Someone rammed a vehicle through the gate of a locked lot near Goliad Road and Southeast Military Drive overnight after the truck had been parked there on September 14 and drove off with Pizza Papi, a beloved San Antonio food truck known for its thin-crust pizzas and neon-lit sign. Owner Danniel Hernandez got the call around 7 a.m. Tuesday, September 15, 2026, that his truck was gone.
Hernandez told MySA that the truck had been parked in a gated area near Goliad Road and Southeast Military Drive when the thief rammed through the gate and disappeared with it. He filed a police report, and the San Antonio Police Department searched the surrounding neighborhood but did not locate the truck, according to the same report.
The stolen truck is hard to miss. It's wrapped with depictions of pizza ingredients, neon lights strung across the top, and a large white pizza sign mounted above the cab. The words Pizza Papi run along its side, and it has one broken headlight and a Texas license plate reading PZG 6906. Anyone with information is asked to call 210-480-8423.
A Young Entrepreneur's Leap Away From the Family Business
Hernandez launched Pizza Papi in November 2023 at just 21 years old, coming from a family of Mexican restaurateurs and wanting to forge his own path, according to KENS 5. The truck served 14-inch specialty pies like the Sucia Supreme, Meat Luvrs, and Pizza Pastor, priced at $12-$15.
Before it vanished, the truck operated six days a week and also handled event catering around the city.
What Texas Law Says About the Theft
Whoever took the truck could face serious consequences under Texas law. Under Texas Penal Code § 31.03, stealing a motor vehicle valued between $2,500 and $30,000 is a state jail felony carrying up to two years in jail, while theft of property valued between $30,000 and $150,000 is a third-degree felony punishable by two to 10 years in prison.
Part of a Larger Pattern Targeting San Antonio Vendors
Pizza Papi's disappearance fits into a troubling pattern for San Antonio's mobile food vendors. In December 2020, another local mobile food business, Fat Tummy Empanadas, had its fully equipped food trailer stolen from a storage yard on Christmas evening, as reported by the San Antonio Current. Food truck operators in Bexar County have also faced financial predators: in December 2023, the Bexar County Sheriff's Office arrested a San Antonio man accused of defrauding local entrepreneurs out of nearly $200,000 through Tu Trailita, a fraudulent custom food trailer manufacturing operation, as Hoodline previously reported.
The broader issue of cargo theft has also drawn attention beyond San Antonio.
San Antonio's Broader Vehicle Theft Problem
The Pizza Papi theft is another reported vehicle theft in San Antonio.
For now, the truck has been recovered with damage and most of its equipment missing. Pizza Papi said, "We'll be back soon."
