Cops corner

Dec. 6
Victimless crime
12:40 p.m. — 200 block of Shopping Lane. General Suspicion. A supermarket worker saw a man running in the rear of the business holding a purse. The man realized he had been seen, so he ducked behind a truck. He peeked around the truck and again began running. He was no longer carrying the purse. Police couldn’t find the man, and a purse-snatching victim has yet to come forward.

Sarasota welcoming committee
11 p.m. — 5200 block of Ocean Boulevard. Petit Theft. A tourist was at a restaurant and bar. She left her wallet on her table, while she walked away for a minute. When she returned, the wallet was gone. A member of the wait staff found the wallet in a trashcan. The $100 inside and her driver’s license were stolen.

Dec. 7
Unusual campaign strategy
11:15 a.m. — 7300 block of South Tamiami Trail. Suspicious Incident. A political party volunteer reported a man walked into the party headquarters and rambled about “bad guys,” the Bible and Benjamin Netanyahu bringing guns to The White House. The man called himself Christ and called President Obama the anti-Christ. During the conversation, the employee determined that the real reason for the man’s visit was to inquire about running for office.

Scared straight
1:20 p.m. — 4800 block of Fallcrest Circle. Attempted Burglary. A homeowner had her family staying with her. They don’t speak English well, and that’s why when the homeowner was at work and someone rang the doorbell, they didn’t answer the door. The two men ringing the bell were burglars, and they figured nobody was home. The two men crept through the pool area. One of the family members saw them approaching the back door and she screamed. The burglars were startled and ran.

Eureka! He struck gold
5:30 p.m. — 8200 block of South Tamiami Trail. Grand Theft and Resisting a Merchant. A department-store security guard saw a young man shove four boxes of gold earrings in his pockets. The guard followed the man to the exit and nabbed him as he left the store. The thief struggled and tried to get away, but the guard threw him to the ground and handcuffed him. Police arrived, and the young man admitted to stealing $399 worth of jewelry.

Dec. 8
License lie
2:35 a.m. — 1000 block of Siesta Drive. Driving While License Is Revoked. An officer responded to a report of a reckless driver. He began to follow a pickup truck that was weaving all over the road. After the officer pulled the truck over, he asked the driver to see his license. The driver said he didn’t have one. The officer asked if he ever had a license, and the driver said, “No.” Upon checking the driver’s license plate number, the officer discovered the man did used to have a driver’s license, but it had been revoked in February. This was the fourth time he has been caught driving since then.

The officer offered the man a drive … to jail.