Cops Corner: Driver denied entry to apartment complex crashes car through gate

Oct.30

FINDER NOT A KEEPER

6200 State Road 64 East, Bradenton

Information only: A woman called the Sheriff's Office to report that she had put her wallet down at a money service station in a department store, bent over to tie her shoe and walked away without her wallet. When she returned, the wallet was gone. The woman was filling out information at the department store's loss prevention office when she received a call saying a little girl had found her wallet with all its possessions and gave it to her grandmother, who in turn drove the wallet to the owner's address.

Nov. 8

BREAKING, THEN ENTERING

8300 Bella Grove Circle, Sarasota

Information only: An apartment complex manager called the Sheriff's Office to report a woman tried to gain access through the complex's security gate and when unsuccessful, used her vehicle to push open the gate at 9:46 p.m. The gate was damaged due to the incident, which was captured on video. A deputy responded and obtained the name of the vehicle owner, who did not live in the complex. The manager later called the deputy and said the vehicle owner contacted her with all the pertinent information. The deputy contacted the vehicle owner, who admitted breaking the gate. The deputy made sure the vehicle owner had arranged with the apartment complex manager to ensure the gate was repaired.

Nov. 9

WIRED THIEF SCRAPS PLAN

7600 block of Linden Lane, Sarasota

Information only: A woman called the Sheriff's Office because of suspicious circumstance. She saw a dark colored Suburban park in front of her home. The Suburban was pulling a single axle cargo trailer. A woman in her 40s jumped out of the vehicle and started pulling on wires from the ground that had been exposed due to recent storms. While the second woman was trying to pull up the wires, she noticed the first woman was watching her. The second woman shouted that she was just getting scrap and she jumped back into the Suburban and left. The first woman said the other woman may have thought the wires had been placed along the road to be picked up as trash.

Nov. 9

CYCLE OF BAD FEELINGS

26000 block of 84th Avenue East, Myakka City

Information only: A man called the Sheriff's Office to report a dangerous situation involving two minor bicyclists and a motorist. The two youths were doing jumps along the roadway when a man driving a car revved his engine and drove toward the bicyclists. The man came within five feet as he passed them, then parked his car and exited, yelling obscenities and slurs at the boys. A deputy made contact with the driver, who said he only drove around the boys and parked in front of them so they would not be riding on his friend's lawn. The driver admitted to yelling at the boys but he said they started yelling at him first. No other witnesses saw the incident so the deputy could take no action. The man who originally contacted the Sheriff's Office was upset the driver was not going to be arrested and told a deputy, "I'll take care of it myself if you won`t do your job." All the parties involved told deputies there was a long history of animosity between all of them.

Nov. 15

MOTORIST GIVES MEAN SIGNALS

6200 block State Road 64 East, Bradenton

Assault: A Sheriff's Office deputy answered the report of a man threatening a minor.  The boy was riding his bicycle near a department store when a man driving a car turned into the parking lot and almost struck the boy. The boy yelled out "Use your signal!" The man stopped his vehicle, got out and approached the boy, then threatened him and used profanity. The boy, feared for his safety, called 911. When the suspect saw the ball had called 911, he fled the area. The man was described as bald, about 5-foot-7 and 200 pounds. The boy thought the man was in his 30s or 40s. The suspect was driving a Chevy SUV that was red or maroon. Deputies had a partial tag number of a Florida plate.