Cops Corner

Police investigating suspicious vehicle find man sleeping inside

An officer had to wake the overnight camper and advise that the parking lot was not a place to stay. This and other Longboat Key Police reports in this week's Cops Corner.


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Friday, Jan. 19

No help necessary 

10:47 a.m., Sloop Lane & Gulf of Mexico Drive

Lost/Found Property: An officer was asked to respond to a found cellphone, which was left on a glove close to the roadway. When the officer arrived to retrieve the phone, a man in the area waved him down and claimed it was his cellphone. The man was able to give the officer the correct passcode for the phone, and it was returned. 


Saturday, Jan. 20 

A dog's quick return 

4:05 p.m., 500 block of De Narvaez Drive 

Animal Problem: An officer on patrol was flagged down by a citizen who stated her small, white dog had gotten loose. Moments later, the officer received a call about a lost dog that was located. The officer went to the location of the found dog, which was confirmed to be the same dog. The dog was then reunited with its owner. 


Sunday, Jan. 21 

False alarm

4:04 a.m., 6800 block of Hughes Street 

Alarm: Dispatch sent a Longboat Key officer to a report of a residential burglar alarm. The officer responded to the residence and searched the exterior. All windows and doors appeared to be secure. The officer tried calling the owner of the residence but received no response. 

Maybe it was the wind

7:52 p.m., 6100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive 

Suspicious Incident: A citizen called 911 because she believed someone was in her house. Dispatch sent an officer to investigate, but upon arrival the caller said it was a false alarm. Her sister had recently arrived home and everything was fine. It was unclear if the sister was what startled the caller, but officers checked the residence for any other suspicious activity or signs of forced entry, but everything seemed fine. 


Tuesday, Jan. 23

Dog on duty

12:43 p.m., 2800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive 

Animal Problem: A concerned citizen called to report a dog on the beach near this block. The responding officer was able to locate the dog, and the family advised it was a service dog. The special harness confirmed it, and no further action was needed. 


Wednesday, Jan. 24

Phoning a friend 

6:39 p.m., 3800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive 

Disabled Vehicle: An officer was dispatched to a reported disabled vehicle on the shoulder of Gulf of Mexico Drive. The officer spoke with the driver who said he ran out of gas and a friend was on the way. While the driver was waiting, the officer waited with him. After a short time, the friend arrived to save the day with a can of gas, and the driver was on his way. 


Can't stay here

11:57 p.m., 6800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious Vehicle: While on patrol, an officer noticed a car with an out-of-state license plate parked in a dark parking lot. The officer approached and saw a man sleeping in the back. He woke the driver up, and the driver said he just arrived in town, heading to Siesta Key, but did not have a hotel for the evening. The officer advised him that he could not camp within the confines of the town, and the driver left. 

 

author

Carter Weinhofer

Carter Weinhofer is the Longboat Key news reporter for the Observer. Originally from a small town in Pennsylvania, he moved to St. Petersburg to attend Eckerd College until graduating in 2023. During his entire undergraduate career, he worked at the student newspaper, The Current, holding positions from science reporter to editor-in-chief.

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