Cops Corner 11.16

Nov. 2

SAFETY FIRST

1:39 p.m., 3100 block of Bayou Sound

Gas leak: An officer responding to a report of a gas leak reported hearing and smelling evidence of gas near the home’s heater upon his arrival. Longboat Key Fire-Rescue arrived soon after and evacuated the area and secured the scene while the gas service provider responded. The responding officer also conducted traffic control during the incident.

HAPPY NOVEMBER 2!

8:35 p.m., 6500 block of Gulfside Road

Noise disturbance: The sound of fireworks drew the attention of a caller to the police department, which resulted in an officer’s response to the beach. There, the officer found two people who had just wrapped up setting off a small batch of fireworks. The officer told them fireworks use was illegal. The two told the officer they had purchased the pyrotechnics on their trip from Ontario to Longboat Key, and that they wouldn’t launch any more. They also cleaned up after themselves.

Nov. 3

CLEAN SWEEP

4:30 p.m., 6500 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Highway obstruction: An officer on patrol discovered a large patch of fill dirt spilled on the highway from a truck, apparently turning north from Gulfside Road. Concerned it would create a hazard, the officer and a captain swept the street clean.

Nov. 5

NOT REALLY A CRIME

1:19 a.m., Greer Island

Missing property: A man called the police department to relate his story of a missing cell phone. He told officers he had been at Greer Island until about 6 p.m. the day before and noticed his cell phone was missing. He went home to West Palmetto and tried to use a computer program to track the phone, which indicated it was off State Road 64 in Bradenton, though he couldn’t produce a serial number or other identifying information other than a visual description. Police determined the phone was lost and no crime had been committed.

Nov. 6

JUST CRUSHED IT

5:34 p.m., 500 block of Hibiscus Way

Public service: An officer responding to reports of a water line break near the site of the former Longboat Center for the Arts arrived to find water flowing from the ground near the entrance to the housing-project construction site. Neighbors told the officer big trucks had driven over that spot earlier. The Public Works Department was notified.

Nov. 7

CLEAN BUT MYSTERIOUS

10:32 p.m., 600 block of Cedars Street

Security check: A neighbor called police to report an open garage door. The neighbor said the resident lives in Canada and had not yet arrived in Longboat Key. The officer tried to make contact with someone inside, but found no one. The officer found the property clean and undisturbed, and a Swiffer mop was found at the top of the stairs, leading the officer to surmise a cleaning crew had been there and forgot to close the garage. The neighbor said he would email the resident to advise what was going on.