Cops Corner: Sarasota 04.07.16

April 3

NOT FOR RENT
12:31 p.m. — 3800 block of Flamingo Avenue
Suspicion: A man reported that his house is repeatedly being listed as a rental property online without his permission. The man has tried to get the listings removed with no success. The man also discovered his personal information was published along with the listings, and had prospective renters visit his property and call his telephone.

April 4

MONEY FOR NOTHING
12:10 a.m. — 4400 block of Old Bradenton Road
Theft — Motor Vehicle: A man listed a dirtbike for sale online. Another individual contacted him, interested in purchasing the bike, and the man organized a meeting at a site where the buyer could test the bike. Two individuals met up with the man, one of whom got on the bike while the other counted out $900 in cash. When the buyer got on the bike, he rode off from the area, and the man with the money fled on foot. The seller took a closer look at the money and discovered it was fake, with the phrase “For motion picture use” only printed on the bills.

POPPED FOR BOTTLES
12:45 p.m. — 1400 block of First Street
Theft: An employee at a grocery store observed two customers who placed a bottle of wine and champagne down their pants, respectively. The employee stopped the man who put champagne down his pants, but lost track of the man with the wine. The man with the champagne told the employee that the duo was planning to reconvene at the library. An officer tracked down a suspect at the library matching the description given for the man with the wine. The officer asked the man if he had a bottle of wine on him, and the man said yes, removing the bottle from the bottom of his jeans.

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD
10:57 p.m. — 3000 block of Bahia Vista Street
Suspicion: A man reported receiving a call from someone who said he was seeing zombies. The man gave an intersection where the caller was located, but officers were unable to find him at the given location. Later that night, an officer obtained a phone number for the caller, who said he was somewhere in the Pinecraft neighborhood. Officers passed along the information to county officials.