Cops Corner: Sarasota

May 16
DOWN IN THE DUMPS
11 a.m. — 2100 block of Fifth Street. Littering. A resident reported that an unknown person dumped a large pile of cut shrubbery on the sidewalk and right of way. The debris had been there for about a week. Six days later he saw a white truck carrying more debris at the location.

May 21
NO ‘FUELING’ HIM
7:48 p.m. — 3500 block of Fruitville Road. Miscellaneous Public. A man called police after he paid $25 at a gas station and tried to pump gas but nothing had registered in his tank. The pump was registering that it was putting gas in the tank, but was dry, and the area around the fuel intake on the man’s truck was dry, as well. An employee told a police officer they would check the surveillance camera to see if there was an issue.

WHERE THERE’S SMOKE ...
12:15 p.m. — 1400 block of First Street. Suspicion General. A bus driver was taking a lunch break at a grocery store and used the restroom. While inside the restroom, he saw a man smoking an unknown substance. The bus driver felt light-headed and advised his supervisor. The driver did not know if the substance was marijuana, spice or something else.

May 22
CARTE BLANCHE
8:15 p.m. — 2100 block of Princeton Street. Burglary of a Structure. A suspect pried open the rear door to a business. Once inside, the suspect disconnected the camera system and removed two cameras and spray-painted another with black paint. The suspect then removed the DVR to which the camera system was connected. Once the system was disabled, the suspect went through both offices and the warehouse area and took computers, a safe and a fax machine. The suspect used a clothing cart to move all the stolen items to the front door where he or she exited the business.

IRON MAN
7:45 a.m. — East Avenue. Unclassified. Someone broke into a vehicle and stole an antique iron statue.

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
3:44 p.m. — 900 block of Boulevard of the Arts. Counterfeiting. A man reported that unknown person(s) opened a Verizon phone account in his name seven years ago at a different address. The man completed an ID theft affidavit.

May 23
IF THE SHOE FITS
1:55 p.m. — 1300 block of Fifth Street. Burglary of a Structure. A resident in an apartment complex heard a loud noise and the alarm sounding. He called the police and yelled at the intruder, who had just kicked open the door to an adjacent apartment. The intruder ran away. The officer who arrived at the scene noticed a large foot print on the door and processed the scene for any latent prints. It is possible that another attempted burglary took place at the apartment complex at the same time.

NO NOISE IS GOOD NEWS
3:25 a.m. — 200 block of Amherst Avenue. Noise Violation. A caller reported a loud noise to police, but when an officer arrived, there was no noise or sound coming from the apartment.