Cops Corner: You can't sleep here

JAN. 7

Nighty-night

7:49 p.m., 6900 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious vehicle: An officer on patrol spotted a recreational vehicle backed in behind a vacant service station. The officer spoke to a man who said he was planning to sleep in the vehicle overnight and leave in the morning. The officer provided the man information on a better place to park and sleep.

No distress

7:19 p.m., area of Longboat Pass Bridge

Suspicious circumstance: An officer responding to a report of a blinking light offshore was cleared by determining the source of the light was the Safe Water Marker for Longboat Pass.

JAN. 8

Start spreadin’ da news

10:45 a.m.,  600 block of Buttonwood Drive

Abandoned 9-1-1 call: An incomplete 9-1-1 call prompted an officer to see what was happening at a Buttonwood Drive address. The caller told the officer she must have dialed 9-1-1 by mistake when trying to dial a New York area code.

Real (estate) mistake

7:04 p.m., 500 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious circumstance: A real estate agent found an unexpected man sleeping in a for-sale property’s master bedroom and notified the owner, who called police. An investigating officer knocked on the door but got no response. The officer tried to reach the owner through the Realtor but was unsuccessful. While looking around the outside of the property, he received a call from the Realtor, who said she had entered the wrong condo unit by mistake, and all was well.

JAN. 9

Instant discovery

11 a.m., Police headquarters

Found property: A Polaroid Snap instant camera was found near Emerald Harbor and brought to the Police Department. It was locked into a property locker for safe keeping.

JAN. 10

Wrecked

10:20 a.m., 6000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious vehicle: A Ford pickup truck with substantial front end damage was found parked on a secluded driveway. Concerned it might have been hidden after a hit-and-run crash, police were called. In fact, the truck had been involved in a GMD crash the day before and was waiting for the owner to arrange its removal.