2/14 Police Briefs: Woman reports stolen kayak

BRADENTON — A 72-year-old woman had her kayak stolen from the boat dock at the rear of her home around noon Saturday.

Perpetrators took the boat from her home in the 5000 block of 12th Street East, according to a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office report.

The kayak had a reported value of $299.

Woman says man tried to steal items from her home

MANATEE — A Sarasota woman got a good look at a man attempting to steal items from her home at 6 a.m. Friday, but law enforcement hasn’t been able to apprehend the would-be crook despite looking over the weekend.

The woman’s dog started barking fiercely in the home in the 7000 block of Fairlinks Court, waking the woman up. She saw a man trying to open her sliding glass door. He was wearing a grey hoody-type sweatshirt, blue jeans with a “bleach stain” on the front and black boots, she told a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputy.

When the intruder saw her, he fled on foot. The sheriff’s office sent out a K-9 unit and a helicopter, but the man was not found. No items were taken from the woman’s home, a report stated.

Woman: Man tried to lure my son with a cookie

MANATEE — A man asked a young boy to leave with him from the Wal-mart on State Road 64 this weekend, according to a Sheriff’s Office report.

The boy’s mother reported that the man offered her 8-year-old son a cookie and then asked him to follow him. The boy ran to his mother, who told a cashier what happened. Store officials told a sheriff’s deputy that they would check a surveillance digital recording to see if they could come up with an image of the man in question.

68-year-old man reports identity theft

MANATEE — A 68-year-old Manatee man fell victim to a crime of identity theft that he reported to authorities over the weekend.

The man said he was solicited by an individual posing as an agent for AOL, the Internet provider, trying to update the man’s account information for billing purposes.

Shortly thereafter, fraudulent attempts to purchase goods occurred using the victim’s account, according to a sheriff’s report.

Woman: Criminal mischief follows text harassment

MANATEE — A 35-year-old Bradenton woman reported an incident of criminal mischief that followed text message harassment.

The woman told a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputy that she had recently ended a relationship with a man who she has now decided to ignore, apparently making the man angry. Numerous text messages were sent over the weekend to her from the man. They included, “U Underestimate the power of me” and “I told U don’t do this” and “I’ll be around there” and “I’m coming, better hide,” a report said.

Around midnight, a witness who lives near the woman told a deputy he heard a sound like air being released and when he came outside he noticed the woman’s tires were flattened. He stated he could see the male who flattened the tires.