Longboat Key Cops Corner: Smell that?

Police reports from around the island.


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  • | 11:18 a.m. November 30, 2020
  • Longboat Key
  • Cops Corner
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Nov. 21

Over the bridge

3:21 a.m., 1600 block of Ken Thompson Parkway

Agency assistance: Town officers assisted Sarasota officers in investigating an intruder alarm at a business on City Island. When local officers arrived, Sarasota officers were on scene. No sign of a break-in was found.

Perfectly legal family time

6:19 a.m., 6900 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Fire assist: Police and fire rescue units identified a nearby home with a fire pit in use as a likely source of a resident’s report of a burning smell. The family’s fire pit was legal.

Lost, found, delivered

12:07 p.m., police headquarters

Found property: A lost wallet was returned to a resident with an out of state drivers license. A patrolling officer was flagged down near the police station by a person who wanted to return the wallet which was found nearby. The officer took possession of the wallet and determined the owner had a home in town. The officer returned the wallet to the rightful owner.

Not lost

7:09 p.m., 800 Bayport Drive

Missing persons: A resident concerned about a neighbor who borrowed a kayak called police when the neighbor hadn’t returned hours later. The neighbor and a relative borrowed the kayak in the morning and had not been heard from or seen since. As police were gathering information and preparing to track the neighbor’s cell phone, the neighbor and relative walked up, saying they had returned about an hour earlier but had missed attempts to reach them by phone or in person.

Nov. 23

Gone fishin’

10:32 a.m., 6600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Citizen assist: A property owner called police to report two people fishing from a private seawall, damaged in Hurricane Eta and marked as a potential hazardous area. An officer spoke with the two, who said they did not realize the location was off-limits and moved to another beach location from which to fish.

Out of town puppy

6:05 p.m., 6800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Dog on the beach: A caller to police alerted authorities to a dog on the beach, in violation of town rules. An officer discovered an out of town pet owners with a puppy on the sand. The owners said they didn’t realize it was against the town rules and left. In the next 30 minutes, two other people alerted police about dogs on the beach farther south.

Heading home

6:51 p.m., 500 block of Bay Isles Parkway

Citizen assist: Police were called to check on the well-being of a person sitting on a bench in front of a store. The person told officers she was waiting for a ride-sharing service to bring her home. Fire-rescue confirmed the person was in good health, and a relative was contacted and apprised of the situation. The relative said he would send someone to their home to make sure the person was OK.

Nov. 24

Not home

10:15 a.m., 300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Welfare check: A condominium community manager called police to check on the welfare of a resident after attempts to reach the resident were unsuccessful. Police arrived along with fire-rescue. A member of the fire-rescue team said the resident had recently been taken to the hospital. The property manager attempted to enter the residence with a master key to confirm but was unable.

All cool in the pool

11:36 a.m., 1000 block of Longboat Club Road

Unsecure premises: A concerned resident, believing neighbors were out of town, called police to report a nearby home with its garage door open. Police arrived to find the door open and two cars parked inside. The door to the home’s interior was also unsecure. Reporting their intentions to enter the home, police then stepped inside and announced their presence. Officers found the residents relaxing by the pool. The residents thanked the officers for their diligence and the caller was contacted and informed of the officers’ findings.

Not cool in the pool

5:14 p.m., 700 block of Penfield St.

Animal call: Residents called police to report a four-foot snake in their swimming pool. An officer netted the snake and released it into a grassy area nearby.

Driver cited

9:06 p.m., Bay Isles Parkway and Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic crash: One driver was taken by ambulance to the hospital and was cited for careless driving after a two-car collision. Police said the cited driver turned left in front of oncoming traffic. Both vehicles were towed from the scene.

Nov. 26

Yarr, this be a mystery

2:33 p.m., off Buttonwood Cove

Suspicious incident: A kayaker reported finding a locked wooden box on an island near Buttonwood Cove. The kayaker told police it was large and too heavy to lift. Members of the police staff with knowledge of things maritime said they believed it was likely a dock-box swept away during Hurricane Eta. The location was relayed to police with the possible goal of sending a marine unit, but there was a strong likelihood the box was in very shallow water.

Coyote sightings

6:39 p.m., 3000 block of Grand Bay Drive

Miscellaneous call: A pedestrian stopped at the security office of a condominium complex, concerned for her safety after spotting what might have been one of the island’s coyotes.  About an hour later, a report of a coyote on the golf course was received.

Nov. 28

Unwanted visitor

10:50 a.m., 700 block of Old Compass Road

Animal complaint: A resident called police to seek assistance with a raccoon found inside a compartment of his boat. Animal control officers were called and the police officer propped open the compartment hatch and asked the resident to call back if the animal left on its own.

Bag o' evidence

2:06 p.m., 6000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Dog on the beach: Police were called to alert them to a dog that had come from an anchored boat and defecated on the sand without its owners cleaning up. When an officer spoke to the boaters, they produced a filled plastic bag as evidence they had done their duty.

No brakes

2:15 p.m., 3600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic collision: A three-car collision resulted in minor injuries and a driver cited for equipment failure. Police determined one of the vehicles’ brakes were not working, causing the vehicle to crash into the rear of a stopped vehicle, which in turn struck another vehicle. No one required transportation to a hospital.

Nov. 29

Moving along

8:29 a.m., 1600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Trespassing: A caller alerted police to a man parked on vacant private property and fishing on a nearby structure. The man told an officer he was from out of town and hadn’t seen any signs indicating restricted access. The officer noted that the fishing location could be accessed by parking in town lots. The man apologized and left.

Not-so-welcome aboard

1:20 p.m., 700 block of Binnacle Point Road

Animal call: Police responded to a resident’s complaint of a family of raccoons living aboard his boat. The officer called Manatee County Animal Control to further pursue the case.

Money moves

3:45 p.m., 4400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious activity: Police responded to the beach in connection to a report of a woman dancing strangely on the beach. No such woman was found either on the beach or nearby.

 

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