Cops Corner: Sarasota 4.23.20

April 10

WHO, ME?
7:51 p.m. — 3500 block of North Tamiami Trail
Theft: An employee said workers noticed a man inside a store who frequently steals from the business. The employee said she went to find the man and saw him placing shampoo into a plastic bag. When she confronted him, he became hostile, at which point she called the police. The employee said the man left without paying for the items, which she estimated at $247.71 worth of merchandise. Officers found a man matching the description the employee gave. When they spoke to him, the man was hostile and denied being at the store. The employee said she could share surveillance footage of the incident with police in a few days.

April 14

WILD CARD
5:03 p.m. — 3400 block of North Tamiami Trail
Property damage: A convenience store employee said a man came into his store and attempted to purchase cigars. The employee said the man became irate when he was asked for ID. The man grabbed a plastic case of beer and threw it to the ground before leaving. The employee said the man broke the plastic box and rendered the beer unsellable, which cost the store $90.

April 15

KEEP YOUR DISTANCE
11:10 p.m. — 0 block of North Lemon Avenue
Assault: A woman said a man approached her in a parking lot and was yelling loudly. The woman said the man was celebrating his birthday and believed he might have been intoxicated. The woman said she told the man to maintain social distancing and stay 6 feet away from her, but she said he kept approaching her. The woman said she warned the man she would use pepper spray if he did not stay away. She said he did not, so she sprayed the pepper spray at him for self-defense. An officer spoke to the man, who said he approached the woman to ask if she had a Wi-Fi signal he could use for his cellphone.

April 18

SLEIGHT OF HAND
11:19 p.m. — 500 block of North Washington Boulevard
Theft: An employee at a convenience store watched a man grab an item, ask her about the item and then pretend to place the item back where he found it. The man then went to a corner of the store where the employee lost sight of him as she continued assisting customers. The employee later saw the man leave the store with a drink and a stick of beef jerky he had not paid for.