Cops Corner: Longboat Key

Dec. 27
The wheel steal
9:41 a.m. — 6500 block of GMD. Larceny from Private Property. A groundskeeper reported that an unknown person broke the lock off an outdoor shed and stole at least one bicycle.

Dec. 30
Fast break
10:46 a.m. — 6000 block of GMD. Animal Nuisance. Police and a Public Works employee attempted to capture a loose dog but were unable to get close enough. The dog’s owner said that the black Labrador retriever got out the front door and would return on her own, which she did a short time later.

Soliciting violation
2:11 p.m. — 6700 block of GMD. Soliciting. After receiving a complaint, police issued notices to appear in court to two men, one of whom had glasses and the other of whom had an arm full of tattoos, not to solicit in town without a permit. The men had previously been warned about the town’s soliciting ordinance.

Dec. 31
Turtle tragedy
2:47 p.m. — 5800 block of GMD. Animal Rescue. Police contacted Mote Marine after a beachgoer told them that a juvenile Kemp’s ridley sea turtle had died and washed ashore.

Jan. 1
Party timeout
12:05 a.m. — Jewfish Key. Noise Disturbance. A resident rang in the new year by ringing up the police to complain about continuous music and shouting coming from Jewfish Key. Police decided to wait for the noise to subside, but after 30 minutes with no reduction, contacted Longboat Key Fire Rescue for transport. Upon arriving on the island, police noticed a pontoon boat with 10 passengers leaving the island. The boat operator told police that the party was ending and guests were leaving.

No beer allowed
4:26 p.m. — 100 block of GMD. Code Enforcement. Police issued a written warning to a man in possession of an open bottle of beer at the picnic table of a town park.

Strike out
1:43 p.m. — Intersection of GMD and Longboat Club Road. Property Damage. A woman attempted to exit her community’s gate via scooter and struck the gate, instead. The woman insisted she was fine and had minimal damage to her scooter.

Jan. 2
Multiple issues
2:04 p.m. — 4000 block of GMD. Traffic Violation. Police stopped the driver of a truck pulling a trailer that had no fender or mudflap covering the driver’s side tires and only one brake light. Police issued the driver citations for not having the vehicle’s tag displayed and warnings for having only one brake light, expired registration for the truck and having no splash-suppressant device on the trailer.

Jan. 3
Security check
12:08 a.m. — 3100 block of GMD. Security Check. Police found that a salon’s front door was unlocked. The owner responded, checked the building and reported that nothing was disturbed.

Over the limit
1:13 a.m. — 4300 block of GMD. Traffic Violation. Police observed a vehicle drive down Gulf of Mexico Drive at 60 mph, then abruptly turn into a condominium parking lot and park with its lights turned off. The driver consented to a search of the van, which yielded no contraband. The driver received a traffic citation.

Give him a brake(light)
12:10 p.m. — 6500 block of Gulfside Road. Traffic Violation. A driver told police he did not have a valid Florida driver’s license after he was pulled over, because the trailer attached to his truck had no brake lights or turn signal visible. The driver was arrested and given a citation, while the vehicles were returned to their owner.

Jan. 6
Attitude adjustment
12:23 p.m. — 500 block of Bay Isles Parkway. Parking Violation. Police spotted a vehicle occupied by one passenger parked in a fire lane outside of a grocery store. The driver had stepped away while talking to a UPS driver and began shaking his head and muttering things such as, “You’ve got to be kidding me,” when asked to move the car. The driver told the police officer that he had a bad attitude toward him. Police advised that officers have discretion about whether to issue and that the driver’s attitude warranted a ticket.