The following are actual police reports as written by Longboat Key Police Officers. They are edited for length, punctuation and to protect privacy.
Jan. 11
Parking
12:02 a.m.
Officer Troyer responded to Yawl Lane on a report of a suspicious vehicle. The complainant reported a suspicious large truck parked, with the running lights on. Upon arrival, Officer Troyer observed the reported truck which was marked FPL. The truck was also consistent with a Florida Power and Light truck. Officer Troyer spoke with a passenger of the vehicle who said they were restoring power to a house on Yawl Lane. Nothing suspicious was observed. Officer Troyer attempted to contact the complainant but he did not answer the phone. Case clear.
Driver’s license
7:33 a.m.
Officer Martinson while on patrol observed a black Chevy Malibu traveling northbound with a front headlight out. Officer Martinson conducted a traffic stop in the parking lot of the gas station located at the 400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive. Officer Martinson made contact with the driver who was identified via his passport and explained to him why he had been pulled over. When Officer Martinson asked the driver for his driver’s license he stated he did not have one. The driver was given a criminal citation with a court date for no driver’s license. The driver parked in the gas station parking lot and called a friend with a valid license to come drive the vehicle. Case clear.
Property
8:00 a.m.
Officer Martinson was dispatched to Firehouse Court on a call of a citizen assist. Upon arrival, Officer Martinson spoke with the caller who stated while delivering a publication to a house she accidentally backed up into the mailbox with her black Nissan Altima. The mailbox broke off from the pole and she wanted police present when she reported the damage to the homeowner. The driver and the Officer made contact with the homeowner and explained what happened to him. The homeowner stated it was not a big deal and he would fix or replace the mailbox. The homeowner said he didn’t want a damage to property report or need police involvement. Case clear.
Jan. 12
Water
7:49 a.m.
Officer Martinson was dispatched to the 2800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive on a call of a citizen assist. Upon arrival, Officer Martinson spoke with the complainant who said the water was not working inside her apartment. The complainant said they contacted the property manager last night and they are coming out today to check on the issue. The guest stated they called the public works number just to ask if there was maybe a water main break or low water pressure in the area and the dispatcher told them she would send a police officer. The guests stated they did not want a police officer to come out because they already knew there was nothing officers could do to fix the problem. Case clear.
Jan. 13
Airpods
9:09 a.m.
Officer Zunz discovered a pair of apple airpods that had been left anonymously at the lobby of the police department. An attached note advised that the airpods had been found at the entrance of Durante Park on Jan. 10. The pair of airpods were in their white plastic storage container and inside a rubberized outer protector with distinctive identifying marks. Officer Zunz placed the airpods into a property and evidence locker for safekeeping. Case clear.
Driver’s license
4:01 p.m.
Officer Pescuma responded to a suspended driver’s license from the license plate reader alert. Officer Pescuma conducted an FCIC/NCIC query which showed that the driver had a suspended license as of Dec. 23. Officer Pescuma located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. Officer Pescuma made contact with the operator. Officer Pescuma asked if he hada bill of sale for the purchase and he replied that he did not. Officer Pescuma was notified by Sarasota Dispatch that the plate came back to a Honda CRV. Officer Pescuma asked the driver of the vehicle for his driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance. Officer Pescuma conducted a vin check on the vehicle. The license plate number was not registered to the vehicle and the driver said that he swapped his tag from the Honda and put it on the Pontiac so that he could drive it to the auto store. The driver was unable to produce a bill of sale or title and failed to change the registration on the vehicle in which he swapped tags. The driver was given citations for driving while license suspended and no registration.
Jan. 14
License plate
9:55 a.m.
Officer Ramsaier while on patrol when someone handed him a found license plate at Bay Isles Road. Officer Ramsaier conducted a query and found the owner whose residence was at the 6700 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive. Officer Ramsaier attempted to make contact with the owner at his home, however the property manager approached the officer and said that the owner recently sold his condo. The property manager was able to make phone contact with the owner who said that he registered a new car with a new license plate and had discarded the original license plate. Case clear.
Locked
8:24 p.m.
Officer Troyer responded to Cedars Court on the report of a suspicious person. the complainant reported a man wearing a white tank top and New York Yankees hat was knocking on his front door. The complainant further mentioned the man was now at the pool area walking around. Upon arrival, Officer Troyer observed the man standing in front of the clubhouse. Officer Troyer spoke with the man who identified himself and said he was working out in the exercise room when he needed to use the restroom. The man went to the restroom and was locked out of the exercise room. The man said his entry key fob was in the exercise room as well. Sgt. Montfort was able to find an unsecured door to the exercise room so the man could retrieve his items. The man said he was knocking on doors to find someone with a key fob so he could get in. Case clear.
Jan. 15
Dredging
8:13 a.m.
Officer Ericsson while on patrol in Greer Island, observed a suspicious white truck on the beach. Officer Ericsson contacted the driver who said that he worked for a dredging company and was on the beach to ensure the safety of beachgoers. He added that the dredging company is dredging sand from the north end of Longboat Key, south along the coast and the pipe used to carry the sand is within swimming distance from the beach. He said his job was to make sure nobody entered the water close to the pipe. Case clear.
Disturbance
1:00 p.m.
Officer Ericsson and Officer Miklos were dispatched to Lois Avenue and Linley Street regarding a verbal disturbance at the boat ramp. Upon their arrival, Officer Ericsson was contacted by a man who said the verbal disturbance was over. He said two subjects became involved in an argument over use of the boat launch. The individual stated the vessel, which was a barge used to haul hurricane debris from Jewfish Key was unloading debris from the barge and a man was upset because it was taking too long. The man was waiting to pull his boat from the water. The two men became involved in a verbal argument over how long the barge would take to unload. The barge was leaving as officers arrived and the situation was resolved. Case clear.
Resting
3:43 p.m.
Officer Ericsson was dispatched to the 300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive on a suspicious person laying down smoking a cigarette on the side of the road. Upon arrival, Officer Ericsson observed a man laying on the sidewalk. Contact was made with the subject who said he did not need medical attention, but was merely resting after walking. Case clear.
