Cops Corner 12.03.09

Nov 21
Not well received
1:10 p.m. — Botanica Parkway and Descanso Court. Suspicious Person. A woman reported that her two daughters were walking in their neighborhood, when they noticed a man parked at the end of the street. He was there for about 20 minutes. The girls became scared and told their mother. The man began to drive away. The woman and her husband followed him to a house and called the sheriff’s office. The man told deputies that he had been talking on his cell phone while driving, and when the reception became poor, he drove back to an area where the reception was better and finished the conversation there. That location was where the two girls saw him. Deputies said he appeared to be telling the truth and let him go.

Nov. 22
Surprise visitor
8:16 a.m. — 1900 block of Hyde Park Street. Trespassing. A man woke up in the morning to find a stranger sitting on his couch. The man asked, “Who the hell are you, and what are you doing in my house?” The stranger replied, “That’s a good question,” and he took off running. Police caught up to the stranger, who told officers that he had been out drinking the night before, and, instead of driving while drunk, he decided to sleep at a friend’s house. He apparently chose the wrong house. The surprised man did not want to press charges.

Rude watchman
8:55 a.m. — 6500 block of Midnight Pass Road. Battery. A condominium maintenance man saw several people he did not recognize on the complex’s private beach. He asked the people for proof they belonged there, and one man became belligerent, pointing to his Rolex watch and saying, “This should give me the right to be here.” The worker told them they’d have to leave if they weren’t tenants. The people started to walk toward their cars, but the man with the Rolex turned around and spit in the maintenance man’s face. They got in a Hyundai and drove away.

Nov. 23
Dressed down
9:22 a.m. — 2400 block of Novus Street. Suspicious Person. Complainant reported an unknown man in the neighborhood. He was wearing an orange jumpsuit, but he had it off down to his waist, which showed off lots of body tattoos.

Poor decision-making skills
1:30 p.m. — 3500 block of South Tamiami Trail. Petit Theft. Two young girls were in the juniors section of a department store. They were spotted taking clothing into the changing room, but coming out carrying nothing. A security guard stopped them before they could leave the store, and more than $300 worth of clothes was found in their purses. Because neither girl had a criminal record, the guard was going to let them go. However, both girls refused to tell police how to contact their parents, so they were arrested
instead.

Clear-cut case
3:49 p.m. — 3800 block of Hawkeye Circle. Civil Problem. A homeowner called police to report that while he was away on vacation, several bamboo stalks were cut down in his front yard. The man suspected his neighbor may be the culprit, because there were freshly cut bamboo stalks lying in his neighbor’s yard.

Turkeys! Get your turkeys here!
8:49 p.m. — 200 block of Shopping Lane. Four people were seen in a shopping-mall parking lot trying to sell turkeys to supermarket customers. All four were riding bikes.

Nov. 24
The odd couple
12:41 a.m. — Bahia Vista Street. Animal Problem. Two dogs were running loose on the street. One was a black lab. The other was a Chihuahua. Perhaps the later coaxed the lab to hit the late-night Taco Bell drive-thru.