MANATEE — After fire struck her condo Sunday, a local woman worried that her missing black cat might have been hurt but firefighters managed to rescue the lucky feline.
The fire in the 130 block of Pine Needle Drive caused $80,000 worth of damage to a back bedroom, said Shift A Battalion Chief Al Lobeto.
Firefighters from Cedar Hammock Fire Rescue and West Manatee Fire Rescue took the call at about 5 p.m., and brought the fire under control within 15 minutes, Lobeto said. The cause of the fire was accidental, he added.
No one was injured in the blaze, but the cat had disappeared, said Lobeto. Her owner was visibly distraught, he said.
Firefighters went back into the condo to make a thorough search, finding the cat alive, he said.
When they brought the cat outside and reunited it with its owner, “it really helped the lady’s demeanor,” Lobeto said.
Man tries to stop shoplifting from Toys R Us
MANATEE — A man who tried to stop the theft of cart loads of toys was hit in a store parking lot as shoplifters escaped in three separate vehicles, according to a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office report.
The man, who Saturday saw two women load up carts full of toys without paying, was hit by one of the vehicles as they drove from the parking lot at Toys R Us, 512 Cortez Road W., the report said.
After he was hit, he jumped on the hood of one of the vehicles in order to avoid being injured, the report said.
He rode on the hood from the store parking lot, onto Cortez Road West, and ending on Park Acres Drive, the report said.
There the women got out and left their car with the stolen items, the report said. Some of the store’s merchandise was recovered.
People report license tag and decal thefts
MANATEE — A series of license tag and tag decal thefts were reported Friday, according to a sheriff’s office report.
One occurred in the 13900 block of Wood Duck Circle. The complainant said a license tag was stolen off his wife’s car. A second stolen tag complaint came from the 3400 block of 43rd Terrace East where a woman said her tag had been stolen, too. A third complaint — involving a stolen decal from a vehicle tag — occurred in the 5500 block of Fountain Lake Circle, the report said.
Bath & Body Works hit by shoplifters
BRADENTON — Five women entered the Bath & Body Works at the DeSoto Square mall Friday, carrying shopping bags, a saleswoman said, according to a sheriff’s office report. When they left, the salesperson noticed that eight gift sets had also disappeared, the report said. Some of the women returned to the store later, but left when the salesperson asked why they were there, the report said.
— Sara Kennedy
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