Cops Corner

Windy weather a prime suspect in fallen flag

An officer wasn't ready to make the association between a fallen flag and criminal activity. This and other Longboat Key Police reports in this week's edition of Cops Corner.


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Monday, June 2

Prime suspect had stormy eyes

Noon, 3300 block of Sabal Cove Place

Citizen assist: The owner of property theorized that someone might have torn down an American flag, pole and bracket from the front of his home while he was away. An officer who came to investigate inspected the damage and said more likely the bracket fell because of wind, short screws and inadequate wall anchors.


Friday, June 13

Floating a theory

700 block of Broadway Street

Lost/found property: An officer answered a call about missing water gear and heard an unverified theory on what might have happened to some of it. The person who called police said she was initially missing a kayak and oar, along with other gear. The kayak had been found nearby, but a paddleboard and more paddles were still gone.

Though she said she couldn’t be sure if the items still missing had been stolen, floated off with the tide or were purposely shoved into the water, she said she thought people were upset with her live-aboard arrangement and were trying to make that point clear.

The woman was unable to provide serial numbers for the missing items but wished to document the losses nevertheless.


Saturday, June 14

Four-wheel damage

10:21 a.m., 6400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Citizen assist: A representative of a local organization called police to report damage to its parking lot and supply information on the vehicle that might have caused it. After some investigating, the officer learned that a person who parked in a muddy section of the lot and became stuck. The vehicle wouldn’t shift into reverse or four-wheel drive. In the process of extricating the large pickup truck, it drove over a curb causing superficial damage. The vehicle owner agreed to be responsible for repairs.

Overboard

5:20 p.m., near Jewfish Key

Citizen assist: While on marine patrol, an officer was flagged down by a boater who passed along that a nearby yacht had lost its dinghy. The town officer spoke to the operators of that vessel, who said they had been trying to pull aboard passengers who fell overboard, but the dinghy wasn’t working. The overboard passengers had been rescued by another boater and were brought to the original boat by the marine patrol officer.


Sunday, June 15

Aid rendered

12:20 p.m., Longboat Pass

Marine rescue: The rider of a stricken personal watercraft was taken under tow by a police marine patrol boat when the craft began sinking in Longboat Pass. The officer towed the watercraft to shallow water to avoid it sinking into the deep channel. While maneuvering in shallow water, the police boat’s propeller inadvertently cut another boat’s anchor rope. That boater recovered the anchor and reset it. A commercial service salvaged the sinking personal watercraft and took its owner to land.


Too close, too fast

12:33 p.m., 3400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Reckless boat: An officer responding to a report of a reckless boater spoke to the operator of a personal watercraft that had been seen operating at high speed close to the beach. The officer explained to the man, who said he did not know the rules, that no-wake speeds are required within 300 yards of the beach.


Private parking

8 p.m., 6500 block of Gulfside Drive

Illegal parking: A resident called the police to report the latest round of beachgoers parking on private property. The officer who came out said the issue wasn’t a police matter because the property wasn’t public, but that the cars could be towed if the property owned made arrangements. The officer also walked to the beach and alerted a group about his previous conversations about towing, and they agreed to move their vehicle immediately.


Monday, June 16

Cool find

10:58 a.m., 4200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Found property: An Igloo-brand cooler an officer found on the road contained a wallet with ID, credit cards and more than $200 in cash. The officer was able to connect with the owner, and they soon met.


Wednesday, June 18

Uplifting outcome

3:07 p.m., 700 block of Lyons Lane

Citizen assist: A boat that was found adrift in a residential canal was returned home. Police found the 24-foot vessel against a seawall. Using a boat lift remote control an officer found aboard, he activated a nearby lift and knew where to go. The boat was secured and a business card was left for the property owner to alert them about the incident.


Thursday, June 19

You picked a fine time to leave me, loose wheel(s)

9:29 a.m., 6600 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Disabled vehicle: Officers spoke with the owner of a vehicle broken down partially in the roadway. The owner said both front tires had fallen off at the same time. Officers stuck around until a tow truck arrived.


Locked and (a little) rusted

12:13 p.m., 300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Citizen assist: A condominium community called police to report a bicycle locked to a tree for an undetermined period. Police reported the bike looked largely OK but with a little damage and a little rust, particularly on the handlebar basket. Concerned that it might be a worker’s means of transportation, and that it was on private property, the police said they would keep an eye on it. Condo management said that ongoing tree work might necessitate the removal of the lock, chain and bike.

 

author

Eric Garwood

Eric Garwood is the digital news editor of Your Observer. Since graduating from University of South Florida in 1984, he's been a reporter and editor at newspapers in Florida and North Carolina.

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