Cops Corner: A life jacket for the dog, not the human

DEC. 16

CALL YOUR MOTHER

2:41 p.m., 6800 block of Hughes Street

Fraud: A woman called police after receiving a harassing phone call seeking money. The caller, who referred to the woman as “Grandma,’’ said he need $3,000 for bail in Miami. The woman did not provide any personal information and told the caller to call his mother for help and hung up. The man called back and asked “don’t you have that money laying around in your house?” The woman hung up again. Police were unable to track the call because the Caller ID registered all zeroes. The woman was given a case number and advised to not answer calls with such an origin.

DEC. 22

BURNING BRIGHT

8:32 a.m. – 100 block of N. Shore Road

Camping: An officer was sent to the Beer Can Island area on a report of campers. The caller told police a campfire had been burning during the night. Evidence of a fire was found but no one was present. Officers were alerted to keep an eye on the area.

CAN DO

8:45 p.m. – 100 block of N. Shore Road

Public service: While on nighttime foot patrol of Beer Can Island, an estimated 24 beer cans and bottles were found alongside two beach towels that were overtaken by the tide, but no one was around. A follow-up six hours later turned up no one on the beach.

DEC. 23

ONE GOLDEN RING

2:20 p.m. – 1100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Property lost: After visiting Durante Park and a local restaurant, a man reported to police missing his golf and diamond ring, valued at $5,000. Searches of the area found nothing. The man was given a case number for insurance purposes.

DEC. 24

ONE FOR THE DOG

2:35 p.m. -- Sarasota Bay

Boating violation: The police department’s marine unit stopped a stand-up paddleboarder who had no personal flotation device available, though the dog standing on the board with the paddleboarder was wearing such a device. The officer thanked the paddleboarder for thinking about the dog and issued a verbal warning for the lack of a human flotation device.

DEC. 25

NEARLY TRAPPED

1:12 p.m. – Bayfront Park

Public service: A man called police to alert officers to a potential problem at Bayfront Park’s rest-rooms. The door was very difficult to open from the inside, the caller reported, adding he was concerned about the ability of a child to open the door. The officer told the caller he would report the door issue to Public Works.