Cops Corner

May 9
Bible thumper
11:18 a.m. — 3000 block of Osprey Avenue. Suspicious Person. A woman was standing in the street, holding a red Bible, while yelling and cursing at no one in particular.

May 10
Feeling disconnected
5:14 p.m. — 6800 block of South Tamiami Trail. Petit Theft. A woman took her car to the dealership to get serviced, because its Bluetooth connection was not working. She left her cell phone in the car so the repairmen could correct the problem. But one of the dealership’s employees apparently grabbed the keys, got into her car and took the phone. The dealership has promised that it would reimburse the woman for the stolen
phone.

Quick-change artist
7:10 p.m. — 8200 block of South Tamiami Trail. Petit Theft. A department-store security guard watched a woman who had gathered a large quantity of clothing. She walked into a changing room and came out a few minutes later with substantially less clothing in her arms. The guard followed her to the parking lot, but she refused to stop. He did get her license-plate number, though. Deputies went to her home but were not able to find the stolen clothes. Surveillance video shows she took six pairs of jean shorts and two pairs of other
shorts.

Scene stealer
7:46 p.m. — 200 block of Avenida Madera. Suspicious Incident. The manager of a pizza shop continues to have problems associated with a company van parked at Siesta Key Beach. In the latest incident, he told deputies that a condo owner called several times to complain that the van was blocking her view of the beach. A deputy paid the woman a visit, and she told him the business was harassing her, because it wouldn’t move the van. The deputy told her that the van was legally parked and that she should stop calling the pizza shop.

May 11
Smooth operator
3:06 p.m. — 8400 block of South Tamiami Trail. Shoplifting. The assistant manager of a supermarket called the sheriff’s office, because a shoplifter had been caught at her store. The man was caught stealing two frozen Chinese dinners and a large bottle of Pabst Blue Ribbon. Dinner for two?

All’s well ...
7:20 p.m. — 2200 block of Wood Street. Criminal Mischief. A man called police to report a woman intentionally damaged his car, smashing its windows and keying the hood. Officers questioned the woman, and she admitted to causing the damage. She said she did so, because the man cheated on her. The man declined to press charges, and she said she’d pay for the car repairs.

Costly friendship
7:31 p.m. — 2100 block of Cass Street. Grand Theft. The complainant called the sheriff’s office to report his roommate stole more than $1,500 worth of jewelry and silver coins. The roommate admitted to the complainant that he stole some loose change. He promised to pay it back, and the complainant agreed. Then the complainant discovered an expensive ring and $25 silver coins were also missing.