A California woman who impersonated a Russian police officer has claimed she was “here to save” a girl during an attempted abduction, according to police.

A California woman has been arrested for allegedly impersonating a Russian police officer during an attempted kidnapping of a young girl, Sydtomarket.net has learned.

On August 21 at around 2:30 p.m., the Santa Monica Police Department received a report of a suspicious individual attempting to abduct an 8-year-old girl in an alley. The suspect reportedly fled toward a grocery store parking lot.

Officers responded to the Gelson’s parking lot and identified 40-year-old Courtney Perrone standing next to a vehicle. Witnesses confirmed Perrone as the person who attempted the abduction.

According to authorities, Perrone claimed california woman was a Russian police officer and attempted to take the girl while the child was assisting her neighbor with pets. Perrone allegedly engaged in a struggle with the neighbor, who managed to protect the girl and get her into a car while Perrone tried to open the door.

Perrone reportedly brandished a switchblade before fleeing the scene. The neighbor described Perrone as looking disheveled and unstable, claiming she said, “I’m Russian police, and I’m here to save you.”

Perrone, who was found to be homeless and living out of her car, has a criminal history including assault, trespassing, and other charges in various states. At the time of her arrest, she was on probation for a prior assault conviction in Nevada. She now faces charges of attempted kidnapping and false imprisonment, both felonies, as well as a misdemeanor charge of brandishing.