Longboat Key Cops Corner: Four engines, one source of suspicion

Dec. 14

Circles in the sky

5:40 p.m., 1000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious circumstance: Police investigated a report of a suspicious aircraft flying in circles near the island. A check with federal aviation authorities determined the aircraft was a four-engine C-130 belonging to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Nothing out of the ordinary

6:53 a.m., 4100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Alarm: An activated residential burglar alarm drew the attention of police, resulting in an officer responding to a condominium complex to investigate. After entering through a secured lobby, the officer rode the elevator to the second floor and found the door to the affected unit secure. He reported heavy rain in the area and surmised the weather might have contributed to the alarm activating.

License: Suspended

4:08 p.m., 4400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: A traffic stop with a speeder resulted in a citation for driving with a suspended license. The driver told the officer he was licensed, but didn’t have it with him. An electronic check determined the driver’s license had been suspended in September. He was given a citation and a court date. Another driver was summoned to the scene to resume the trip.

Connected to the kids

8:58 p.m., 3800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: The town’s license-plate recognition system detected a vehicle owned by a driver with a suspended license. The driver said he wasn’t aware of the suspension but suspected it was connected to a missed child-support payment. It was. The driver, who was cited, called a relative to drive.

Where’s the fire?

10:45 p.m., 500 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: A driver recorded at 52 mph in a 35 mph zone was given a written warning.

Dec. 15

Too fast

10:14 a.m., 2000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: A driver recorded at 55 mph in a 45 mph zone was given a written warning.

No-work zone

10:48 a.m., 700 block of Penfield Street

Noise: A worker whose noise was audible outside was informed about the town’s rules on construction work on Sundays. He said he was unaware of the rules and agreed to stop for the day.

Dec. 16

No place to pass

7:38 a.m., 1600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: A northbound car using the center-turn lane to pass was stopped and its out-of-town driver issued a citation.

Gotta slow down

11:05 a.m., 4400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: A driver was pulled over for failing to follow a state law requiring drivers to slow while passing the scene of a roadside traffic stop or emergency. The driver was issued a written warning and instructed about the rule.

Not in the middle

12:22 p.m., 1100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: The driver of a truck parked in the center safety lane was issued a verbal warning as he was departing the area.

Dec. 17

P is for ‘prohibited,’ too

9:45 a.m., 3100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: A truck driver parked on the roadway while making a delivery. An officer issued a verbal warning and instructed the driver to move the truck off the road while making the delivery.

Getting wired

7:55 p.m., 6400 block of Gulfside Road

Fire stand-by: An officer was called out to the scene of tree limbs interfering with power lines, along with fire-rescue. Florida Power & Light was notified, and police remained on scene until the utility crew came and trimmed the branches.