SAN ANTONIO – A seemingly seasoned criminal carried out a tire theft by himself in broad daylight. It happened Sunday afternoon at the Generations Health Care parking lot on Loop 410.
The man got away with about a dozen tires. Though police haven't caught him, he was caught on surveillance cameras.
The thief flew solo with four clear targets: the company cars at Generations Health Care. Surveillance video showed him moving from car to car, methodically removing tires, then quickly rolling those tires into the back seat of his red Pontiac Grand Am.
The thief wasn't done yet. He was confident enough to go back three hours later to steal more tires.
Generation Health Care CEO Chris Perez said that second time one of his employees just missed him.
"When he drove up, the cars were tilted and leaning forward. And (after) closer inspection, he realized they had taken the tires,” Perez said. “The one that was damaged the most was the Mazda over here. He put it on the bricks and it actually rolled forward and damaged the door and damaged the front end as well.”
Perez has already replaced all the tires on the cars, and he is keeping them in a big locked garage. He doesn't want to become a victim again of what officers are calling an increasingly popular crime.
"The officer (who responded) said it's becoming more common. He disclosed different cases recently that have occurred in this area," he said.
Perez had studied the surveillance video and pointed out all the cars that drove by while the crime was happening.
"I guess he wasn't afraid. People would think he's just changing a tire. When in doubt, call the police. It doesn't hurt to make a call," he said.
Making a call to police could stop chronic thieves from future success.
The car the suspect was driving is described as an older red Grand Am with a handicap tag hanging in front. Anyone with information about the suspect or the crime is asked to call San Antonio police at 210-207-7273.