SAN ANTONIO – A rash of recent brisket thefts across the city had local barbecue restaurants on high alert, and San Antonio police believe they have arrested the man responsible for at least one of those thefts.
Alan Meneley, 34 was arrested on Sunday for stealing brisket at Augie's Barbed Wire Smokehouse, but he's also facing charges for a slew of other crimes that happened just before his arrest.
According to SAPD spokesman Douglas Greene, Meneley was in a stolen truck in Kendall County when he lead Department of Public Safety troopers on a chase, was able to lose them, and then set a house on fire.
Greene said Meneley stole a red Corvette at gunpoint, and led police on another chase before wrecking the vehicle.
Greene said after his arrest, Meneley swallowed some heroin and was taken to a hospital, where he unsuccessfully tried to escape.
Even though there is surveillance video and other evidence linking him to brisket theft at Augie's, Greene said, he is not yet linked to other brisket thefts in the area.
"We are going to see if he is connected to any other thefts, other burglaries of our barbecue establishments," Greene said. "But for now, we don't have any clear cut evidence showing he's the prime suspect for those particular cases, only for the one that occurred there (at Augie's) on St. Mary's Street."
Meneley is now facing multiple charges, including possession of a firearm, robbery, arson, evading arrest, and attempting escape.