Longboat Key Cops Corner: Location, location . . . communication?

Jan. 11

Better safe than sorry

8:31 a.m., 800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Gas leak report: Police and fire personnel responded to a town lift station on a report of a gas leak. After investigating, firefighters determined there was no leak and all was safe. 

Maybe a call next time?

1:15 p.m., 600 block of Russell Street

Suspicious circumstance: After spotting on a security system camera an SUV pull up in the driveway and three people enter his home, an out-of-town homeowner called police to ensure a burglary hadn’t taken place. The other possibility was a Realtor showing the home without calling first. An officer found the home secure and spoke to a neighbor who related seeing a similar chain of events. When reached by the officer, the homeowner further believed the Realtor had shown the rental home without his knowledge. He said he would bring up the incident with the Realtor.

Zero for two

4:42 p.m., 600 block of Cedar Street

Traffic/parking: A resident called to report a vehicle he thought was parked illegally. It was parked legally. An hour later, the same caller reported the same car to have an expired license tag. It did not.

For the record

11:26 p.m., 700 block of Broadway Street

Disturbance: A worker called police to report an argument with a co-worker to ensure a record was made of the incident. No crime had been committed, and the worker was issued a case number upon which to refer.

Jan. 12

Cyclist hurt

9:29 a.m., 100 block of North Shore Road

Rescue: Police assisted fire-rescue personnel on the scene of a bicycle accident in which a rider fell. 

Smoke screen

10:22 a.m., 700 block of St. Judes Drive North

Fire report: Police and firefighters responded to a home on a report of smoke inside. Firefighters examined the interior and exterior and found no evidence of fire.

Safe voyages

2:40 p.m., Off the island near Jewfish Key

Boating: A vessel creating an excessive wake in a slow speed, minimum wake zone was stopped and told the reason. A routine safety check of the boat revealed no on-board fire extinguisher, which is required, along with other violations related to registration numbers and required documentation. A written citation was issued over the missing safety gear, and a verbal warning was delivered regarding the other violations.

No more noise

6:27 p.m., 100 block of North Shore Road

Noise: A report of noise coming from a boat on the east side of Greer Island could not be confirmed by an officer who was sent to investigate.

Jan. 13

Gone before he got there

7:40 a.m., 1900 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic/parking: Police responded to a report of a flatbed truck parked in a turn lane, but the truck had driven off before an officer arrived.

Nothing to worry about

10:53 a.m., 2200 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Fire alarm: Police and fire units arrived to investigate the source of a fire alarm at a condominium community. Firefighters determined the alarm was false.

Ooopsy

11:55 a.m., 500 block of Bay Isles Parkway

Traffic: The driver of a vehicle that backed into another in a shopping center parking lot was found to be at-fault. No injuries were reported. According to the incident report, the first driver said he was backing out of a parking position and bumped another vehicle. Damage to a rear bumper and driver side doors was minor. Driver information was exchanged.

Hard to find

1:17 p.m., 600 block of Cedar Street

Disturbance: Police were told by a caller who wished to remain anonymous of a disturbance caused by children screaming and yelling while in a swimming pool. A responding officer was unable to locate any noise coming from the area.

Gone

3:42 p.m., 1200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: Police responded to a complaint about a car-hauling truck unloading in the roadway, but the rig had departed before the officer could arrive.

Helping out

9:22 p.m., 3700 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Illness: Police responded to a report of an unknown medical issue. The officer found a woman on the ground at the scene, and family accompanying her said she was experiencing a seizure. The officer stayed with the woman and family until fire-rescue personnel could arrive.

Jan. 14

Noise, delivered

6:48 a.m., 400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Disturbance: Complaints were made of a noisy delivery truck. When an officer arrived, he alerted the driver of the caller's complaint. The driver shut off the truck, alleviating the source of the noise.

Move along

1:24 p.m., 2700 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: A driver was warned to move a vehicle stopped temporarily in the bicycle lane. It was moved immediately.

Improper parking

4:59 p.m., 6300 block of Gulfside Drive

Traffic: Police ticketed a vehicle seen parked at a beach access site, in close proximity to No Parking signs posted in the area. 

Other places to unload

5:27 p.m., 300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: The driver of a car-hauling truck parked in the striped, center portion of the highway was told of his parking violation and given options of where to deliver and pick up vehicles on the island. The driver was given a verbal warning.

Jan. 15

Who goes there?

1:12 p.m., 100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: The island’s license-plate monitoring system alerted officers to a car owned by a driver with a suspended license. The driver, once stopped, said he did not know of the suspension, though he conceded missing a car-insurance payment. The car’s license plate was seized and the car towed from the scene. The driver was cited.

Where’s wallet?

2:59 p.m., 5400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Lost property: A resident called police to alert the department of a wallet he lost somewhere between a restaurant on the island and home. Police took note of the report and the reported contents of the wallet.

Traffic that solves itself

4:44 p.m., 7300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: An officer was dispatched to the north end of the island on a report of a disabled vehicle blocking the northbound travel lane, though no description of the stricken vehicle was provided. On the scene, the officer checked the area and found no such traffic impediment other than typical in-season traffic at that time of day.

See grapes? Nope.

4:56 p.m., 5300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Civil disturbance: A resident called police to alert the department that, while she had been out of town, an adjacent resort apparently had cut sea grape trees on or near the property line. The resident said this kind of thing has happened before, and management had previously been notified. The officer explained the matter was civil, not criminal, in nature and the officer provided her with the general course of action if she wanted to proceed. A call to the resort management was not initially successful.