Cops Corner 1.03.13

Dec. 13
JUST SMASHING
7:30 p.m. — Marina Plaza. Burglary of a Vehicle. A woman’s purse was stolen from her parked car. The thief broke into the vehicle by smashing the window. The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office contacted the car owner after someone tried to use checks taken from her purse.

SURPRISE, SURPRISE
1:15 a.m. — 1000 block Four Seasons Circle. Battery. A resident was taking a walk in a parking lot when he came upon two men, who immediately froze. One of the men came up to the resident and said if he made any noise the men would shoot him. There was nothing in the men’s hands, so the resident yelled for help, and the two men ran off.

Dec. 14
REMOTE CONTROL
9:14 a.m. — 500 block Beneva Road. Petit Theft. A security officer watched a man walk back into a store he had just exited. The man picked up two Wii U remote controls from the store shelf and tore open the boxes. The security officer watched the man conceal the items in his clothing and walk toward the front of the store. The security officer confronted the man, and he was arrested.

MOVING PLATES
11 a.m. — 1200 block N. Palm Avenue. Petit Theft. In the middle of the night, someone stole a license plate from a car.

Dec. 15
POT UNLUCK
2 p.m. — 1800 block Hibiscus Street. Petit Theft. A resident heard a woman’s voice outside of her house and saw an SUV in her driveway. The resident saw a woman jump into the SUV and speed off with a large planter from her yard. She knocked over Christmas decorations in the process.

Dec. 16
HANDS OFF
2:45 a.m. — 1400 block Main Street. Dispute/Fight. A man started a fight with another man who had grabbed the first man’s cousin by the arm and tried to pull her away. An officer arrived and tried to separate the two men. The man who defended his cousin said, “Every time she goes out, guys are always grabbing her and hitting on her.” The man said he did not know the man who grabbed his cousin.

GOOD TO THE LAST DROP
Noon — 2200 block Second Street. Open Alcoholic Container. An officer observed a homeless man drinking a can of beer. The man admitted that the beer was his and said he would have finished it if the officer had not arrived.

GOODBYE BOYFRIEND
4:30 p.m. — 800 block Tarpon Ave. Trespass. A woman called police about her ex-boyfriend. She told him to leave the house when they broke up, and every day since then the ex-boyfriend has continued showing up to “get belongings.” The woman said the ex causes problems when he arrives. Officers issued him a trespass warning.

PARKING LOT PARTY
9:11 p.m. – 2400 block Central Avenue. Suspicious Noise. A property manager called police about a huge improvised party in the parking lot next to the community housing apartments and said residents have been complaining. Nearly 100 cars blocked off the parking lot and started an impromptu gathering that blocked pedestrian and vehicle traffic. The gathering about made an “obnoxiously high level of music” coming from parked cars.