Cops Corner: East County

The following information was gathered from incident and arrest reports obtained from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

LAKEWOOD RANCH
Oct. 29
4:18 p.m. — 1700 block of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard. Fraudulent use of ID of another without consent. The victim reported an unknown person(s) used his debit card number and pin without his permission to make multiple transactions.

SUMMERFIELD
Oct. 28
9:12 a.m. — 6600 block of Meandering Way. Burglary to an unoccupied dwelling. Unknown person(s) used unknown tools to cut the screen to the back patio door and gain entry onto the patio. Once inside the patio, the person(s) then used unknown tools to pry open the back sliding glass door. Once inside, the person(s) removed several pieces of jewelry, electronics and small appliances. Five latent finger print cards were collected. No surveillance video is available of the area and there is no alarm for the property.

OTHER
Oct. 26
7:47 a.m. — 1600 block of University Parkway. Grand theft. The complainant observed the defendant using the credit card machine. The defendant credited $400 to his Visa debit card. When the owner and the office manager confronted him, he confessed he did process his credit card. The defendant was arrested.

Oct. 28
 3:30 p.m. — 5300 block of 30th Street East. Grand theft. The complainant forgot his iPad in his shopping cart. He left the area and noticed later that it was gone. While he was gone, an employee collecting shopping carts found the case of the iPad and turned it into lost and found. The complainant returned and went directly to lost and found only to learn his iPad was not returned. He located the iPad using his cell phone. The responding deputy went to the area but found nothing.

4:40 p.m. — 2900 block of 53rd Avenue East. Retail theft. The defendant was observed concealing two hats and three shirts in her handbag while shopping. She then proceeded to the front registers and paid for a shower cap but didn’t display or pay for the other items in her handbag. She then exited the store and was apprehended by asset protection personnel. The items in the handbag were retrieved, and the defendant was arrested. The total value of the stolen items was $41.20.

Oct. 30
 3:30 p.m. — 2900 block of 53rd Avenue East. Retail theft. A male and female were shopping at the store. The female concealed hair conditioner in her handbag. Her male counterpart later placed some phone covers and flea collars in the handbag and zipped it closed. The couple separated while proceeding toward the exit. The both left the store without paying for the items in the handbag. Asset protection personnel apprehended the suspects, and they were arrested. The value of the stolen items was $126.

 6:40 p.m. — 6200 block of State Road 64 East. Retail theft. The loss prevention officer observed the defendants removing a cell phone from its packaging and concealing the phone. The defendants then attempted to leave the store by passing all registers and making no attempt to pay for the phone. The defendants were transported to jail.