Cops Corner

May 14
Land shark
3:17 a.m. — 900 block of Siesta Drive. Animal Problem. Officers responded to a report of a dead shark on a sidewalk. What they found was … a dead shark on a sidewalk. It was a 5-foot nurse shark. They called the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, but the agency declined to respond, because nurse sharks are not endangered. The officers then contacted their supervisor to see what they should do. The supervisor told them to throw it back into Sarasota Bay, which they did.

May 15
One for you, one for me
1:41 p.m. — 1300 block of Main Street. Suspicious Person. Some men were seen sitting in a park, passing around alcohol. Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me.

May 16
Thief sinks to new low
12:40 p.m. — 1700 block of South Tamiami Trail. Petit Theft. A woman leaving the hospital left her purse in a wheelchair at the valet stand. The valet used her cell phone to get in touch with her. He told her the purse would be in the valet area, and he placed it on top of the stand. Shortly thereafter, a man dressed in hospital scrubs walked by and took the purse. Employees say the man walks around the hospital all day disguised in scrubs and looks for things to steal.

Run for cover
1:30 p.m. — 1900 block of Main Street. Criminal Mischief. Someone vandalized three large umbrellas used to shade an outdoor dining area. The restaurant owner said he arrived at work in the morning to see the framing on the $1,000 umbrellas had been pulled apart. He had put the umbrellas away himself the previous night, so he knew the damage occurred after the restaurant closed.

Bench monster
6:07 p.m. — 1400 block of Main Street. Suspicious Person. Complainant called to report someone (or perhaps something) was sitting on a bench scaring people while they passed.

May 17
No soliciting
7:15 a.m. — 3900 block of South Tamiami Trail. Code Enforcement. A woman was seen asking for money from drivers stopped at a traffic light. She was carrying a sign that read: “Homeless and God bless.” She had collected $6. Police told her that soliciting in that manner is a code violation, and she received a ticket. An officer offered to take her to a homeless shelter for help, but she refused.

You’re not the boss of me
10:03 p.m. — 300 block of John Ringling Blvd. Petit Theft. An elderly man was in and out of a restaurant several times on the above date, eating food and drinking from the bar. But when he refused to pay his bill, police were summoned. The man said he had no money, and it wouldn’t matter if he did, because he never had to pay when he was in that restaurant. He said his boss would be there soon, and he always picked up the bill. The restaurant manager said that was not the case and asked that the man be prosecuted. The man was escorted outside and told the officer that he needed a ride. The officer said he should ask his boss for a ride. The man replied that his boss was actually in Italy.

May 18
Guest pass
2:46 a.m. — 1200 block of Boulevard of the Arts. Disturbance. A hotel employee asked police to remove an unregistered guest, who had been disturbing paying guests.