Cops Corner: Sarasota 3.21.19

March 16

STRIKING TWICE
9:09 p.m. — 700 block of John Ringling Boulevard
Motor vehicle theft: A security officer at a residential community reported someone had possibly stolen a watercraft from the property. The officer said the watercraft was taken from the community boat dock earlier that day, though the police eventually recovered and returned the vehicle. Surveillance footage showed two suspects responsible for taking the watercraft. Later in the day, the officer was checking the security cameras when he noticed the watercraft was missing again. He reviewed the footage, which showed an individual going back to the docks, pushing the watercraft and riding away.

SPIKY SITUATION
10:20 p.m. — 1200 Highland Street
Dispute: A woman said her neighbor has been cutting her trees that are planted near the property line between their addresses. The woman also suspected the neighbor came onto her property and knocked over a small cactus in her front yard. An officer saw a cactus on the woman’s property that appeared slightly bent. The woman had not actually seen the neighbor damage the cactus, but she was confident it was him and said he has been out to get her for years.

The officer spoke to the neighbor, who said he had already spoken to code enforcement about the tree issue. The neighbor said he only cut off limbs that extended over his property, which officials told him was permitted. The neighbor had taken pictures of the tree limbs in case the woman took him to civil court. The man denied damaging the cactus.

March 17

GIVE ME A (SMOKE) BREAK
11:01 a.m. — 2500 block of South Tamiami Trail
Dispute: A woman reported that a man who lives in the unit next to her keeps coming over and asking for cigarettes. She said she wanted the man to leave her alone. An officer spoke to the man, who appeared to be intoxicated. The officer told the man not to go over to the woman’s unit. The man said he understood and would not leave his unit.

UNHOLY WATER
3:40 p.m. — 3000 block of Novus Street
Dispute: An officer responded to a call regarding a dispute. When the officer arrived, he saw a man sitting on the sidewalk. The officer spoke to the person who filed the complaint, who said the man was telling him it was a sin to wash his boat. The complainant said the man argued with several subjects in the area despite several requests to leave. After speaking to the officer, the man eventually left the area without incident.