SAN ANTONIO – The owner of a Northeast Side gun shop says he is fed up with burglars who have targeted his business multiple times.
A report from San Antonio police says they were notified about the latest break-in at Ranger Firearms, located in the 1300 block of Austin Highway, around 5 a.m. Tuesday.
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The owner of the business, Edward DeWees, says a short time later he woke up to a call from police.
He says he then watched a playback of surveillance video from the store which showed the crime.
“They had taken some pry bars and grinders and tried to cut through the locks on the door,” DeWees said.
The scene was familiar to DeWees. He said this was the third time recently that someone has targeted his business for burglary.
On two prior occasions, he said, what appeared to be the same group of burglars managed to get inside the business and steal merchandise.
DeWees declined to say exactly what was taken in those previous crimes.
He said this time, it appeared the crooks were not able to get beyond his metal security gate or steal anything.
“This morning we just saw one (person on camera), but in the past it has been three or four people,” he said.
As a result of the earlier break-ins, DeWees said he has been working very closely with police to prevent any more burglaries.
He said officers at the scene Tuesday morning told him they had caught the suspect.
“We’ve had our cork in the water for a long time. And we finally, we got the big fish,” he said, happily.
Based on a report released by SAPD later, though, it appears his celebration could be a bit premature.
The report says witnesses told police they saw two people break into the gun shop, then throw stolen firearms over a fence to other suspects.
During a search of the neighborhood, police say they detained one suspect, but did not make any arrests right away, the report said.
Officers at the scene confirmed that they also found a crowbar and saw, believed to be tools of the burglars, in the area nearby.
Police say the case is still under investigation.