Cops Corner: Sarasota 9.24.15

Sept. 19

KEEP THE CHANGE
11:20 a.m. — 2700 block of Bay Street
Theft: A man reported that, sometime in the past few weeks, someone had taken some change from his room. The man said he always puts his change in a wooden container, and about two weeks ago, he realized it was empty. He said the only person who could have entered the room and taken the coins was his son, who was invited over to the house occasionally by the man’s parents, who live with him. He believes that, at some point, his son might have found a combination or key to gain access to the house. The man did not want to press charges, and officers advised the man to change the combination to his section of the house.

HIGH ROLLER
10:40 p.m. — 300 block of North Washington Boulevard
Financial Crime: A man purchased a pack of cigars and $15 worth of gas with a $100 bill. The manager of the gas station noted that the $100 bill was counterfeit. The man pumped only $1 worth of gas into his vehicle before leaving hastily. The manager said the man got away with the remaining change, which was approximately $84. The manager took a picture of the suspect on his phone, but there was no video and no other surveillance.

Sept. 20

BAD FIT
2:40 p.m. — 2900 block of Pershing Avenue
Suspicion: After her vehicle got a flat tire, a woman and her mother pulled over to the side of the road. Another woman approached the car and said she could go get them a tire for $35. The woman left the area and returned with a tire that wouldn’t fit on the car. The woman then left the area completely and did not return the money. The mother contacted a friend who lives in the area and agreed to help her get to a nearby tire shop.

CLEARING HOUSE
3:03 p.m. — 3000 block of Pershing Avenue
Burglary: A property owner reported that a home they were renting was burglarized. A neighbor saw two women entering the home through a window, and notified the property owner of the incident. Another witness said she saw the women come out with full white trash bags before leaving the area. The property owner said the family living in the home had been given an eviction notice two days earlier, but that they had not been able to make contact with the family since then.