Cops Corner

Aug. 21
Taboo tattoo
7 p.m. — 2400 block of Browning Street. Civil Problem. A man called police to report that his 17-year-old daughter went to a neighbor’s house and received a tattoo. Neither the girl nor the neighbor asked the father’s permission. The man said he was most upset about what the tattoo said, but did not describe it.

Aug. 22
Saving the Earth, one home at a time
11 p.m. — 10 block of Bayview Drive. Criminal Mischief. A man reported that someone turned off the water to his apartment and cut his cable TV wires. That’s perhaps the most inconvenient way to reduce utility bills.

Aug. 23
Sleep it off
1 a.m. — Avenida Madera and Calle Mino. Impaired Person. Someone called the sheriff’s office to report a strange man sleeping behind a business. A deputy arrived and woke up the man, who had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and was unable to stand on his own. Maybe he was just really tired.

Early morning alarm
5:15 a.m. — 1000 block of Point of Rocks Road. Burglary. A woman visiting from out of state awoke to find a strange man with a flashlight standing in the bedroom of her rental condo. She yelled at him, and he ran away. She discovered he had stolen $200 in cash and her cell phone. Detectives were able to find a couple of fingerprints and are searching for the suspect.

Aug. 24
Which way to the range?
6:59 p.m. — 1300 block of First Street. Suspicious Person. Someone reported a young man walking near the library with a rifle case strapped over his shoulder. He definitely meets the criteria of a suspicious person.

Keep the change
7:20 p.m. — 1100 block of South Tamiami Trail. Suspicious Incident. A woman tried to cash four $1,000 money orders at a check-cashing business, but an employee discovered they were counterfeit. The woman had sold a painting over the Internet for $1,700. She told the buyer she would send the item as soon as she received the money. The man sent that amount, plus an extra $2,300, which should have signaled something was amiss. She said she would provide investigators with the man’s e-mail address.

Do you see what I see?
9:27 p.m. — 500 block of Venice Lane. Burglary. A neighbor reported seeing a group of young adults in a nearby home. That in itself wouldn’t be unusual, except for the fact that the house was vacant and for sale. When a deputy knocked on the front door, the people inside screamed and ran out the back door. They didn’t realize that a second deputy went to the back of the home and was waiting for them. Inside, the deputies found marijuana and hallucinogenic mushrooms.

Aug. 25
Cough it up
3:18 p.m. — 1300 block of South Tamiami Trail. Attempted Theft. A store employee saw a young man try to steal a bottle of cough syrup. Hey, it is flu season.