Longboat Key Cops Corner: A truck but no driver

May 2

One truck, no driver

1:09 p.m., 4600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Public service: The management of a resort called police regarding a pickup truck on the property that did not belong to a guest. An officer found the vehicle and checked the nearby beach in an effort to find the vehicle’s owner, but no one connected with the truck could be found. Management asked if the truck could be ticketed, but the officer said because it was on private property the only recourse would be to have it towed, which management chose not to do. The officer said if the driver was found, police would be happy to come back.

Snakes alive!

4:37 p.m., 300 block of North Shore Road

Fire: Police and fire-rescue units were sent to the scene of a small brush fire after a resident tried to burn some vegetation out of fear it was a habitat for snakes. When the fire spread, the resident called 911. No property was damaged.

Taking the slow lane

5:44 p.m., 4000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: A low-speed, but street-legal, vehicle rented on Anna Maria Island was pulled over after police saw that it was causing a traffic backup while driving well under the posted 45 mph speed limit. The driver said he was unaware of restrictions on driving such vehicles in areas with speed limits beyond 35 mph, such as Gulf of Mexico Drive. The  driver was issued a written warning.

Panic at the condo

8:43 p.m., 3500 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Alarm: An officer responded to a report of an activated panic alarm from a vehicle in a condominium community’s garage. The officer spoke to the owner, who came downstairs to say the alarm had been inadvertently set off. The owner said she thought it had been turned off.

Night parking

11:18 p.m., 500 block of Broadway Street

Parking: A resident’s car parked on the street was ticketed in violation of the neighborhood’s prohibition on curbside parking between 11 p.m., and 5 a.m.

May 3

Walking man

11:57 a.m., 7000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious person: A caller informed police about a man walking north on the sidewalk on the north end of the island. Police learned the man, determined to be homeless, was walking to Bradenton Beach. The man declined an offer of a ride to a homeless shelter in Bradenton.

Un-pop music

1:59 p.m., off the key

Noise: The police marine patrol unit paid a visit to a boat reported to be playing loud music with suggestive lyrics near Jewfish Key. When the officers arrived, they reported hearing loud music and requested the boat’s occupants to turn down music. The boaters complied.

Dog not welcome

1:59 p.m., 2800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Animal call: An officer responding to a report of a dog on the beach reminded the owner of town regulations prohibiting such a visit to the shoreline. The dog owner said he was unaware of such rules and left with the dog.

Easy, now

2:15 p.m., 7000 block of Seabreeze Avenue

Boating: After a call about speeding personal watercraft near shore, the marine patrol unit spotted a group of riders leaving the area. The riders were reminded of idle-speed restrictions with 300 feet of the beach.

Reading is fundamental

3:41 p.m., 3400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Parking: A vehicle found parked in a closed-to-vehicles beach access point, which was posted with signs and barricades, was ticketed for violating the town’s parking ordinances.

Oooh, that smell

7:22 p.m., 2700 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious people: Responding to a report of three or four people, with a dog, smoking marijuana on the beach, officers arrived but could not locate such a gathering.

Buoy, that was close

8:53 p.m., 7200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Rescue: An officer was dispatched to the north end of the island in response to a call about a boat in distress near the Longboat Pass Bridge. En route, the U.S. Coast Guard advised the officer the boat was actually a buoy. And it was not in distress.

May 4

Listen and learn

10:25 a.m., 1000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: An officer who spotted a car drive past the flashing lights of a crosswalk turned around and stopped the vehicle. The driver, once informed of the violation, was issued a written warning.

Keeping watch

1:04 p.m., 2100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: A member of the public called police to report a southbound vehicle being driven recklessly. A police officer spotted the car and followed it for a mile before it left town, never noting any improper driving.

Offshore but OK

4:38 p.m., 5000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Rescue: A caller to police was concerned about the safety of a kayaker in the Gulf of Mexico. Police were able to make contact with the kayaker, who indicated all was well.

May 5

It’s a gusher

8:08 a.m., 500 block of Bowsprit Lane

Public service: While on patrol, a pair of officers noted a broken sprinkler head on a residential property. A crew working on the town’s underground utility project acknowledged to the officers and a property manager they likely were responsible for the damage and said they would repair it. A report was also made to the project’s manager.

Deep search

8:54 a.m., 5300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Fire/gas leak: Police and fire-rescue units responded to a shopping plaza on a report of a gas leak. Police blocked the entrance of the plaza while fire-rescue personnel evacuated the businesses and looked for the source of a reported odor.

Blocking the way

12:55 p.m., 3800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Parking: The driver of a vehicle-transport rig was ticketed after an officer found the parked tractor-trailer blocking the bicycle lane and half of the southbound travel lane. The driver said he was delivering a vehicle.

Need for (a little more) speed

3:24 p.m., 3600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: The driver of a street-legal, low-speed vehicle was warned about driving too slowly. The driver, who rented the vehicle in Bradenton Beach, was informed such vehicles could only be operated on roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less. Gulf of Mexico Drive at that point has a speed limit of 45 mph. The driver said he would return to Bradenton Beach.

Might as well jump

6:02 p.m., 7200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Assist other agencies: Police were sent to the Longboat Pass bridge on a report of people jumping from the span. When an officer arrived, he learned from Bradenton Beach police that the people had been spoken to by beach patrol officers from their town and had returned to Coquina Beach.

Work, work, work

6:53 p.m., 6300 block of Laguna Drive

Noise: A caller to police reported work noise coming from a nearby neighborhood beyond hours established by town ordinance. An officer spoke to the homeowners on the site, who assured the officer they would relay the concerns to the work crew.  The officer, who arrived within 10 minutes of the call, reported no noise at the site.