Longboat Key Cops Corner: iFound it

Friday, May 27

Skinny water

3:06 p.m., near 100 block of North Shore Road

Boating call: The town’s marine patrol officer responded to a report of a vessel in distress. The officer ascertained the boat had run aground and was not in need of emergency services. A commercial tow company had already been requested. Manatee County deputies and the United States Coast Guard also responded to assist.

Water, water — nowhere

10:41 p.m., 700 block of Binnacle Point Drive

Citizen assist: A resident called police with a request to check his home following receipt of a water bill that indicated the use of 41,000 gallons – enough to fill nearly three typical back yard swimming pools. The officer looked around the property and into windows and determined nothing seemed wrong. The resident provided the officer with the code with which to open the garage door, leading to a more thorough but still dry inspection. The resident said he would speak with his sprinkler company and also talk with the town about a potential billing error.

Saturday, May 28

Lots of boats, not so much noise

11:50 a.m., near Jewfish Key

Noise complaint: A marine patrol officer in the vicinity of a popular boating area was advised of a noise complaint from a land-based caller. The officer reported about 200 boats in the area while he monitored the area for about 30 minutes and couldn’t single out a noise source than rose to the level of an offense. Other agency patrol boats and even a law enforcement helicopter were also in the area.

Sunday, May 29

Nada que ver aqui (Nothing to see here)

7:14 p.m., North Shore Road

Citizen dispute: Two officers were sent to investigate a report of two people yelling at each other in Spanish. Officers arrived promptly but found no one yelling in any language, despite speaking with several people in the neighborhood and along the Longboat Pass bridge.

Four wheels, but no gas

8:32 p.m., 3800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic hazard: An officer stopped to speak with the driver of a car parked in the bicycle lane. The driver said he had run out of gas and was awaiting the arrival of a friend who had gone to get some. The officer and the driver pushed the vehicle to the shoulder of the road.

Monday, May 30

Gusher

8:24 p.m., 600 block of Halyard Lane

Citizen assist: A resident called police to report a fountain of water spraying up from a neighbor’s yard. The officer tried to reach the caller for information on his neighbor’s contact information, but the officer could not reach the caller. The officer arrived to find no spraying water.

Wednesday, June 1

Off a truck

2:35 p.m., 6000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic hazard: An officer on patrol stopped to remove a bag of concrete mix he found in the middle of the road. The officer disposed of it once he returned to the police station.

Thursday, June 2

Easiest. Slalom. Ever.

11:09 a.m., 5900 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic hazard: An officer found a single traffic cone in the bicycle lane. He removed it.

Friday, June 3

Dog? Turtle.

9:28 a.m., 500 block of Birdie Lane

Animal complaint: A caller to police reported what was initially believed to be the body of a dog floating in residential canal. Officers were initially unable to confirm the animal species and moved to another vantage point. Officers of Sarasota County Animal Control identified it as a free-floating but deceased sea turtle. Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium was notified.

iFound

11:13 a.m., police headquarters

Found property: An employee of a cable company came to the police department to turn in an iPhone that did not belong to him in the center console of his work truck. The phone was in a case that also contained a credit card from one of the United Kingdom’s largest supermarket chains. The phone was taken for safe keeping.