COPS CORNER 10.31.17

WINTER GARDEN

Oct. 17, 13700 block of W. Colonial Drive: A cashier at a supermarket reported a suspected shoplifting incident to police. Upon their arrival, the cashier informed them a female suspect wearing a navy blue tank top and multi-colored yoga pants was caught on camera taking a sub sandwich from the deli and a small drink without paying for it. The cashier then confronted the woman before she exited the store and asked if she would pay for the food. The woman reportedly said, “No.” When the cashier threatened she would call the police, the woman replied, “Go ahead,” and proceeded to exit the supermarket. The woman then made her way to a 7-Eleven across the street and employees informed the police officers that the woman was in the men’s restroom. The officers entered the restroom and noticed a woman who fit the supermarket cashier’s description. However, the woman was now wearing black pants. After searching the bags in her possession, the officers found the multi-colored yoga pants. It was determined the woman attempted to disguise her appearance to evade law enforcement. The woman was arrested.

Oct. 19, 13500 block of W. Colonial Drive: Around 11:30 p.m., a police officer located at a gas station food mart and a cashier saw a man take an 18-pack of Bud Light beer and walk out the food mart through the store’s rear exit. Once the officer and cashier realized he had not paid for the beer, which was worth $15.99, the officer exited the store and confronted the man. The man then told the officer he had stolen the beer because he was an alcoholic who suffered withdrawals without constant alcohol. The man was arrested and charged with petit theft.

OCOEE

Oct. 30, Wurst Road: At about 4:30 a.m., an officer on patrol stumbled upon a vehicle sitting still in the middle of Wurst Road. The officer sat in his patrol car behind the vehicle for a few minutes to see if the vehicle would move, but it did not. The officer then approached the vehicle’s driver side window and noticed the male driver was sleeping. The keys were still in the ignition with the gear in drive. The officer banged on the window several times in an attempt to wake up the driver. The driver opened his eyes for a few seconds and then returned to sleep without acknowledging the officer’s presence. The officer tried again, and this time the driver woke up, waved at the officer in greeting and rolled down his window. The officer asked if the driver was OK, and the driver said he was and asked why the officer was at his window. The man said he had just dropped some friends off from the bar and claimed he had not consumed any drinks himself, despite having a green plastic band on his wrist. The man was later arrested after failing to perform field-sobriety exercises correctly and transported to a DUI testing facility, where he refused to provide a breath sample.

WINDERMERE

Oct. 31, West Colonial Drive: At around 6:30 a.m., a police officer witnessed a vehicle pass a school bus while it was loading/unloading school-aged children at the intersection of Tubb Street and West Colonial Drive. The bus had its flashing lights on and its stop signs out in indication. The officer then initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle and approached it from the passenger side. The driver rolled down the window and the officer detected a cannabis odor emitting from the vehicle. The officer asked the man to exit the vehicle and the officer searched the vehicle. The officer found a grinder typically used for cannabis and 34 used cannabis cigars in a small glass jar within the center console. The driver was placed under arrest.