Cops Corner: Longboat Key

Feb. 13
The check isn’t in the mail
12:06 p.m. — 600 block of Dream Island Road. Assist Other Agency. A man discovered his vacation home was listed for rent on Craigslist without his permission when a woman searching for a Longboat Key rental called him because she was suspicious that it was a scam. The man who claimed to be listing the unit provided her with the address of a home in St. Petersburg that belongs to a deceased individual and asked her to send a check by priority mail for $3,000. The woman did not send any money.

Feb. 14
Maybe his bark is worse than his actual bite
9:59 a.m. — 3500 block of Fair Oaks Lane. Public Service. A man hears a small dog across his canal barking throughout the day but does not know where the dog lives or who owns it. The man said it is annoying because he works from home. Police could not locate the barking dog.

Lost at sea
2:02 p.m. — 600 block of Old Compass Road. Larceny From Boats. A GPS was stolen from a man’s boat. The man believes that suspect(s) stole the GPS in the last week and arrived by boat. Police obtained fingerprints and spoke to nearby residents, who said they did not see anything suspicious.

He does not get a pass
8:18 p.m. — 1000 block of GMD. Traffic. A man reported two drivers were traveling at approximately 70 mph and nearly crashed. Police spoke to the driver of one vehicle, who said the other driver was swerving all over the road and was probably intoxicated. The driver said the other driver tried to pass him, but he refused to let him pass.

Feb. 15
Rough ride
8:20 a.m. — Intersection of Gulf of Mexico Drive and Tarawitt Drive. Rescue. The front wheel of a woman’s bicycle fell off the shoulder of the bike lane, causing her to fall. Another rider tried to avoid hitting her and fell off his bike. Firefighter/paramedics treated the woman and released her and transported the man to a hospital because of a possible broken collarbone or arm.

Lost and found
10:10 a.m. — 600 block of Cedars Court East. Recovered Property. A woman found a black sweater and a wallet with a small amount of cash on a walkway in a condominium.

Feb. 17
Peacock game, round two
11:38 a.m. — 500 block of Dream Island Road. Suspicious Circumstance. A woman with a French accent followed a couple to their condo three weeks earlier and said she wanted to follow them home because she crossed the white line on the road, and she was playing the “peacock game.” The woman asked them if they lived in the condo full-time. The couple thought the incident was strange but decided to report it when they read a Longboat Observer article about scams that mentioned a woman who claimed to be playing the “peacock game.”

Feb. 18
Are you for real?
11:39 a.m. — 400 block of GMD. Assist Other Agency. Police helped customs agents who were searching for an individual for deportation at a restaurant. Prior to the officer’s arrival, the manager did not believe the agents were actual officers because of recent scams reported in the Longboat Observer. The agents found the information they were looking for and went to Sarasota to find the person.