credibility of the country’s security institutions, he added.

In an unrelated case, four men were arrested for masquerading as policemen to rob homes.

The suspects are believed to be responsible for a similar case in Semenyih earlier this month.

Comm Hussein said based on CCTV footage taken during the Semenyih case, two of the suspects had used police vests while entering the premises.

He said the suspects, aged between 33 and 38, were arrested in Dengkil, Bukit Raja and Bukit Puchong on Saturday.

Police are looking for the fifth suspect, who is still at large.