SAN ANTONIO – People who live in several Northeast Side neighborhoods are warning others to be aware and lock their vehicles.
They said what appears to be the same group of thieves has been targeting cars, trucks and SUVs during the past few weeks, stealing items from inside them.
In the case of Bradley Garcia, an entire vehicle was stolen.
“My daughter was going to take my granddaughter to school. She woke up and she was, like, ‘Where’s it at?,’” he said.
Garcia didn’t realize until that point Wednesday morning that his 2019 black Ford Expedition was no longer in his driveway on Legend Springs Drive.
He reported the vehicle stolen with San Antonio police, then he did a bit of investigative work of his own.
Garcia said he walked through his Longs Creek neighborhood and found out that other vehicles had been burglarized.
He also found surveillance video at the home of his neighbor that show the suspects.
The video shows someone driving his Expedition around his wife’s car, which was blocking his driveway, then across his neighbor’s lawn.
Other people are seen across the street, acting as lookouts. They then get into a small dark compact car and drive away.
“It’s pretty sad, you know? I mean, you work hard, try to have nice (things) and somebody just wants to take it away from you,” Garcia said.
Only after he posted the video to a neighborhood app did he realize how widespread the problem was.
Garcia said he saw comment after comment from people in several nearby neighborhoods from people who had experiences with what they believe was the same group of criminals.
Megan Garza, who lives in Longs Ridge, shared surveillance video from the same day with KSAT 12 News.
Garza’s video shows a group of people breaking into her husband’s pickup in their driveway.
The suspects get scared off, though, when an alarm goes off.
Garcia said he hopes the people who were caught on camera are also caught by police soon.
While he realizes he may not get his SUV back, he said there is something he wishes would be returned.
“I had four car seats,” he said. “I drive my children and grandchildren around because I’m a stay-at-home dad.”
Police confirmed that they are investigating the theft.
In the meantime, Garcia is urging everyone to lock their doors and stay vigilant.
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