Longboat Key Cops Corner: Right car, wrong person

May 11

Nope, not the owner

3:07 a.m., 4000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: An officer was alerted by the town’s traffic monitoring camera system to a car owned by a woman with a suspended license. After performing a traffic stop on the car, the officer found the driver was a man. After explaining the reason for the stop, the officer released the driver immediately.

No idea

8:55 a.m., 5700 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: When an officer was alerted to a car owned by a driver with an expired license, he pulled the car over and spoke to the driver. The man told the officer he was unaware his license had been invalid since the middle of February and that he would attend to it on Monday morning. The driver was given a verbal warning for driving with a license expired for less than four months.

Golden-brown false alarm

11:38 a.m., 600 Longboat Club Road

Alarm: Police and fire units responded to a fire alarm report at a resort, only to find the alarm had been triggered by smoke from a toaster.

Floating on its own

1:18 p.m., 3300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Lost property: A woman called police to inquire if a tan-colored kayak had been  reported found. She said she had last seen it the previous evening near other kayaks, but it was missing the next day. She theorized that heavy rains and high water might have been enough to float it away. Other kayaks were nearby, but stored farther away from the waterline. A lost property report was filed.

Current events

1:37 p.m., Off the Key

Public service: The department’s marine patrol officer was hailed by radio in connection with a pair of men trying to swim from Jewfish Key to Longboat Key, a distance of at least 300 yards. The officer found the men and pulled them aboard his boat, safely delivering them to the Longboat Key side. The told the officer they were on vacation and didn’t realize it was that far against a current. They assured the officer they wouldn’t try that again.

Bubbling up

500 block of St. Judes Drive

Public service: Police were called to a report of a water-main break. Once on the scene, the officer saw water percolating up through the asphalt. The officer reached out to the on-call Public Works Department employee.

Was it tan?

2:31 p.m., Off the Key

Assist other agency: Longboat Police were asked to assist in finding a drifting kayak in New Pass. After navigating the length of the water way, the marine patrol officer reported not finding any such craft.

May 12

Hey, pipe down

12:19 a.m., 4600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Noise: A man called police after confronting a group of young adults making noise and getting yelled at in the process. Once police arrived, an officer spoke to one of the young adults who said they went inside once they knew about the noise complaint. The man was issued a verbal warning and advised about the town’s noise rules.

No sign of trouble

9:54 a.m., 600 block of Longboat Club Road

Suspicious vehicle: A caller who did not want to speak to police reported a truck that was parked on the roadway. The officer learned the truck belonged to a worker who expected to perform a job on a sign in the coming week, and had parked there to speak to a maintenance employee.

Paws to investigate

5:40 p.m., 5500 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Dog: Police were called regarding a dog running loose in a town park. Arriving one minute after receiving the call, the officer sent to investigate reported finding no such dog in the park.

May 13

Not really an emergency

4:16 p.m., 1900 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Abandoned 911 call: Police responded to the south entrance to a gated community in connection with a dropped emergency-line call. The guard on duty reported all was well, and that the fax machine was acting up and was likely the reason for the call. The officer confirmed there was no emergency.

May 14

Seeing is no dream

8:53 a.m., 6100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic/parking: Police spoke to the owners of four vehicles parked along northbound Gulf of Mexico Drive near a construction site. The vehicles’ position made it difficult for drivers leaving Dream Island Drive to see oncoming traffic. The officer asked the owners to move the vehicles, which they did.

Keeping it secure

5:45 p.m., 4100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Found property: A driver pulled up alongside a patrolling police officer to hand over a Social Security card found on the ground at a golf course. The owner was found through a national database, and the card was secured at the police station.

Ooooh, that smell

11:42 p.m., 4600 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Disturbance: Police were called to a resort  on suspicion of some guests smoking marijuana on their room’s deck. Upon the officer’s arrival, he found the guests inside, watching television. No marijuana smell was evident, the officer reported. They were asked to keep the noise to a minimum.

Wood you please keep it down

5:56 p.m., 500 block of Tarawitt Drive

Noise: A police officer was sent to investigate a report of noise from a wood chipper machine. When the officer arrived, he reported seeing the machine but it was not in operation. The officer advised the work crew nearby of the town’s rules regarding noise.

There’s a sign, people

9:40 p.m., 200 block of North Shore Road

Traffic/parking: Police encountered a sedan parked within the zone regulated by a sign that reads No Parking between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. The registered owner was issued a ticket.