A man was arrested for impersonating a peace officer after using a phony badge to try and get into a Turlock motel room, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department reported.

A housekeeper at the motel in the 5000 block of N. Golden State Boulevard said she was approached by a man who pulled out a gold-colored badge and advised her that he was an undercover police officer and needed to be let into a room. The housekeeper told him that he needed to go to the front desk. The housekeeper then notified the front desk who called law enforcement, according to the sheriff’s department.

A deputy responded to the scene but the suspect had already left.

Shortly before 11 a.m. the motel called the sheriff’s department again to report the suspect was back. Again, a deputy responded and again the suspect was gone.

However, the deputy located him in a restaurant parking lot next door.

The suspect was identified as Alejandro Madrigal, 35. He was taken into custody and the badge was booked into evidence.