SAN ANTONIO — A man believed to be behind a sign-making scheme is now behind bars.
Taylor Jeffrey McKemberly was recently on San Antonio’s most wanted list, with several theft warrants out of San Antonio. However, according to online records, he had 23 warrants spanning several counties in Texas, dating back to 2019.
McKemberly was taken into custody on October 10. According to an arrest warrant for a theft in 2022, it laid out how the man posed as a sign-maker, took payments from the victim, then essentially stopped responding to them.
Just within the last few months, a few business owners came forward to KENS 5 as victims. They had no idea he was on the most wanted list when he came by their stores this past summer.
“This guy knew what he was saying, and it shocked me more because I fell for it,” Gabrielle Oliva said. “Who else fell of it?”
Oliva is the owner of Barbwire Vintage Boutique. She recently opened a new location off Fredericksburg Road. In July, she said a man going by the name Jeff stopped by her to try and sell her a new sign.
“He’s like telling me what angles are the good angles, telling me the size, the lighting, everything,” Oliva said. “He’s like showing me like these are the signs that I made before and I’m like omg, this guy knows what he’s talking about.”
She said she believed him when he said he was a small business owner who wanted to cut her a good deal. Oliva added he had named dropped other businesses nearby that he was working for. She gave him $1,000 as a down payment.
“He gave us a time frame,” she said. “He said one month I can make this for you, and it’s been about three months."
Oliva said he would make excuses up and she eventually decided to go to police.
“It was all a lie,” Oliva said.
But she was not the only one who filed a report recently. Just down the street, Jared and Joshua Ramos said they fell victim, too. They own the thrift store, House of Trends.
“Just to be make a regular thing out of conning and scamming, it’s sad,” Joshua Ramos said.
They also are now out $1,000 and went to SAPD to report the theft.
“He gave us the name of Jeff Signs so now looking back at it, like it’s such a fake name man,” Jared Ramos said.
According to online records, Jeff Signs, who they believe is actually Taylor McKemberly has been convicted for several theft charges, dating back to 2007. In 2015, KENS 5 reported about McKemberly pulling off the same sign scheme.
“It’s devastating because we work so hard for our money,” Oliva said.
Oliva said she also has dealt with non-related thefts and has decided to close her Fredericksburg location. She still runs a store in Devine.
Meanwhile, House of Trends remains open. But the owners admit losing out on a $1,000 did a toll on them.
“So, money is a little tight man,” Jared Ramos said. “We’re doing it all by ourselves.”
McKemberly has not been charged with these most recent allegations, but police said they are investigating.
Meanwhile, McKemberly remains in jail with bonds totally $76,000.