Intoxicated man barks at nesting sea turtles

Friday, July 3

Jet Skis ‘causing issues’

11:50 a.m., 3155 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious person: Longboat police were dispatched to a beach-facing condo community in response to a report of “Jet Skis causing issues.” The officer saw several Jet Skis in the vicinity of the beach, but did not notice any criminal behavior. The operators of the personal watercrafts were giving rides to people on the beach and were not operating dangerously. The officer requested a marine unit visit the area and closed the case.

Just watching TV

11:10 p.m., 4235 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Noise disturbance: A woman on vacation watching TV got a knock on the door from the police. The complainant, an employee at the hotel, called to say a guest at a specific room had been making excessive noise and flashed white lights toward the beach. An officer did not hear any loud noise or see any white lights upon arrival. The officer knocked on the door of the room and was told by the guest she had been watching TV. The officer closed the case due to lack of evidence of any wrongdoing by the visitor.

Saturday, July 4

Just lighting fireworks

9:03 p.m., 4235 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Information report: An employee of a hotel called the police on beachgoers lighting fireworks on Independence Day. Police arrived on scene to find several individuals on the beach who told police they were unaware of the burn ban in effect. The suspects were cooperative when asked to stop lighting fireworks, and police closed the case.

Tuesday, July 7

Please don’t bark at the turtles

12:36 a.m., 2509 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Animal problem: A woman who was on the beach with her friends called police after witnessing a man in his 50s bothering a sea turtle attempting to lay eggs on the beach late at night. When police arrived, the complainant described a man and his family approaching a nesting sea turtle with a white light. The woman said she asked the man to turn off the light and leave the turtle alone. The woman said she detected the scent of alcohol on the man, who was carrying a large camera and told the group he was filming them. The man reportedly also barked at the sea turtle during the interaction. Police canvassed the area, as well as the resort the man was walking toward, to no avail, and closed the case.