A woman approached by her ex at a beach an hour away from home calls Longboat Police

Friday, May 8

Last paycheck

8:19 a.m., 400 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Disturbance: A former employee of a local gas station went to pick up their last paycheck, leading to an argument that resulted in a call to police. When the officer arrived, the former employee and a current staff member were separated and interviewed separately. The former employee told police that she believed she was being denied wages earned and that she needed the money desperately for rent. The manager of the station said she had attempted to get information from the former employee to direct deposit her last check, but when she came in to pick up the check, the request for information led to a heated argument. With mediation by the police officer, direct deposit information was setup, a trespass order was issued to the former employee, and the case was then closed.

Saturday, May 9

23 minutes too late

5:11 p.m., Hibiscus Way

Noise disturbance: Police were called to a neighborhood in response to a noise complaint at 5:11 p.m. When police arrived to speak with the complainant, they heard power tools being used nearby at 5:23 p.m. As the town’s noise ordinance dictates, power tools can not be used after 5 p.m. Police interviewed a flooring installer with the company who was advised of the ordinance and issued a citation. The case was closed and the noise ceased.

Sunday, May 10

Bird tangled in fishing line

5:42 p.m., 2333 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Animal problem: Police were called after a seabird became stuck and tangled in a fishing line at a condominium complex Gulfside. When an officer arrived, the bird made it out of the pool area, “but refused to cooperate” to remove the fishing line from its wing. Police observed that the bird had a badly injured wing. The bird then fled to a nearby area of brush for shelter. Attempts to flush the bird out of the brush to remove the fishing line were unsuccessful. Police told condo staff to call police if the bird left the area to see if help could be provided. With no success freeing the bird in about 45 minutes, the case was closed.

Time to move on

6:36 p.m., 4011 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Family disturbance: A woman who broke up with her ex-boyfriend two months ago was approached by him at the beach “to talk,” and she called the police. The woman, who was at the beach with her family, told the officer that she has felt at numerous times since the breakup that she was being followed and has blocked the man’s number on multiple devices. An hour from home, she felt the two being at the same beach at the same time was not coincidence, and called police after he refused to leave her alone. Police documented the case with a police report in case other action like a restraining order was deemed necessary. Police closed the case.