Cops Corner: Sarasota

Dec. 8
RIDING OFF
9 p.m. — 1400 block of 10th Street. Petit Theft. A woman said she was waiting for her son’s bus to arrive when she saw a man ride by on her son’s bike. She yelled at the man to stop, but he continued riding. When she returned to where the bike had been chained, it appeared a blunt object was used to break the lock.

Dec. 10
DE-FENCE
9 p.m. — 2100 block of North Orange Avenue. Criminal Mischief. A man said someone had broken his chain-link fence and removed the wire that held the fence to the posts. The man believed children waiting for a school bus in front of his property were responsible for the damage. Officers met with the children and told them not to lean on the fence or place any items on it. At that time, the man interrupted and threatened anyone he found damaging his property in the future; he said he would handle things himself rather than call the police. Officers asked the school board to consider moving the bus stop to avoid conflict; the school board obliged and moved the stop that afternoon.

DON’T BE ALARMED
1 p.m. — 700 block of 45th Street. Suspicion Person. A woman, who was working from home, heard a man knock on her door. As she was approaching the door, she said it sounded like the man tried to turn the doorknob. The woman asked the man what he was doing, and he said he was leaving a brochure. The woman said the man left without leaving anything behind. The house next door had a brochure for home alarm systems, and the alarm company said they send employees out to distribute brochures.

DRONING ON
2:30 p.m. — 3700 block of Indian Beach Place. Suspicion General. A woman called the police after sighting what appeared to be a drone near her house. She said the drone flew low to the ground and looked like it had a camera attached. An officer notified the Sarasota-Bradenton Airport Tower, who then notified Homeland Security. Homeland Security said the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, which was operating the drone, was conducting training.

Dec. 11
DOG GONE
5 a.m. — 1300 block of 25th Street. Dispute/Fight. A man said an unknown person broke his back window and stole his black Labrador puppy. A witness identified the man who broke in as the actual owner of the dog, who was supposed to move into the residence with the man who called the cops. Officers were informed that the dog’s owner was trying to call the man who lived in the home all day in an effort to retrieve his dog from the property. Officers concluded no robbery occurred and that the matter should be resolved in civil court.