SAN ANTONIO – Halloween is just days away and many people are getting into the spirit by decorating their homes.
However, in the Mesa Creek Subdivision in Northwest Bexar County, some residents felt they were tricked by thieves this weekend when they woke up to find their Halloween decorations gone.
"We put out quite a few decorations here," said Yvette Arocha, Mesa Creek resident. "We had some pumpkins in the area to look like a pumpkin patch. We woke up Sunday morning and all the pumpkins were gone."
Arocha said her missing metal and ceramic pumpkins were not only expensive, at $40 to $50 apiece, she said the crime has taken some of the fun out of Halloween.
"It's just kind of upsetting because you're trying to make it festive for the children since Halloween is going to be Friday," said Arocha. "It makes us wonder if we're going to put decorations up for Christmas. I don't want those getting stolen too."
"Unfortunately, it's not completely uncommon," said Rosanne Hughes with the Bexar County Sheriff's Department. "We do have a lot of theft, a lot of burglaries, a lot of vehicle break-ins."
Hughes said the Sheriff's Habitual Offender Team, or SHOT, has been out in the community, looking for thieves on an undercover basis, but they are still urging residents to keep an eye out for each other.
"One of the most basic things you can do is to have a neighborhood watch program in your neighborhood, to be watching for people's property and letting each other know if you see a suspicious vehicle, suspicious person in your area that shouldn't be there," said Hughes.
Arocha's neighbor did get surveillance video of a suspicious person walking around, but that man has not been caught.
"It's just sad," said Arocha. "Because it makes you wonder, what are they doing with these Halloween decorations? Why are they stealing them from somebody's yard?"