Cops Corner: Pelican Press

March 16
Blackberry breakdown
12:10 p.m. — 5200 block of Ocean Boulevard. Theft. A woman reported the theft of her Blackberry, which she explained was a huge problem because she is an ambassador for Blackberry phones at her college and was given the phone by the company to use and promote the company. She told police she left the phone on a table at a local oyster bar while she went to the bathroom, and it was gone when she returned. She was disappointed to be advised she must tell her company she lost the phone so they could shut it off.

March 17
Dirty job
8:36 a.m. — 8700 block of Midnight Pass Road. Trespassing. A man reported he left his bedroom window partially open when he went out the previous night. When he returned home, the blinds to the window were pulled up, and he discovered dirty shoe prints on the interior wall of his room and on the room’s carpet. Police couldn’t find any forced entry to the unit and believed construction workers working on the unit next door mistook his window as part of the unit on which they were working. Everything in the man’s room was left untouched, and fingerprints were smeared beyond recognition. It was deemed there was a lack of evidence to show an attempt to commit a crime.

Car crash
5:12 p.m. — 100 block of Siesta Drive. Crash. A Jeep and a truck were traveling northbound on Higel Avenue, approaching the curve where the road turns into Siesta Drive. The driver of the Jeep was coming to a stop, because traffic was slowing in front of him, but the truck was unable to stop in time and slammed into the back of the Jeep. No injuries were reported, and the truck driver received a ticket for failing to stop.

March 18
Don’t come back
1:18 a.m. — 5100 block of Ocean Boulevard. Disturbance. Police discovered an argument between a nightclub staff and a patron, who was being asked to leave. The man agreed to leave, and staff requested police issue him a trespass warning.

Police hunt down suspects
2:05 a.m. — 5000 block of Ocean Boulevard. Disorderly Conduct. A man reported that two men approached him and threatened to beat him up for no reason. He called 911 because he was in fear for his life. Police arrived and heard yelling behind a convenience store. The yelling stopped when an officer shined a light on the commotion, and two men began to first walk and then sprint through a closed business, over a fence and through a wooded area. Police were able to locate the men, and the caller positively identified the subjects as the men who were going to beat him up.

Leash Law
9:25 a.m. — 400 block of Beach Road. Animal Problem. An officer was told a man on a bicycle had a dog running beside him without a leash and that the dog was disturbing the nesting area of some protected birds near a beach access. Police began to watch the beach access points and eventually found the man and a black dog running around without a leash. The man didn’t stop after being verbally asked to stop. Police discovered the man on the bike was deaf, and the dog was a federally protected service dog. The dog’s owner, however, received a citation for violating the county’s leash law.

Hoofin’ it
1:56 p.m. — 1000 block of Siesta Drive. Suspicious Circumstance. A man reported finding four legs and hooves lying in the water next to the shore at the park on the east side of the Siesta Bridge. Police believe the legs may have been used as bait for crab traps and were left behind because of their size. Police retrieved the legs and turned them over to marine patrol to dispose of them.

Flipping out
6 p.m. — 4300 block of Higel Road. Car Crash. Police observed a man veering on and off the road and drive into the grass on the shoulder of the road. The driver overcorrected to get back on the road and flipped the car onto its passenger side. Police observed an empty can of Miller beer in the car, and the man agreed to consent to a blood sample at the hospital that was sent to be tested.

Go directly to jail
9:10 p.m. — Intersection of Canal Road and Avenida de Mayo. Impaired Person. Police found a man passed out behind a business in a dark area where drivers often park their cars. The man had slurred speech and was unable to maintain his balance. The man was unable to provide police with any useful information to get him home safely, and he was transported to jail after he became threatening on the way to a substance abuse facility.

March 19
Belongings reported
4:30 a.m. — 900 block of Beach Road. Found Property. A man found a black wallet and Florida identification card. Police made plans to contact the owner of the property.