A former corrections officer allegedly used his badge to impersonate police during a robbery. At around 3:30 Tuesday morning a Springfield man stopped at the United Bank ATM on Saint James Avenue.

He took out 60 dollars in cash and was planning to stop at the store to buy some items for his family. But shortly after leaving the ATM, a red Jeep pulled in front of him on East Street. That's when Melanie Cunningham allegedly got out of the car and identified herself as a cop.

"In her right hand she appeared to be holding something that looked like a police badge," says Assistant District Attorney Mary Hiser. "She told the individual to place his hands on the hood of the car and empty out his pockets."

That badge allegedly belonged to her relative and driver Craig Cunningham. He served as a Hampden County Corrections officer at the Ludlow jail for 17 years, before resigning last month. Police were able to catch up with the two after the victim called police.

"They did recover a United Bank receipt, as well as a Hampden County Sheriff's badge, and 15 dollars on the person of Melanie Cunningham," says Hiser.

Melanie was close to tears as the judge announced that she will remain behind bars because of a pending case in Palmer.

"That is a drug case, and between that case and unarmed robbery and impersonating a police officer, we believe she would be a public safety threat and ask that her bail be revoked on that matter," says Hiser.

Craig is being held on 20,000 dollars bail, but because of his employment history will probably be moved to Hampshire County, and kept away from his former co-workers in Ludlow.

Sheriff's department officials say it is protocol to collect badges when someone leaves their position, but corrections officers are able to purchase extras for different uniforms, so Craig may have had more than one. They recommend anyone that is shown a badge also ask for an ID card, because that is what proves someone is a current employee.