—Aug. 7
—The Phantom Tollbooth Tag
—11:52 a.m.
—Officer Tillman responded to the police lobby for a person who said that she received a payment from FDOT implying her vehicle with Florida registration tag was recorded running a toll without paying a $3.36 toll. Officers were shown the photo from the FDOT camera and it did not appear to be the license plate and possibly a black Florida specialty tag. The complainant advised that the license plate was a normal Florida tag. The complainant has also said that the tag was left on a donated vehicle seven years ago. Case clear.
—No Free Samples for Scammers
—2:25 p.m.
—Officer Tillman responded to the police lobby. Upon arrival, Officer Tillman spoke with the complainant who stated that on August 6, a woman identifying a Costco employee, said she had some Costco purchases that needed to be verified. The caller was attempting to retrieve the remaining account number with CVV code. The complainant called Costco and reported the incident. Costco confirmed that this is a recent scam and there is no activity on her card. The complainant did not release any information and is not out any money. The number that was showing up on caller ID in which the scam was coming from. Case clear.
—The Accidental Apple Heist
—10:03 p.m.
—Officer Castro was dispatched to a restaurant at the 400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive regarding a theft. The manager of the restaurant contacted the police department to report that his green iPhone 18 had been taken from the restaurant bar. The manager stated that he placed his phone on top of the bar and left it there while working throughout the restaurant. Around 7 p.m. he returned to retrieve the phone but found it missing. The manager believed a patron may have taken the phone by mistake. The manager was able to log into the find my iPhone app and reported that the phone was pinging at Grand Bay Boulevard. Officer Castro responded to the area and attempted to locate the phone. While at Grand Bay Boulevard, the manager informed that he believed a customer may have taken the phone by mistake and provided a contact number of the person. An on-duty security officer confirmed that the man was listed as a guest for one of the apartment units. Officers contacted the man by phone and he confirmed that he had dined at the restaurant but said he did not have the phone. He also said that he was currently in Venice, not in the apartment complex. The manager was unable to provide video footage from the security cameras because only the general manager had access. The manager said that he would contact the general manager to obtain the video footage. The manager later advised that he wished to wait until the following day to file a report in case someone returned his phone. He said he would contact the police to file a report if the phone was not returned. The following day, the manager called police to inform that a customer had returned the phone, the customer had accidentally taken the phone while at the restaurant. Case clear.
—Aug. 8
—A Midnight Kentucky Stroll
—11:51 p.m.
—Officer Castro while on patrol in the 3400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive observed a 2026 GMC Sierra parked after hours in the beach parking lot. Upon approaching the vehicle, Officer Castro observed a man standing nearby. The individual was identified by his Kentucky driver’s license and he said he was enroute to Bradenton Beach when he noticed the beach access and decided to stop for a walk. A warrant check on the man returned negative results. The man was informed of the town ordinances and beach hours. He left the area without incident. Case clear.
—Aug. 9
Palm Tree: 1, Car: 0
—4:42 p.m.
—Officer Tillman was notified of a traffic crash that had just occurred at Bay Isles and Gulf of Mexico Drive. Upon arrival, it was determined to be a one car accident with no injuries. The vehicle struck a palm tree in the median of Bay Isles Parkway causing approximately $10,000 worth of damage. Public Works was notified of the palm tree being struck. The vehicle was towed by the next scheduled wrecker. Case clear.
—Loose Screws, Lost Plates
—6:51 p.m.
—Officer Castro was dispatched to the 1400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive regarding a report of lost property. The caller and his wife contacted the police to report the loss of the front New Jersey license plate from their Chevy Tahoe. The caller stated that he and his wife traveled from New Jersey to stay for three months, and he explained that the vehicle is kept in the parking garage at that location throughout the year. On Aug. 7, the complainant noticed that the front license plate was not securely attached to the bumper but did not tighten the screws before driving to the market. On Aug. 9, he discovered that the license plate was missing from the vehicle. The man believes the license plate likely fell off somewhere but is unsure of the exact location. Officer Castro provided the couple with the case number. Case clear.
—Aug. 10
—Backseat Driver Drama
—2:51 p.m.
—Officer Van Dyke was dispatched to the 2100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive in reference to a disturbance. Upon arrival, Officer Van Dyke spoke to the complainant who said that a verbal altercation occurred with the driver of her rental vehicle. Upon further investigation it was determined that no crime occurred, merely a verbal dispute with an employee and possible boyfriend. According to the complainant she was in the passenger seat while he was driving. The man almost struck a vehicle from behind, which started the verbal dispute. Officer Van Dyke checked the driver for active warrants, yielding negative results. The man left the scene prior to law enforcement arrival and was last seen walking southbound on foot. It should be noted that both subjects have been involved in numerous past police reports for similar behavior within Longboat Key. Case clear.
—Just Securing the Site
—7:51 p.m.
—Officer Nazareno while on patrol in the 2900 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive observed two vehicles parked at the construction site. The vehicles were a silver Honda Civic and a blue Honda Odyssey and they were parked in a private lot. Officer Nazareno made contact with the person on scene who stated that he works for a builder and was securing tools and materials. Officer Nazareno verified the man and his company and found to be authorized to be in the construction site to secure the tools and materials. Case clear.
—Aug. 11
—The Great Beach Dolly Dispute
—5:58 p.m.
—Officer Van Dyke responded to the police station in reference to a civil disturbance. Upon further investigation, it was determined that the incident occurred in the 2500 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive. Upon arrival, Officer Van Dyke met with the complainant who was the general manager of the club. The complainant stated that the employee took possession of a beach dolly after quitting, during non-working hours. According to the complainant, the employee hadn’t been cooperative in regard to returning the item, as he believes it belongs to him. It should be noted that the employee had cut and disposed of the original beach dolly according to the complainant. The general manager stated the dolly was funded partially from the employee’s own funds but it was built on property during business hours at the request of the complainant for business purposes. Upon further investigation, the incident wasn’t determined to be criminal in nature, as it doesn’t align with the elements of theft or criminal mischief. Additionally, the total loss is approximately $500. There is no written agreement regarding the ownership of the beach dolly, and no established intent to deprive the complainant, therefore the incident was determined to be treated as a civil conversation dispute. Officer Van Dyke attempted to contact the employee via phone, with negative results. The general manager was provided a case number and directed to the Sarasota County Court system for further assistance. Case clear.
—Aug. 13
—Midnight Shark Hunters
—11:01 p.m.
—Officer Castro was dispatched to the 2800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive in reference to a suspicious person. The complainant contacted police to report individuals on the beach engaged in shark fishing. He also stated that the individuals had lights on. Upon arrival, Officer Castro made contact with two men who were fishing on the shore. Both stated they were unaware that beach access was prohibited after 11 p.m. Officer Castro informed them of the relevant town ordinances. No white lights were observed on the beach. Officer Maple spoke with the caller and explained that the individuals were unaware of the beach closure and were packing up their equipment to leave. The individuals left the area without incident. Case clear.
