Weather: East County

Aug. 21
 Purse snatching
11:19 a.m. — 8300 block of Lockwood Ridge Road. Purse Snatching. A man grabbed a woman’s purse and shopping bags while they waited for the bus. Witnesses told police the woman tried to hold onto her belongings, but the suspect was able to wrestle most of the items away from her and run away.

Aug. 23
 Not safe and sound
4:42 p.m. — 8100 block of Lakewood Main Street. Theft. A security camera valued at $100 and $2,000 in cash was stolen from a Lakewood Ranch office suite. Police were stumped until security footage revealed the security officer hired to secure the building was responsible.

Aug. 25
 Act of kindness not returned
2:16 a.m. — 3300 block of 53rd Avenue East. Carjacking. A man asked to bum a cigarette from another man who was sitting in his car behind a store. The man offered the cigarette but was met with a gun smashed into his face. The driver was then pulled from his car, and the suspect took off in his car. Police later found the car abandoned.

If it’s not locked down ...
10:36 a.m. — Intersection of 44th Avenue East and 69th Street East. Theft. A construction crew called police to report someone stole a $2,700 concrete mixer from a construction site. The mixer was the only tool not attached to a lock because the crew figured it was too heavy for anyone to steal.

Aug. 26
 Maintenance mayhem
11 a.m. — 3700 block of 67th Terrace East. Suspicious Circumstance. A homeowner showed police video surveillance of someone with a leaf blower walking through his yard doing yard work. The only issue is the property owner does his own yard work. The property owner thinks the man was surveying his property for a future burglary attempt.

Aug. 27
 Huff and puff
2:25 p.m. — 4500 block of Summer Cove Drive. Disturbance. A woman told police her ex-boyfriend threatened to break down the door if she didn’t open it. She accepted his challenge, but he opted not to break down the door and went home.

Aug. 29
 Cashing out
10:16 a.m. — 11000 block of State Road 64 East. Theft. A McDonald’s employee used another employee’s cash register number to refund money to herself six times over the course of her shift. The employee was fired and vacated the business after she refused to admit wrongdoing and didn’t return the money.

Electronics and cookware essentials
1:21 p.m. — 8300 block of Lockwood Ridge Road. Theft. A woman tried to steal a television and an egg poacher from a local store.

Aug. 30
 Crossing the line
4:08 p.m. — 2800 block of University Parkway. Solicitation. A man was warned the previous day a Manatee County ordinance prohibits him from panhandling in the median. The next day, the officer saw him walk across the street in Sarasota County when he saw his squad car. When the officer turned around the man was back in Manatee County holding his sign. He was arrested and taken to jail.

Aug. 31
 We are family
10:31 a.m. — 600 block of Honeyflower Loop. Domestic disturbance. A son-in-law was fed up with his mother-in-law’s interference and kicked her out of his home. The mother-in-law told police she was going to a motel for the night.