Artificial 'Agent' Arrested By Real Cops

People commit a wide variety of crimes for any number of reasons, often to gain financial advantage or just for kicks. Not to condone illegal activity or anything, but if you're going to break the law, shouldn't you determine if it's worth the punishment should you get busted? And if confronted by police, it's probably not a good idea to push your luck.

Apparently 46-year-old Laurence Bradley, of Hyde Park, didn't get the memo (Southtown Star). His alleged crime -- a felony charge of impersonating a peace officer -- falls into the "just for kicks" category, but at what price?

Witnesses allegedly saw Bradley approaching various patrons near the Goodman Theatre, although it wasn't clear what he said or did. For whatever reason, police were called to the theatre's Dearborn St. address and asked him what he was doing. He showed a badge from under his jacket and allegedly told an officer to "watch your job."

Think that's brazen? It gets better.

He walked away and when police asked him to stop he kept on walking. A chase ensued and police finally caught up to Bradley, when he allegedly told them "Get out of my way; I'm a federal agent." I'm willing to guess they weren't buying his story at this point.

The officers repeatedly asked Bradley for his credentials. He refused and was taken into custody on charges of impersonating a peace officer.

Apparently that has been a problem in Illinois, since former Gov. Blagojevich signed a bill into law three years ago that enacted tougher penalties (State of Illinois) for the offense.

I'm suspecting the need for such a law, which among other things broadened the definition of "peace officer" to include federal agents, had more to do with hiding behind a fake badge to commit other crimes than simply reliving childhood fantasies (or whatever this guy may have been up to).