Cops Corner: East County

The following information was gathered from incident and arrest reports obtained from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

April 13
Smash and grab
10:50 p.m. — 5201 51st St. E. (Braden River Park). Burglary to a conveyance. The victim stated an unknown person(s) shattered the driver’s side window of her vehicle while it was parked at the park. The person(s) then removed several items from the front seat of the driver’s side of the vehicle before fleeing in an unknown direction. Several similar incidents also were reported by other victims.

April 14
Just looking
10:20 a.m. — 7600 block of 39th Street Circle East. Burglary to an unoccupied conveyance. Unknown person(s) entered the vehicle through the passenger door, which, according to the victim, was likely left unlocked. There was no evidence of forced entry and nothing was taken. When the victim drove to work, he noticed the passenger door wasn’t shut completely and a plastic bag, kept in the center console, was on the driver’s seat. At first, he didn’t think anything of it, assuming his wife had been in his vehicle, but when he discovered she hadn’t been, it became clear that an unknown person entered the vehicle. The victim was issued a case number on a victim’s rights brochure.

Pick and choose
12:30 p.m. — 9600 block of Turning Leaf Terrace. Information only. The complainant reported her former spouse allegedly picked up only a portion of his furniture she left outside contrary to the court order, which stated he was supposed to pick up all of the items listed in the order.

Fake filing
2:05 p.m. — 10000 block of Cherry Hills Avenue Circle. Fraudulent use/possession of another’s ID without consent. The victim reported an unknown person(s) used her Social Security number to file a 2011 federal tax return.

Road rage
3:45 p.m. — 10300 block of Greenfield Boulevard. Burglary to a structure with assault. An unknown suspect, driving a tan SUV, cut the victim off in his vehicle. The victim continued to follow to obtain the suspect’s tag off of his vehicle. According to sworn affidavits and statements, the unknown suspect slammed on his brakes several times and, at one point, stopped his vehicle. He and his passenger got out and approached the victim’s vehicle while yelling and using profanity. The passenger who was wearing a light-colored shirt and tan shorts reached inside the victim’s vehicle, grabbed the victim by his arm and then slapped his arm. The responding deputy didn’t observe any marks on the victim.

Unwanted guests
3:26 p.m. — Cooper Creek/Tourist Center Drive. Trespass warning. The deputy met with the complainant about two individuals who were panhandling and had repeatedly been asked to leave the property owned by Benderson Development. While in the deputy’s presence, the complainant informed the individuals they were trespassing and were no longer allowed on Benderson’s property for six months and they would be arrested if they returned. Fingerprints were obtained from the suspects.

April 15: Mailbox decapitation
10 a.m. — 7500 block of Pine Valley Street. Criminal mischief $200 and under. The victim reported an unknown person(s) vandalized the mailbox at the end of her driveway. She left her residence at 5 p.m. April 14, for the remainder of the night. Her residence is currently in the process of being remodeled, so she resides at a different address at night. At 10 a.m. April 15, the victim returned back to her residence and discovered the top of her black steel mailbox had been hacked off and was lying in the front yard. She said she believes the suspect used a saw to vandalize her mailbox. The mailbox pole remained in the ground. According to the victim, an unknown neighbor told her people down the street had a house party. The neighbor also stated it saw a dark SUV sitting at the end of her driveway at an unknown time the night of April 14. The total cost to replace the mailbox is $150.