SAN ANTONIO — Locking the car is not always enough to keep thieves out.
Numbers from the San Antonio Police Department show a large increase in vehicle burglaries compared to last year.
Last week, a man's gun was stolen from his truck at The Rim. He was shopping for less than 20 minutes at the Boot Barn when he says the thieves popped the lock on his truck.
It’s a trend happening all over town. Nowadays, thieves can be discreet.
“I did not notice the break-in at first,” said Shane Jackson, who noticed the signs when he put his child in the back seat. "Everything in my center console was thrown out all over the front seat of my truck."
Jackson said his watch and sunglasses were left behind, but his HK VP9 handgun was gone.
The paint chip behind his door handle is the other sign his Ford F-250 was burglarized. Jackson, a Navy veteran licensed to carry a firearm, is worried his gun is now in the wrong hands.
“It’s no longer just petty theft, but actual firearms, that’s what puts people in danger,” Jackson said.
The San Antonio Police Department is investigating thousands of similar cases.
The department provided data showing 4,890 reports were made between Jan. 1 and March 30 for vehicle burglary. Last year, just 1,107 stolen vehicles were reported in the same timeframe.
584 of this year's cases involved a firearm being stolen from the car. For comparison, SAPD reported at the end of November that 1,500 guns were stolen from vehicles up to that point in 2021.
Reports of stolen vehicles are also rising. This year to date, 1,545 cars have been reported as stolen in San Antonio, and it isn't just in one part of town; vehicle thefts and break-ins have occurred at The Rim, airport-area hotels and downtown, according to police reports obtained by KENS 5.
According to SAPD, the top 10 vehicles stolen in San Antonio include:
- Ford F Series Pickup
- Chevrolet Pickup, all models
- Dodge Ram Series Pickup
- Ford van, all models
- Chevrolet SUV’s, including Suburban and Tahoe
- GMC Pickup, all models
- Toyota Camry
- Toyota Corolla
- Nissan Altima
- All Jeep models
“Somebody broke in in broad daylight and no one said a thing or saw anything,” Jackson said.
Jackson says he did all he could to keep his belongings safe and had to pay $300 to fix his vehicle locks.
“It’s just kind of like a punch in the gut,” he said.
San Antonio Police ask people to avoid leaving your car running or leaving the key fob in your vehicle.
The police department says if you can avoid it, take your firearms out of your vehicle. Officials also encourage community members to keep a record of their gun’s serial number in the event it might be stolen.
We’re still waiting to hear from The Rim management about the incident Jackson reported to police.