BEXAR COUNTY, Texas — Thieves appear to be targeting new neighborhoods in Bexar County.
A military family building their dream home tells KENS 5 their property was hit twice within a month. They soon learned they were not alone.
More of their neighbors in The Canyons at Scenic Loop subdivision are reporting similar crimes. From stolen furniture, to appliances, these north-side neighbors say criminals are on the prowl at all hours of the day.
One homeowner believes he caught an alleged perpetrator on camera.
"We did have plans to go out of town for Thanksgiving and the holidays, but we're not going out of town," said Jason Levine, a U.S. Air Force veteran who's building a new home in The Canyons at Scenic Loop.
Levine's neighborhood sits roughly five minutes west of Leon Springs. He considers it the perfect place to raise a family.
"The views, the security gates, the security that drives around patrolling," he said, looking at a view of the Hill Country outside the front door.
Levine's family's dream home is one of many under construction in his neighborhood.
About a month ago, however, he made an unfortunate discovery. He realized bathroom mirrors that were waiting to be installed disappeared.
"We showed up one weekend to check on the progress of the house and they were taken," he explained.
This past weekend, around noon on Nov. 12, it happened again.
"The mirrors were taken off the walls, unwired and disappeared," said Levine.
This time, Levine had security cameras that caught a man checking windows and doors.
"Not my builder, not a contractor, subcontractor," said Levine. "No idea who this gentleman was."
Surveillance footage shows the man was on Levine's property for at least 20 minutes.
Until he moves in, Levine has made it a habit to stop by the home every evening after construction workers leave to ensure all doors and windows are locked.
A report with the Bexar County Sheriff's Office was filed, and fingerprints were collected. Sheriff Javier Salazar says he knows firsthand what it's like to experience this type of crime.
"It actually happened to me when I was building my home that I live in now," said Salazar.
Salazar believes it could be professional groups of thieves prowling construction sites.
"Looking for things to steal," he explained. "Anything that's not nailed down."
In similar cases, Salazar said delivery drivers were to blame.
"The very same delivery drivers that brought the stuff could be the ones that whisper to somebody or return later that same night to steal the property they just delivered," he added.
Salazar's advice for those undergoing construction on their homes?
- Don't have anything delivered until the day it's set to be installed, that way it won't be sitting around for criminals to steal it.
- If you can, have someone stay at your property overnight.
- If you get supplies delivered, take inventory and lock them up in a storage container.
- Return any extra homebuilding supplies for cash. If you don't, someone else will.
The Levine family is out about $1,500 for the mirrors. They plan to follow the sheriff's advice by delaying certain installations until they move in.
"This is a pivotal moment for a lot of people in their lives, building their dream home, settling down. This is supposed to be a fun and exciting process. Unfortunately, you have selfish individuals who are ruining that for people," said Levine. "I think it's just a matter of time until someone takes matters into their own hands."
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