Residents on the northwest side of San Antonio are on edge after a string of bold attempted burglaries have left them feeling targeted and exposed, with chilling new footage revealing criminals pointing a gun at a security camera during their latest caper. In a video circulated on Nextdoor, and shared with KENS 5, a young suspect can be seen wielding a firearm as an intimidated community seeks answers and safety.
Clusters of neighborhoods including Pheasant Creek, Apple Creek, Hunters Chase, Springvale, and Cypress Pass have reported the same individuals trying door handles and breaking into cars; in one case an unlocked vehicle yielded a stolen weapon and homeowners like Elena Barrera Maez, who's suffered three attempted break-ins, are aggrieved at the brazenness of these acts. Maez's own surveillance captured a moment that froze her blood "They used the little screwdriver, used his palm to push it down and the window came right off from the bottom. Didn't shatter. He just placed it on the driveway and jumped in the car," Maez, recounting the incident, told KENS 5.
The surveillance footage, which according to KENS 5 was taken on March 16, shows that the operation was sophisticated with an accomplice waiting in a getaway car, and yet the images of the criminals' faces have been blurred due to their apparent young age. The audacity of the suspects has been escalating, according to Maez, with the perpetrators now acting in groups and brandishing weapons with chilling confidence, "They keep coming back probably because they think we have an arsenal, I'm not sure," Maez added.
Now shaken but resolute, Maez urges her fellow neighbors to remain vigilant, to "Keep your cameras on, listen for noises, watch out for each other" reflecting a sentiment of communal responsibility in the face of rising criminal audacity. San Antonio Police are seeking information on these incidents and concerns are mounting that the city's northwest may continue to grapple with such threats unless these culprits are apprehended and the tide of neighborhood violations is stemmed.
