Mystery Boat, Sandy Hook ‘Truther,’ Lunch Money Bandit: Weird Florida

Patch operates 24 daily news sites in Florida. The following are some of the more unusual, wacky, wonderful or just plain weird stories that have had people talking over the past few weeks:

Palm Harbor Primates Get ‘Strange Inheritance’ Spotlight

Fox Business Network’s “Strange Inheritance” is talking a walk on the wild side Monday as host Jamie Colby tells the story of the unusual legacy Debbie Cobb’s grandmother left behind.

Half-Sunken Mystery Boat Creates Anclote River Concerns

As Pasco County Sheriff’s deputies work to unravel the mystery behind a half-sunken boat discovered near the Anclote River Park boat ramp on Tuesday night, they’re turning to the public for help in identifying its owner.

Tampa ‘Sandy Hook Truther’ Expected To Change Plea

The Florida woman accused of threatening the father of a Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre victim is expected to plead guilty at a change-of-plea hearing, according to court documents cited by multiple media reports including the Sun-Sentinel.

Lunch Money Bandit Busted, Cops Say

The Clearwater Police Department has announced the arrest of a 16-year-old boy in connection with a Monday morning robbery that left a 10-year-old without his lunch money. Unfortunately for the teen accused, police say they caught up with him while he was trying to break into a car Tuesday evening.

Bradenton Serial Flasher Arrested, Sheriff Says

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office has announced the arrest of a 20-year-old man in connection with three recent flashing cases reported by women in Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch. The man’s alleged spree began in January and ended with his arrest over the weekend.

Watch: Giant Gator Snags Boy’s Fish

An opportunistic alligator with a taste for fish recently gave a little boy a lesson about the two types of critters in the world: the quick and the hungry. Casting itself in the role of the quick, the beefy gator swam up to the boy’s catch and snagged it right off his line. With the rather big fish in its jaws, the happy gator turned tail and swam away.

Stolen Motorcycle’s Expired Tag Leads To Arrest

A 32-year-old Bradenton man faces a long list of criminal charges after the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office said one of its deputies noticed something just a little bit off about the motorcycle he was riding.

Florida Manatee Count Tops 6,600

For the third year in a row, Florida’s annual count of its manatee population topped 6,000. Those responsible for the 2017 count, in fact, found 6,620 sea cows living in waters throughout the Sunshine State.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission