Longboat Key Cops Corner: A pyrotechnic preview

July 3

Pyrotechnic preview

11:50 p.m, 7000 block of Longboat Drive North

Fire assist: Police responded along with fire-rescue following a report of arcing power lines. Following a check by fire personnel, Florida Power & Light was called to repair the wire.

Mask up

8:01 a.m., 500 block of Bay Isles Parkway

Pandemic: Police were called to a store regarding the wearing of face masks, in accordance with the town’s new emergency regulations. The store manager told an officer rules were being followed.

None shall pass

10:58 a.m., 1000 block of Longboat Club Road

Suspicious vehicle: An SUV was parked to block one of the gated entrances to a private community. A sign on the vehicle asked those arriving to use another gated entrance and asked visitors to call ahead for a code with which to open the nearby gate. The vehicle belonged to a resident.

Crashing at the crosswalk

2:32 p.m., 3000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic crash: Police investigated a collision between two cars at a crosswalk signal. No one was hurt. Police reported a vehicle had slowed for the activated crosswalk lights when it was struck from behind by a second vehicle. The driver of the second vehicle was cites for careless driving.

July 4

Independence . . . from work

9:26 a.m., Pine Street

Citizen assist: Police were notified of a landscaping crew at work on a federal holiday, a violation of town ordinances. Police responded but found no one at work. The caller told an officer she had told the workers of their violation, and they promptly shut down their job and left.

Gear up for safety

1:24 p.m., Off the key near Jewfish Key

Boating: A personal watercraft with three people aboard was stopped after an officer on marine patrol determined only one rider was wearing a required personal flotation device. The driver could not produce registration paperwork or a boating-safety card. The driver was cited for the safety gear violation and warned about the lack of documentation.

Injury aboard

2 p.m., off the key, gulfside

Water rescue: Police were alerted to an injury aboard a boat just off the town’s shoreline in the Gulf of Mexico. A nurse aboard reported the injury was serious. The town’s marine patrol officer took the injured person and nurse aboard his boat and delivered them to a waiting ambulance at a beach access point.

Boxed in

3:24 p.m., 6700 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Speeding: An officer operating the department’s all-terrain vehicle issued a ticket to the driver of a box truck after observing him pass two vehicles in a no-passing zone. The driver, who conceded his mistake, said the driver of a motorcycle waved him past. The officer reminded the driver not to pass in a no-passing zone.

Upon further review

4:09 p.m., Broadway Street and Poinsettia Avenue

Parking: A caller who wanted to remain anonymous tipped police to a vehicle believed to be parked illegally. An officer determined the vehicle was properly parked, so no citation was issued.

No trouble

4:23 p.m.,  200 Sands Point Road

Information report: Police responded to the beach to take information on an incident involving two children who were pulled from the water. Witnesses said the two small children were about 10 yards into the water when they screamed for help. The children were immediately brought to shore with no injuries or need for medical assistance.

Playground drinkin’

5:09 p.m., 4000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious person: A caller reported seeing a man drinking beer in the children’s play area of a town park. Once police arrived, they could find no such thing taking place. 

Gentle sea cows

12:12 p.m., 5800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Animal complaint: A caller to police said swimmers in the Gulf of Mexico were not leaving a quartet of manatees alone. Police responded to the beach but couldn’t see any manatees. Witnesses on the beach told officers that the swimmers referred to by the caller weren’t bothering the gentle sea mammals.

Open door policy

1:53 p.m., 800 block of Broadway Street

Suspicious vehicle: Police looked up the owner of a car they found parked and unoccupied with its drivers side front door open. Following checks through national and state databases, the car was determined not to be stolen. The owner, who works at a restaurant nearby, said he had carried some equipment from the car to his place of business and had forgotten to closed the car door.

Getting handle on things

3:26 p.m., 5400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Property damage: Police took a report on damage to a town fire truck, estimated at about $1,000. A fire department supervisor said the damage likely took place to a pair of grab handles when the truck  contacted some tree limbs while turning around in a tight cul-de-sac on the north end.

Is it OK? Yes.

4:08 p.m., 400 block of Neptune Avenue

Informational: A  man called police for information on the town’s beach parking situation. He asked the responding officers if cars parked near his home were doing so legally. They were. He also asked if it was allowed for people to walk to the beach access point, rather than parking nearby. It is. The man thanked the officer for the information.

Ready to take that long walk

4:23 p.m., 4000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Citizen assist: Police were alerted to a woman in a swimsuit walking south and possibly in need of assistance. An officer spotted her and learned she had just returned a rental bicycle to a store and was walking to the Shoppes of Bay Isles. She said she wasn’t clear on how long a walk that was. The officer agreed to give her a ride.

Still not legal

5:55 p.m., 500 block of Broadway Street

Parking: Police ticketed a parked car whose driver apparently had moved a police barricade set in place to prohibit parking.

July 7

Hit and run

4:44 p.m., 500 block of Bay Isles Parkway

Traffic crash: A traffic incident between two cars in a shopping center parking lot ended with one of the drivers departing the scene without speaking to police or the other driver. Police reported the driver of a car said she had stopped to drop off a passenger in front of a store when a second driver pulled around from behind and hit the front end of the first car when pulling back into line.  A witness confirmed the incident. With a short description, police were not able to consult the town’s traffic monitoring cameras nearby for clues. A report was filed.

July 8

Not that recreational

11 a.m., 500 block of Linley Street

Information report: A caller to police complained about the length of time a recreational vehicle was parked in front of a home. The owner told an officer he was was aware of the rules regarding RV parking, but his home had recently been damaged inside and he was using the vehicle’s cooking facilities. He said he would be leaving early the next day.

An oldie but a goodie

12:42 p.m., police headquarters

Attempted fraud: Police heard from a resident who relayed a classic fraud attempt. She said she had received a phone call from a 1-800 number claiming her grandson had been charged after a traffic crash and needed $7,000 for bond. She was told to wait for a follow-up call on how to deliver the money, and was told to tell no one about the circumstances. The woman called her daughter, who said the grandson was sitting next to her and was not incarcerated. The woman called back, told the man she had contacted police and was aware of his criminal motives. A day later, another resident reported to police a call from the same number making a similar scam attempt.

Cat burglar

3:36 p.m., 3700 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Alarm: Police responded to a home following the activation of a burglar alarm. A keyholder also came out to the house, and determined nothing was amiss inside. The keyholder surmised a pet cat inside might have triggered the motion sensors.

Not stolen

8:21 p.m., 3100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: The town’s license-plate reading system alerted officers to the presence on the island of a tag reported stolen. The vehicle was pulled over and its driver questioned. The driver said he was employed by the same auto dealership to which the tag was registered. The dealership’s general manager, contacted by phone, said the tag wasn’t stolen and that a clerical error was to blame. He also said the driver had permission to be driving the vehicle. The dealership manager was advised to have the stolen tag removed from a database.