Cops Corner: Longboat Key

Nov. 25
Long-lost friend
9:06 a.m. — 6500 block of Bayou Hammock Road. Burglary. A man told police he was looking for his friend, Bubba, after he forced open the bedroom sliding glass door of a home. The man had been wandering through the yard of the home and ignored the resident when he asked him what he was doing. Police determined that he was possibly under the influence of substances, although he did not have any in his possession. Firefighters took his vital signs and medically cleared him before police transferred him to the Manatee County Jail.

Hard day’s work
2:08 p.m. — 1000 block of GMD. Civil Disturbance. Two painters got into an argument over one painter’s performance. One painter said the other had been yelling at him all day about his work, and he told him to leave him alone and let him do his job. After his co-worker asked him to step outside, he called the company’s owner to complain. The co-worker said he has to go back and redo all of the painter’s work, including cleaning up his mess.

Nov. 26
Collection calls
9:55 a.m. — 5900 block of GMD. Harassing Phone Call. A woman said she used a lawn service one time last year and paid for the service, but the company’s representative claims she signed an annual contract. The company has contacted her multiple times, telling her she owes varying amounts, and she sent a letter requesting they stop further attempts to collect the debt. Police gave her a copy of debt collection regulations but told her it was a civil matter.

Jet Ski set
12:37 p.m. — 500 block of Bowsprit Lane. Boat. A caller reported a Jet Ski adrift in a canal. Police recognized the Jet Ski and called the owner of a home nearby, who said her son was en route to retrieve the Jet Ski.

Go phishing somewhere else
12:48 p.m. — 2600 block of GMD. Public Service. A woman received a scam email thanking her for her purchase of airline tickets for Nov. 28. Police determined the email was a phishing attempt to get her personal information. The woman does fly on the airline the sender claimed to represent and received confirmation that the tickets she purchased are for December.

Training day
1:50 p.m. — 500 block of Jessmyth Drive. Suspicious Circumstance. Police received a report of suspicious subjects and checked the area for individuals on golf carts. A maintenance worker told police he was training a new employee and had been in the area on a golf cart within the last 20 to 30 minutes.

Nov. 27
Burial at sea
9:34 a.m. — 100 block of N. Shore Road. Greer Island. Police found a canoe near Longboat Pass that’s buried in the sand and were unable to dig it out. The canoe’s mooring line apparently broke, causing it to drift to its current location.

Nov. 28
Red eye
2:20 p.m. — 5400 block of GMD. Public Service. A man noticed a video camera tied to a tree behind his home and said it was emitting red light toward his residence. He said he knew why the camera was installed, but the situation had been corrected. The neighbor who installed the camera agreed to take it down immediately.

Nov. 30
Taxicab confessions
3:14 a.m. — 4300 block of GMD. Traffic. Police stopped a driver for not staying in the traffic lane. The driver said he was looking for a place to fish and did not realize how late it was. He said he was tired, having difficulty with his legs and is scheduled for surgery. He agreed he would feel safer taking a taxi home.

He said, she said
1:04 p.m. — 3200 block of Bayou Road. Disturbance. A driver yelled at a woman after she pulled her vehicle to the curb to talk to her friends on the sidewalk.She followed the driver to his home and told him he scared her. He told her to learn how to drive.

Dec. 1
Reality tv
7:14 a.m. — 500 block of Spinnaker Lane. Suspicious Circumstance. A woman was sleeping with the TV on and awoke to the sound of knocking. She was not sure whether it was real or on
the TV.

Not a real steal
2:10 p.m. — Intersection of Gulf of Mexico Drive and Hornblower Lane. Parking. A woman reported a truck had been parked in front of her home all day. Police told her it was legally parked and asked her what her concern was. She said the truck could be stolen. Police told her it was not stolen. Later, police asked the truck driver to move his vehicle to appease the caller.

Jumping the gun
8:21 p.m. — Intersection of Gulf of Mexico Drive and Spinnaker Lane. Suspicious Circumstance. A caller reported three popping sounds that were possibly gunshots. Police checked the area but did not see or hear anything suspicious.

Shattered theory
11:03 p.m. — 4000 block of GMD. Suspicious Circumstance. A woman heard what sounded like glass breaking and called police to report a possible burglary in progress. Police found no signs of illegal entry or broken glass. The home is being remodeled, and the brass fixture in a bathroom had fallen off the wall, possibly causing the noise.