Longboat Key Cops Corner: It came from the sky

Thursday, Aug. 18

It came from the sky

10:30 a.m., 6800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Found property: A caller who reported finding a drone on the beach subsequently alerted police that she no longer wanted to meet with an officer and would keep the drone until someone reported it missing. A day later, someone did just that. Once police reconnected with the original caller, a Bradenton woman, officers learned the found property was now at a relative’s home several states away. After some back and forth trying to connect with Longboat police, the relative asked for a make, model and serial number of the found article to compare with the property in her possession. Once convinced all the information matched, the original caller’s out-of-state relative four days later agreed to send the flying machine back to its rightful owner on Longboat Key. By mail.

Friday, Aug. 19

This letter is to inform you . . .

8 a.m., 500 block of General Harris Street

Found property: A resident informed police she had found a wallet with cash, credit cards and more in the middle of the street, not far from a town office. An officer took possession of it, and a police department employee mailed a notification letter explaining the wallet's whereabouts to an address connected to the possessions. Additionally, police repackaged the wallet in a bag to ward off effects of condensation.

Erratic? Who says?

4:28 p.m., Pine Street

Suspicious vehicle: Police arrived in a neighborhood on the lookout for a golf cart which a caller said was being operated erratically. An officer spotted a golf cart in the same color as described in the call with one main difference . . . it was not operating erratically. The officer pulled alongside the cart and relayed the gist of the complaint to the driver. No other action was required.

So long, buddy

8:13 p.m., 2800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Animal complaint: Following up on a call about a dog on the beach, an officer learned the dog had cancer and his owner was bringing him to see the water for the last time. The owner and dog left the beach in accordance with the town regulations banning such canine visits to the shore.

Saturday, Aug. 20

Water? Plenty.

9:55 a.m., 4000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Citizen assist: Police called the town’s Public Works Department for help in shutting off water spraying from a broken hose valve on the side of the restrooms at a town-operated dog park. An on-call staffer from Public Works came to shut off the water.

Might as well jump

3:30 p.m., Longboat Pass Bridge

Citizen assist: Only juveniles walking on the bridge were seen in the area following a caller report of youth jumping from the span into Longboat Pass below. No violations were noted.

Boom times

5:30 p.m., 500 block of Bay Isles Road

Alarm: Officers responded to an intruder alarm but surmised it might have been triggered by the effects of a passing thunderstorm. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary.

Sunday, Aug. 21

Lost highway

2:09 a.m., 6100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious vehicle: An out-of-town man who had stopped his vehicle in the bike lane told an inquiring officer he was lost and was working out the best path to Tampa. With his course plotted, the man pulled away with no violations noted.

Day at the beach

8 p.m., 2600 block of Harbourside Drive

Boating call: Police notified the owner of a cabin cruiser that either dragged its anchor or broke free from its mooring and beached itself near the Longboat Key Moorings. The owner said he would have the vessel removed in a day or two.

Monday, Aug. 22

Maybe XL next time?

5:44 p.m., 500 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Citizen assist: A driver for a ride-sharing service alerted police to a family of seven attempting to squeeze into a vehicle without seats for that many people. The caller hoped an officer could better explain the problem to the would-be riders, but when an officer arrived, the car and the people were no longer there.

Tuesday, Aug. 23

Taking a break

Noon, 3200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Citizen assist: The driver of a car police found pulled off the road with emergency flashers activated told the inquiring officer he had pulled over because a relative in the car with him was experiencing a dizzy spell. The passenger was asked if she wanted an ambulance to respond, but she said she was OK and refused medical treatment.

Wednesday, Aug. 24

Old, but not mobile

9:20 p.m., 1200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Abandoned vehicle: An officer stopped to investigate why a 25-year-old vehicle was parked in a turn lane with no one around. Using the vehicle’s license plate number, the officer reached the owner who said he parked it there, with its keys inside, then contacted a roadside-auto service provider to pick it up and take it to a Sarasota-area GM dealership.

Thursday, Aug. 25

Lighting the way

9:43 p.m., 3100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious person: Police attracted the attention of a group of people they saw walking on the beach after dark with flashlights. Though there was a language barrier with some of the people, one man was able to communicate with an officer, who explained the town’s turtle-nesting regulations as they pertained to flashlights. The Bradenton man said he was unfamiliar with the regulations, gathered his family and left the beach.

 No problem

11:19 p.m., 4800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Alarm: Police responded to a home on the basis of a panic-alarm alert. When they arrived, they learned the man had been changing a battery in the alarm button device and accidentally pressed the button. The man went on to say there was no emergency and that the police were not required. Officers reported the man did not appear to be in distress, confirming the false alarm.

Friday, Aug. 26

Branching out

12:39 a.m., 6600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic hazard: Following a round of storms, a police officer on patrol removed a large tree branch blocking the southbound lanes.