Cops Corner: Sarasota 07.16.15

July 10

COVER CHARGE
9:30 p.m. — 1400 block of 10th Street
Petit Theft — All Other: A man reported that his motorcycle cover had been stolen overnight from a parking lot. The cover was valued at $50. After making the report, the man informed an officer that he found a woman sleeping on the cover in a grassy patch in the area. The woman said she found the cover on the ground on the street, denied taking it from the motorcycle herself and said she was unaware that it had been stolen. The man successfully recovered the motorcycle cover.

July 11

SMOKE BREAK-IN
6:30 a.m. — 3500 block of North Tamiami Trail
Burglary — Structure: An employee at a convenience store arrived at the business before opening, and unlocked the front entrance in anticipation of other workers arriving. She went into the back room, at which point a man pulled open the sliding door, walked behind the register counter and took approximately ten cartons of cigarettes from behind the value. The employee reported that the cigarettes were valued at approximately $500. Another employee arrived as the man was entering, and attempted to lock the suspect into the store, but he pushed his way out and rode away. The second employee recognized the man as a regular customer at the store, but officers were unable to locate the man in the immediate area.

July 13

CUT THE CORD
2:36 a.m. — 2400 block of North Osprey Avenue
Landlord-Tenant Dispute: A landlord stopped by his property and saw an extension cord running from his property to the neighboring house, which does not have electricity. The man said he believed the neighbors were stealing his power. One of the tenants inside of the house said he let the neighbors plug in the extension cord so they could charge their phones. After the landlord informed the tenant he is not paying for the used electricity, the tenant agreed to unplug the cord to prevent any further issues.

SAY WHAT?
10:38 a.m. — 1800 block of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Battery — Non-Serious Injury: An employee at a convenience store reported he had been battered by an upset customer. The employee reported that the customer said something he did not hear clearly, and the customer was upset he had to repeat himself. As a result, he lunged over the counter and hit him in the upper lip with his fist. The employee did not know the suspect or the direction he left in. Officers reviewed security footage, and saw an interaction where the employee and the customer were both lunging over the counter at each other before the suspect made contact.