Cops Corner: Sarasota

Nov. 3
DOESN’T CHECK OUT
11 a.m. — 2100 block Benjamin Franklin Drive. Miscellaneous. A man from Panama City stayed at a motel and paid for the stay in advance using a check. The check was never verified during the man’s stay, and after he checked out of the motel, the check was returned for insufficient funds.

Nov. 9
MISSING MACBOOK
8 p.m. — 1800 block Wisteria Street. Burglary of a Vehicle. An unknown person stole an Apple Macbook Pro that was left in the vehicle on the passenger’s seat of a vehicle. An officer spoke with neighbors to see if they observed anything suspicious and checked a database of pawn-shop items, but were unable to find the computer.

Nov. 10
ART THIEF
8 p.m. — 300 block St. Armands Circle. Burglary. During an art fair, an unknown person entered a vendor’s tent and stole a painting valued at $2,000. The suspect is believed to have gained entry either by unzipping the front door to the tent or by crawling under a small opening at the rear of the tent. The suspect also stepped on another painting and burned another one. A similar incident occurred at the same time to another vendor. Officers photographed the scene and collected items to be processed for fingerprints.

Nov. 11
FULL VOLUME
12:29 a.m. — 300 block Ohio Place. Noise Violation. Police were called to an apartment for loud music — twice.

TRAILER TRASHED
4 p.m. — 2000 block Cornell Street. Burglary of a Vehicle. A landscaper called police because someone tried to break into a trailer that holds his tools and damaged the side of the trailer. It appeared that someone had climbed the 8-foot-high fence from the south and then tried to pry open the locked side of the trailer.

TUNED IN
4 a.m. — 2400 Walker Circle. Noise Violation. A resident called police about cars driving up and down 27th Street while blasting music. The resident wanted to know if police officers could do anything about it. Officers advised the resident that in the city of Sarasota, vehicles in motion can play their music as loudly as they want . Officers advised the resident if she wanted to try to change the law, she needed to contact or write letters to the City Commission. The resident expressed her disappointment with the city’s regulations and advised she was going to take action.

Nov. 12
RIGHT KEY, WRONG MOTEL
1:24 a.m. — 1700 block N. Tamiami Trail. Suspicious Person. A motel manager called police about a person knocking on doors at the motel. Upon arrival, officers met the man in question, who told officers that his key no longer worked in his door. Officers advised the man that he was at the incorrect motel.

SPITTING MAD
9 a.m. — 1400 block 16th Street. Dispute. A resident called police to report that another resident spit on her. The incident happened earlier in the day, and the woman who was spit on was upset about it. The spitter told police that she got upset because the other resident was bothering her, so she spit on her.

LATE-NIGHT PROBLEM
10:40 a.m. — 1400 block Fifth Street. Patrol Request. A business owner called police about transients hanging around her business late at night and early in the morning. She said they drink and smoke and requested extra patrol around the business.

LOUD AND ROWDY
2:27 a.m. — 300 block S. Osprey Avenue. Noise Violation. A resident talked to a police officer about loud and rowdy neighbors. The officer spoke to the neighbor, who was having a party. The officer told the loud neighbor to keep it down and get his guests to stop yelling.

GETAWAY CAR
8 a.m. — 400 block Hanson Bayou Road. Burglary of a Structure. A burglar gained entry into a home through the rear garage door, which was unlocked, and stole china from the cabinets and a LCD television from the living room. The burglar exited the home through the garage and stole fishing equipment, diving gear and food from the freezer. The burglar then found keys to the 1989 Mercedes in the garage, packed all the stolen gear in it and then drove away. Officers checked fingerprints left behind at the scene.

STORE WARS
4:30 p.m. — 600 block N. Washington Boulevard. Criminal Mischief. An unknown person broke one of the front windows to a store. It appeared as though a pellet gun or something similar was used to shoot the glass. The business owner is involved in an ongoing dispute with a man who hired someone to stand in front of the business owner’s store, portraying the store in a negative light. The storeowner believes this man might be behind the broken window.

Nov. 14
GETTING CHECKED OUT
4 a.m. — 3500 block Fruitville Road. Trespassing. A manager at a fast-food restaurant called police about an “extremely intoxicated” man who locked himself in the bathroom. A police officer spoke to the man outside the restaurant. The man had slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and the odor of alcohol on his breath. The officer transported the man to the hospital because of his state.