SAN ANTONIO – News about the arrests of two people suspected to be porch pirates appears to have a lot of people fired up.
San Antonio police arrested Isaac Lagunas, 38, and his 36-year-old wife, Nadja Essler, on Tuesday in connection with the theft of an $800 guitar that was delivered to someone else’s Northwest Side home.
“It was in a cardboard box. It was an accident,” Lagunas told reporters, explaining the reason for the alleged theft.
Police, however, disagree with him.
An arrest warrant affidavit said he was working in connection with his wife, who was a seasonal employee of UPS, to steal the package.
In response to the news, several people posted comments about the couple and the crime on the KSAT 12 News website.
Margaret Crater, who was visiting a nearby home, also heard about the crime and wondered aloud where the holiday spirit has gone.
“It's hard on the people that save their money to buy the product that they want and then just to have somebody come up and take it,” she said.
Police pointed out immediately after the arrests that they are making an extra effort to crack down on the thieves, who they described as porch pirates.
“Yes, we know that there are porch thefts during this time of year,” said Officer Carlos Ortiz, a public information officer with SAPD. “We want to let everybody know that SAPD is actively working these cases and so we can make arrests.”
In the meantime, he issued a reminder that it also would help for people take action on their own.
Ortiz said using surveillance cameras or signs announcing that video surveillance is in use are good deterrents. Asking neighbors to keep an eye out also is a good idea, he said.
“If they can come out and maybe pick up that package for you if you are not at home,” Ortiz said.
Crater agrees and already employs the tactic herself.
“Even people across the street or next door to you, if they could be nice enough,” she said. “I always look out the window now and then, and that would be helpful, too.”