Cops Corner: Sarasota 5.14.20

May 1

PULLING SOME STRINGS
1:25 p.m. — 1300 block of North Washington Boulevard
Theft: A business owner said a man entered the store and loitered, looking at several items and strumming a guitar for sale. When other people entered the store, the owner said the man placed the guitar into a case and walked out with it. The owner watched the man leave and followed him, confronting him in the parking lot. The owner said the man put the guitar down after being confronted and left on foot. The owner recovered the guitar and return it to the store.

May 2

GREEN-THUMBED BANDIT
9:28 a.m. — 1800 block of Sixth Street
Theft: A woman reported that, during the night, someone took several potted plants from her property. The woman’s security camera captured images of the person who took the plants. The woman showed an officer footage of the individual walking onto the porch, picking up a potted plant and walking away. The woman was unsure what type of plants were taken or what their value was, but she guessed they were worth $15 each.

May 3

ON THE WRONG FEET
8:39 a.m. — 1900 block of 32nd Street
Burglary, vehicle: A woman said when she woke up, she discovered her car’s doors were partially open and found pry marks on one of them. The woman said she locked the doors the previous night. The woman said the only items taken were three pairs of sneakers that had been in the trunk, valued at $300 in total. Individuals near the scene did not report seeing or hearing any suspicious activity during the night.

May 5

FREE RIDE
1:17 p.m. — 100 block of North Lemon Avenue
Theft: The owner of a taxi company picked up a passenger in Tampa and drove her to a bus station in downtown Sarasota. The driver said he told the passenger it would be $155 for the trip, at which point she began looking around for her wallet and said she could not find it. The passenger said her wallet was stolen, and she could not pay him. The passenger demanded to get her luggage from the trunk of the taxi. When the driver called the police, the passenger walked to the bus station and left the area on a bus. Security was unable to get the passenger off the bus or hold the bus until police arrived.