Cops Corner: A mysterious light

MARCH 16

Scary, scary night

2:46 a.m., 400 block of North Shore Road

Suspicious circumstance: A caller notified police of a strange, scary light coming from the water behind the home. When an officer arrived, he determined it was a fishing boat. Subsequently, he made contact with the boat operator, who said he was trolling for shrimp and would move to another area.

MARCH 17

Playing through

4:47 a.m., 800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: The driver of a golf cart was pulled over and warned for operating a golf cart on a roadway without proper equipment. The driver was a golf course employee driving between a maintenance shed and Longboat Key Club’s Harbourside golf course.

Island living

11:23 p.m. Greer Island

Found property: While patrolling Greer Island, a pair of officers found a tent and assorted other belongings. No one was found nearby, so the officers collected the gear and brought it to the police station for safe keeping. In addition to the tent, they found: a pocket flashlight; a lantern; a bag of clothing; a bag of toiletries; a bag of blankets and towels and a sleeping bag.

MARCH 18

Party time

12:54 p.m., Greer Island

Public service: An officer was sent to the bayside of Greer Island to check out what appeared to a caller to be a boat party. When the officer arrived, he found five anchored boats, and a group of “elderly and very polite’’ occupants. No loud music was being played, nor was there evidence of a public nuisance.

MARCH 19

Not so much fun

2:09 a.m., 2000 block of Harbourside Drive

Suspicious circumstance: Two women on spring break called police to report a man was following them. The women told police they had accepted a ride to Longboat Key with a man they didn’t know. During the ride, they got scared and asked to get out of the car, but related the man was following them. The women didn’t know where they were but wanted to go back to Siesta Key, where they were staying. The officer waited with them until a ride-service car arrived.

A ride home

10:40 p.m., 400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Public service: A women whose car wouldn’t start called police seeking a ride home. The woman had called her auto club and was told it would be four hours before service could arrive. She then called police, who checked the car and gave her a courtesy ride home.

MARCH 20

Slow fill up

6:50 pm., 400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious person: A gas station clerk called police with concerns about a couple who had prepaid for fuel but were still parked at the pump 30 minutes later. An officer spoke to the couple who said the car was a rental and they were unfamiliar with opening the fuel-filler. One of them had to call the rental company for instructions. Once they figured it out, they were on their way.