Bexar County – After their Fox Grove neighborhood was hit multiple times in one night with car burglaries, residents are hoping their frustrations raise awareness about the importance of being vigilant with your property.
Bexar County sheriff’s deputies responded to two car thefts and four car burglaries in one day.
Residents like Matthew Bacak, who is also the vice president of the HOA for the neighborhood, feel that kind of crime has increased over the past year.
“We have really been seeing a lot of vandalism and car thefts in the last six months,” Bacak said. “A lot of random people just walking into the driveways and trying to open car doors. You don’t think it would happen as often, but we are definitely seeing that right now.”
He said several of these instances are caught on cameras but sadly, that is not scaring away the culprits.
“That is what is very disturbing to us is how brazen these people are,” he said. “They are literally walking up to your driveway. Your spotlight is going off and they just keep going. They don’t care.”
Like many of his neighbors, Bacak had two of his trucks stolen in the last year.
Fortunately, his last truck was recovered after someone shattered his window to get in.
“When my truck was recovered, the cops were laughing because the day before they recovered another vehicle in the exact same spot,” Bacak said. “It was a common area where these vehicles were dropped off.”
Bacak said he doesn’t really know a solution to the problem at this time.
“It is very worrisome and as a member of the HOA board it is very difficult to figure out how to solve the issue for so many different people in our neighborhood,” he said. “I can’t ask deputies to do more than what they are doing because they work so hard and have so much coverage to get to, but residents do feel there needs to be a little more presence here.”
In the meantime, Bacak said they have established a very active neighborhood watch.
“The cops come out and take a police report and file it away with the others, so it is really on the community,” he said. “A resident took it up and other residents have joined since it has picked up. I’ve gone out a couple of times.”
What’s even more shocking to him is how young the culprits appear to be.
“From the looks of the camera that I’ve seen, and I have seen many of them, they are 20-18-25-year olds,” He said. “They are young dumb kids that are being told to do this or are just bored.”
While the residents in his neighborhood continue to look after each other, they are encouraging everyone to park their cars in their garage, remove all important and personal items from their vehicles, and always lock their doors.
“To the people who are doing this, residents have had enough,” Bacak said. “I don’t want anything bad to happen to anyone. A vehicle is just a vehicle. Those can be replaced, but lives cannot.”
If you live out in the county and you notice criminal activity taking place in your neighborhood, you are urged to call the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office at 210-335-6000.
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