SAN ANTONIO – A series of car burglaries in a North Side neighborhood early Tuesday morning may be part of a seasonal trend -- an uptick in certain types of crime that San Antonio police said happens around this time every year.
"Car burglaries, also DWIs, minors in possession of alcohol," said San Antonio Police Officer Douglas Greene, rattling off the list of crimes known to "bloom" every Spring Break.
Greene said young people suddenly find themselves with extra time on their hands and may not know how or where to spend it.
"Instead of doing something positive with the time that they have off, they're doing negative things," he said.
Police arrested two 17-year-olds who they suspect were entering unlocked vehicles in a North Side neighborhood shortly before 4 a.m. Tuesday. A third teen managed to run away.
A neighbor reported seeing the teens walking around in the 100 block of Dawnview Lane and pulling on the door handles of parked cars. Police believe the trio then grabbed whatever they could.
An officer at the scene said they found the two suspects with a haul that included a set of kitchen knives, a broken cell phone and medical card for a senior citizen. Most of the items were returned to their owners right away.
Greene said most victims at this time of year tend to be targeted away from their homes or neighborhoods. He said with all the spring break visitors in town, criminals more often are focusing on areas where they'd congregate, such as downtown attractions or theme parks.
Either way, police said, it's best not to make yourself an easy target.
"Don't make yourself an easy victim," said Greene. "You have these burglary suspects who go around, pulling on car handles, trying to see if they can gain access to the car. But don't also tempt them with valuable items inside your vehicle."
He said a better place for them -- if you must leave valuable items in your car at all -- is in the trunk, or somewhere out of plain sight.
Greene said this is a good time for people to be extra vigilant, both in protecting their own possessions and watching out for others' property.