Cops Corner: Longboat Key

Oct. 6
Early bird doesn’t catch the worm
7:19 a.m. — 700 block of Hideaway Bay Drive. Code Enforcement. Police informed a lawn-company worker about a town ordinance that prohibits lawn work before 8 a.m.

Oct. 7
Fish-finding expedition
3:19 p.m. — 3800 block of GMD. Larceny from Residence. A man reported that his fish-finder device was taken from his home. The device had been placed in a dresser drawer in the home’s utility area. Police found no signs of forced entry. No additional items were missing from the home.

Stuck in the sand
6:45 p.m. — 500 block of Putter Lane. Boat Violation. A woman reported that two boaters were operating their vessels aggressively in nearby canals. Police found no violations and observed that the boats appeared to be stuck in a sandbar.

Car conundrum
11:54 p.m. — 500 block of Bay Isles Road. Public Service. Police helped a man and woman to turn on their vehicle, which they had been unable to start. Police agreed to follow the woman as she drove home in case of further car troubles.

Oct. 8
Freeing feeling
2:59 p.m. — 230 Sands Point Road. Rescue. Police and firefighters extracted three hotel guests who were stuck in an elevator.

On the loose
3:39 p.m. — 600 block of Halyard Lane. Boating/Miscellaneous. A man told police that he tied his boat to a vacant dock temporarily because of incoming severe weather but was worried that if his boat got loose, it could damage other boats nearby because of its size and weight. Police agreed to pass the information on to officers on other shifts.

Suspicious shopping trip
6:33 p.m. — 5600 block of GMD. Suspicious Circumstance. A man reported that no one was inside a convenience store and that strange noises were coming from the back room. Police located the on-duty clerk, who advised that everything was fine.

Power struggle
7:50 p.m. — 3700 block of GMD. Fire. Police assisted with traffic control while FPL disconnected power to a home that appeared to have been burned by heated wiring and arcing.

Oct. 9
The powers that be
1:03 p.m. — 600 block of Buttonwood Drive. Code Enforcement. A resident reported that a neighbor was using a circular saw. Police told the man about a town ordinance prohibiting the use of power tools outside on Sundays.

Down to the wire
6:15 p.m. — 4200 block of GMD. Fire. Police helped firefighters find a reported tree fire before determining that there was no fire and that the caller most likely observed a tree branch that caused arcing on a nearby electrical line.

Oct. 10
On the run
6:05 a.m. — 4500 block of GMD. Suspicious Circumstance. A woman became frightened after a car pulled up behind her as she jogged. She ran into a condominium clubhouse, where she called police. Police were unable to locate the vehicle and suggested that the woman take her cell phone on future jogs in case of emergency.

Cut it out
10:20 a.m. — 500 block of Bay Isles Road. Code Enforcement. A man reported the illegal dumping of yard waste next to dumpsters outside of a non-profit facility. The man told police that the trimmings matched a set of freshly cut trees and bushes outside of a unit on nearby Neptune Avenue. Police were unable to locate the alleged trimmer.

Future Code Enforcement Board agenda item?
10:50 a.m. — 500 block of Neptune Ave. Code Enforcement. While investigating the complaint above of illegal dumping of yard waste, police found a large amount of boxed floor tiles and a worktable set up on the rear-screened porch. It also appeared to police that new drywall and possibly new wiring had been installed. The kicker: The property had no posted permits.

Lost and found
2:13 p.m. — 100 block of GMD. Found Property. A public works employee turned in a tan leather clutch purse he found in a park.

Oct. 11
Alarming situation
2:02 a.m. — 700 block of Longboat Court. Noise Disturbance. Police responded to a report of a smoke alarm going off but found no alarm. Police left the scene, the alarm began going off again, and police returned to the scene. Dispatch contacted the property owner, who was out of state, and police accessed the garage and removed the alarm’s battery.