Cops Corner: Longboat Key

Jan. 31
Is this thing on?
9:05 a.m. — 500 block of Schooner Lane. Civil Disturbance. A Public Works employee showed police a water meter that was locked and in the “on” position after having been locked in the “off” position for several years. The owner of the home where the meter is located told police that he thought the lock was his because a long time ago, he paid someone to lock the meter while he was away. The man, who is from another country, said that he owned the house for several years but moved in just two weeks ago. Police told the man that he does not own the water meter and that is illegal to turn it on, and the man agreed to go to Town Hall to get the water turned on properly.

Lost at sea
3:56 p.m. — 1200 block of GMD. Assist Other Agency. A man reported that his $4,000 gold-and-diamond shirt cuff links and $3,000 silver watch went missing sometime between Dec. 27 and Jan. 6 from his room during a cruise out of Fort Lauderdale.

Undocumented work?
6:27 p.m. — 3500 block of Fair Oaks Lane. Code Enforcement. Police told a man doing tile work that town ordinances prohibit construction after 5 p.m. and asked the man if there was a permit listed for the work. The man was unable to find the document but said he believed a permit had been pulled.

Feb. 1
Unlocked door
12:44 a.m. — 5300 block of GMD. Security Check. Police found the door of a flower shop unlocked but were able to lock the door without a key.

Bush man?
2:09 p.m. — Intersection of GMD and Buttonwood Drive. Suspicious Person. A woman who was walking her dog called police after spotting a man lying in the bushes. Police noticed a man who matched the woman’s description sitting at a nearby bus stop but continued searching bushes and trees in the area. The man was no longer at the bus stop when police returned.

Feb. 3
Damage control
9:12 a.m. — 700 block of Marbury Lane. Property Damage. A woman told police that a construction company used large equipment to demolish a nearby house in December, causing her home to shake and resulting in damage to her driveway, porch and the house itself. The woman reported that another incident occurred Feb. 2, when a contractor working on the same property dumped concrete onto her porch and tore her screen in the process. Although the contractor cleaned the concrete and repaired her screen she didn’t feel that he did a professional job. The woman said that she was working with her insurance company to address previous damages to the home.

Tag team
1:52 p.m. — 4000 block of GMD. Traffic Violation. After police stopped her because of the improper tag, a driver said that she took the tag from her truck that was repossessed and placed it on the car she was buying from her daughter. Police found that the vehicle was registered to the woman’s daughter, but the proper tag expired in August. The woman received a citation.

Mystery man
2:33 p.m. — 6800 block of GMD. Suspicious Person. An anonymous caller reported a white male riding a bicycle who “didn’t look like he belonged.”

No tag
5:39 p.m. — 400 block of GMD. Traffic Violation. A man provided paperwork for his vehicle, which had no tag attached, but said he thought that he had 30 days to transfer the title and get the vehicle registered. Police gave the driver a verbal warning and told him not to drive the vehicle again until it was properly registered.

Missing wallet
10:13 p.m. — 5800 block of GMD. Missing Property. A woman was unable to find her wallet when she returned to her hotel room from the beach. The room had been cleaned while she was gone, but she told police that she would check her room and vehicle again and had already canceled her credit cards.

Unlocked door
11:39 p.m. — 500 block of Bay Isles Road. Security Check. Police found an unlocked door at a town office and engaged the door’s push-bar lock.

Feb. 4
Crash report
7:08 p.m. — 4200 block of GMD. Traffic Accident. Police cited a man for leaving the scene of a crash with property damage and improper backing for allegedly striking a Lexus parked in a church lot with his GMC. The man denied knowingly striking the Lexus but agreed to return to the scene so that the investigation could be completed.

Who’s got the key?
11:38 p.m. — 6800 block of GMD. Security Check. Police found the back door of a salon unlocked during a security check and were unable to locate a key holder.

Familiar scene
2:22 p.m. — 2400 block of GMD. Traffic Violation. Police recognized a man driving a moped who they knew had a suspended driver’s license. They issued him a citation. The man had six current suspensions on his license and was warned the night before for not having a tag attached to a vehicle he owns.

Feb. 6
Cracking the codes
6:09 p.m. — 600 block of Marbury Lane. Code Enforcement. After receiving a complaint, police informed a worker that town code prohibits construction work before 8 a.m. and after 5 p.m. Police also advised a truck driver preparing to deliver concrete block about town codes.

Airing out the issue
8:52 p.m. — 600 block of Jackson Way. Noise Disturbance. A woman told police that noise from an air-conditioning unit in a nearby condominium complex has been a problem for four years. Police referred the woman to Code Enforcement for follow-up.

Feb. 7
Outstanding warrant
12:07 a.m. — Intersection of GMD and Longboat Club Road. Assist Other Agency. Police assisted state troopers on a traffic stop during which the driver was arrested without incident because of an outstanding warrant.

Feb. 8
Mixed messages
10:53 a.m. — 3400 block of Winding Oaks Drive. Suspicious Circumstance. A man told police that a repairman claimed he was still waiting for parts after collecting a $100 deposit and hauling his TV away for repairs. The repairman told police that the man said he didn’t want the TV fixed because it would be too expensive. The repairman agreed to return the TV.

Scam alert
11:39 a.m. — 500 block of St. Judes Drive. Suspicious Circumstance. A woman received a phone call from what sounded like a male telling her that she won a $50,000 prize from Wal-Mart and needed to wire a $3,000 processing fee to a Michigan location. Police called the number from which the call was made but were unable to reach anyone.

The perils of going topless
2:33 p.m. — 3500 block of Mistletoe Lane. Missing Property. A woman reported that her garage-door opener and Florida vehicle registration card were taken from the center console of her Mercedes convertible. The woman left the car’s top down while visiting two Key businesses and a St. Armands coffee shop and wasn’t sure where they were taken.