SAN ANTONIO — Thousands of dollars in equipment and cash were stolen sometime Sunday morning from a San Antonio tattoo business that's now been hit at both of its locations within a matter of days.
Surveillance footage at the shop shows a man breaking in and making off with merchandise from Nite Owl Tattoo Studio's locations near Lackland Air Force Base and in the Deco District. The crimes have left Nite Owl Owner Diane Castillo's desperately hoping she gets some special items back.
In the first break-in on April 9, the suspect can be seen via surveillance footage using what looks like a sledgehammer to bust through a window at the Highway 90/Military Drive location.
"He was able to take my safe," Castillo said, adding the burglar was in and out in just over 30 seconds.
She said he made off with hundreds of dollars, as well as three tattoo machines locked up in her safe.
But some of that equipment has special value: Hot-pink in color, one of the machines belonged to a friend and former employee of Castillo's who died. The box, with "RIP Tiffany" written on it, was given to Castillo by Tiffany's family after her passing.
"'If anybody had her equipment she wanted (it) to be you,'" Castillo recalled her friend's family saying, speaking about the sentimental meaning of the equipment through tears. "I promised them I would never sell them or give them away."
It was just days after that burglary that Castillo says she was hit again, at the northwest-side location. She said she believes she's being targeted.
"He broke in the same way, and ran to the back both times," the owner said.
The burglar's footprint was still visible on the door he kicked open a day later. Castillo says he didn't find the safe this time, but made off with more tattooing machines.
"I feel like he thought it would be easy to go to the other shop because he got away with it at the first shop," she said.
She's looking at a total loss of up to $6,000. But Castillo isn't letting the setbacks slow her down; she's also filed reports with the San Antonio Police Department.
"Should probably make better choices," she said. "I would really love to have the machines back. It would mean a lot to me."
SAPD has not yet provided KENS 5 with a description of a possible suspects.
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