At the Target by U.S. 281 and TPC Parkway in Stone Oak, a simple grocery run has started to feel more like a contact sport. Shoppers and workers say packs of teenagers have been tearing through the store, sprinting down aisles, knocking items to the floor and snacking on unpaid food, leaving employees rattled and parents angry.
What started as annoyed chatter in checkout lines has now spilled online, where posts on Reddit and in a local mothers' Facebook group describe near-nightly chaos. The complaints have reportedly grown loud enough that a store manager reached out to a city council office, which in turn helped pull in San Antonio police and other officials.
Spoiled kids terrorizing a strip mall — a Reddit post from r/sanantonio
Neighbors And Social Posts Turn Up The Heat
The latest flare-up began after a Reddit user described seeing kids as young as 13 racing through Target's aisles and harassing staff. As reported by the San Antonio Current, the post pulled in more than 400 upvotes and 163 comments by the time the outlet covered it, with locals trading stories and advice on how to handle the disruptions.
Parents in the Mothers Around Stone Oak group chimed in with similar accounts, saying the rowdy behavior has been an on-and-off problem since at least February. Their posts describe a recurring scene of loud groups darting through the store and leaving messes behind for employees and unsuspecting shoppers.
Manager's Complaint Sparked Sit-Down With Police
Neighborhood posts shared with the Current say a manager at the Village at Stone Oak Target filed a formal complaint with the office of Councilwoman Misty Spears in December. That move reportedly led to a meeting that brought together store leadership, the San Antonio Police Department and the local SAFFE officer to talk through what could be done.
One Mothers Around Stone Oak member told the San Antonio Current she "literally witnessed a kid in the pillow bin, just walking through the aisles, knocking stuff over on purpose." Other shoppers said workers are frequently left to pick up scattered merchandise and restore some sense of order once the groups move on.
Council Split On Boosting SAPD Ranks
The Target drama has unfolded as city leaders are already arguing over how many new officers San Antonio should hire. Council members Misty Spears, Marc Whyte and Marina Alderete Gavito are pushing City Hall to fund 65 additional SAPD officers instead of the 40 currently in the budget plan. They point to a city-hired consulting report that recommended adding about 360 employees over five years, along with SAPD figures showing an overall 13% drop in crime last year.
As reported by the San Antonio Current, Councilman Marc Whyte cautioned colleagues, "Let's not make this be political," while some other members argued the city should focus more on underlying causes of misbehavior and crime rather than simply expanding patrols.
What Shoppers Are Likely To See Next
Spears' office says the December meeting resulted in a larger police presence outside the Stone Oak Target, a visible sign that the complaints have reached official ears. Even so, neighborhood posts and Reddit commenters report that groups of teens are still gathering at the shopping center.
Many online commenters have urged witnesses to record serious incidents and report dangerous behavior directly to store security or SAPD. For now, parents in Stone Oak say they are keeping a closer eye on their kids and their carts, waiting to see whether City Council can find money in a tight budget for longer-term fixes that might calm things down at one of the neighborhood's busiest big-box stores.
