Longboat Key Cops Corner: Prime suspect, Bobby Ewing

Friday, Oct. 28

Fired up

2:31 p.m., 3800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious incident: An officer was sent to check out a caller’s report of a painting project underway nearby. The caller was concerned the painting was taking place near flammable items, though the caller did not wish to have contact with police. The officer knocked on the door at which the painting was said to have been taking place but got no answer. The officer noted for the record that a work permit was posted on the front door.

Itsy, bitsy break-in artists

5:28 p.m., 500 block of Halyard Lane

Citizen assist: A resident called police to report ants had infiltrated her home via a faucet. The officer suggested a call to a plumber or a pest control service.

Sunday, Oct. 30

Ready to ride

7:26 a.m., 4200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic hazard: A caller to police was concerned about the safety of a motorcycle rider whose machine was disabled on the side of the road. When an officer arrived, he found the rider and the bike in a nearby parking lot. The rider said he had lost the key to his cycle and was waiting for someone to come give him a ride.

Rules of the water

2:55 p.m., Longboat Pass

Boating citation: A boater who was seen by a police officer creating a wake in a slow-speed, no-wake zone was stopped for the infraction. As part of his interaction with the boater, the officer learned that several required safety items were not aboard the boat. The boater was advised on the reason for the stop and cited for not having the required gear.

Monday, Oct. 31

Turning the tide

3:26 p.m., 500 block of Yardarm Lane

Citizen dispute: A canalfront resident called police to alert an officer about a boat that had turned in the waterway, possibly hitting and damaging a seawall. The resident said she would follow up with police if a closer inspection revealed damage to her property.

Delivering information

8:41 p.m., 3500 Fair Oaks Court

Citizen assist: A driver for a well-known online shopping service alerted police to an open front door at a residence to which he was delivering. An officer and a sergeant made contact with the home’s owner and explained the reason for their presence. The officers reported nothing suspicious seemed to be taking place and departed.

Tuesday, Nov. 1

Hey, could you help with this paperwork?

1:26 p.m., 4000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

VIN verification: An officer on patrol was flagged down by a man seeking help with a form verifying his vehicle’s identification number. The officer verified the number matched the vehicle’s registration. The document was completed and signed.

Wednesday, Nov. 2

Not a care in the world

1:27 p.m., 2600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Boating call: The town’s boat-based marine patrol officer headed out into the Gulf of Mexico to investigate a report of two people in distress several hundred yards offshore. The officer found two women floating on inflatable tubes who said they were simply relaxing and weren’t in distress. The officer alerted the women to their distance from the beach, to which they responded they had been unaware of their westward drift. They were able to paddle back to shore on their own.

Thursday, Nov. 3

Clearing the way

9:50 a.m., Buttonwood Harbor

Boating call: The town’s marine patrol officer spotted the remains of a floating dock and other storm-related debris in a boating channel, creating a hazard to navigation. The items were removed to the land and set in a spot for collection.

I’m clean, see?

10:18 a.m., 3300 Sabal Cove Lane

Abandoned 911 call: Police responded to a residence following a 911 call to emergency dispatchers. The call taker reported hearing no voices, but rather loud machinery in the background. An officer arrived to find a power-washing crew at the site of the call, The man operating the machine said he did not call 911 and did not need police help. His phone, though, matched that of the mysterious caller. The officer and the man agreed the 911 was likely an accidental event.

Prime suspect: Bobby Ewing

1:38 a.m., 2500 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious incident: In a call originally categorized as a more serious incident, an officer was sent to a residence on a report of a home burglary. While the officer was on the way, he was advised the caller ascertained the sound she heard was the result of a nightmare. The caller told police she did not wish to make an official crime report. The officers investigated and found no sign of forced entry or other crime. The incident was changed from burglary to a suspicious incident.

Here’s a little light reading

7:45 a.m., 600 block of Cedar Street

Noise complaints from land: A resident alerted police to a cabinetry crew arriving and preparing for work earlier than the 8 a.m. benchmark set by the town for the use of noise-producing tools. An officer spoke to the supervisor, who said employees had carried cabinets inside but had not yet made power-tool noise. No violations were noted, and the officer handed the supervisor a brochure about the town’s noise ordinance requirements.