SAN ANTONIO — An alleged thief accused of stealing $6,000 worth of power tools from a shed on the west side returned to the scene two days after the initial incident, but this time he was confronted by the homeowner who had his gun drawn.
“I had a feeling he was coming back,” said the homeowner, Juan, who runs a handyman business and only wished to be identified by his first name. “I aimed at him with my gun. I was really mad at him.”
No shots were fired as Juan shouted expletives at the man on a bicycle who he said was the same person caught on surveillance cameras taking his power tools. The cyclist ended up riding away along the 400 block of South San Dario.
The alleged burglary occurred near where a 78-year-old woman was robbed and assaulted on Valentine’s Day by a group of teenagers.
Juan said his security cameras captured the moments around 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday when a man on a bicycle ventured onto his neighbor’s abandoned property. Another vantage point revealed someone’s shadow in Juan’s backyard next to his shed where dozens of tools and equipment are stored.
Surveillance footage shows the man on a red bike taking off with a weed-eater.
Juan thinks the man made multiple trips since at least eight of his power tools were missing from the lockless shed.
“I don’t believe how he took that many stuff on his bicycle,” Juan said. “Power tools, air tools. Now I have to buy my tools again because I have to work to make money. Definitely a negative impact.”
According to SAPD, the list of stolen items included a meter saw, steel blower, electric hammer, chainsaw and other items.
Juan is hopeful police can track down the individual seen in the security video. But he wishes there was a greater law enforcement presence in the neighborhood to help curb other crimes as well.
“Trying to teach my wife how to shoot just to be prepared. Unfortunately all we can do is put more surveillance system and get a couple dogs,” Juan said.