Burglar turned out to be a renter who was double-booked

Friday, July 5

Chihuahua chase  

9:03 p.m., 6300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Animal Problem: An officer responded to a report of an unleashed dog on the beach and, upon arrival, found a group of people with a chihuahua on the beach. One of the men in the group told the officer that the dog had escaped from the rental property and they were trying to corral the dog. The owners eventually captured the chihuahua and the owner was given a warning for the violation of having a dog on the beach. 

Double-book dilemma 

10:11 p.m., 600 block of Cedars Court 

Officer Public Service: This call originally was received as a burglary call and the responding officer met with the complainant on scene. The complainant said he was sleeping when an unknown person entered the locked residence. He also heard furniture moving. When the bedroom doorknob began to turn, the man said he started shouting and heard the unknown person leave. As the officer was speaking to the complainant, another man approached the officer. 

This individual said he and his family had just gotten off a 19-hour flight and arrived at the rental unit, for which they were given the code and key to the unit. After he heard the complainant screaming, he quickly left the rental unit and waited in the parking lot while trying to contact property management. 

The complainant said he could not find his paperwork, but had checked in with the rental office to receive the keys for his stay which was to end the following morning. Both parties were upset to realize that the rental unit possibly was double-booked, and the newcomer said he and his family would find a hotel for the night. 

Sunday, July 7

Sea turtle etiquette 

1:05 a.m., 4000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious Vehicle: An officer on patrol noticed a vehicle parked in a business parking lot after hours. A quick observation proved the vehicle was unoccupied but warm to the touch, and the officer saw a large quantity of fishing gear inside. Officers patrolled the nearby beach and found three men with white flashlights. As the officers approached and identified themselves, they saw the men switch the lights from white to red. The three claimed to now have known about the ordinances relating to light on the beach during turtle season. The officers advised the group about the lighting ordinances and beach hours, and the group was given citations for the lighting violations. 

Wednesday, July 10 

Messy mix

12:17 p.m., 5300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Civil Disturbance: Dispatch sent an officer to investigate a possible threat made to an employee at a store. The complainant met with the officer and said a man entered the store and started a verbal altercation, later telling the complainant he would throw him into the Gulf of Mexico. The man also got into a verbal dispute with another employee, but no physical contact occurred and the man-in-question was not present when the officer arrived. 

Upon further investigation, the officer discovered that the man-in-question was the father of the store owner and that the store owner was having a relationship with the wife of one of the employees involved in the altercation. The employee and his wife were going through a divorce. Neither the store owner nor his father were around when the officer arrived, and the officer deduced that the elements of an assault weren't met. 

Cold shoulder shutout

11:37 p.m., 1400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious Person: An officer was sent to a situation where a woman was denied access to a property by a security officer. The complainant — the security officer — stated that the property owner advised security that the woman was no longer allowed as a guest. The guard said that he stopped the woman at the gate and contacted the police for assistance. According to the woman, she and the owner had just moved to the location and she had no clue why she wasn’t allowed inside. The guard called the owner so he could speak with the officer. The man said he did not want the woman living there, but she could stay for the night or until she found a place to go. She took him up on the offer, and the two assured the officer that no altercation would take place in the meantime.