Burglars cut hole in roof, rappel into Northeast Side business

Crooks steal cash, cell phones, police say

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio police are looking for clues about some burglars who broke into a Northeast Side business by cutting a hole in the roof.

Like a scene out of a "Mission: Impossible" movie, the criminals then used ropes to rappel into the Verizon wireless store, located on Nacogdoches Road near O'Connor, police said.

Officers answering a call about a ringing alarm there shortly before 5:30 a.m. Friday found the evidence inside along with a big mess. 

RELATED: Police arrest 2 after ATM is stolen from Stone Oak area bank

RELATED: Man accused of stealing TVs from apartment complex gym, lobby

A manager allowed KSAT 12 News cameras to photograph the damage. He said the crooks somehow cut through the metal and cinderblock roof and got inside, then cut a hole in the wall of a metal safe.

Although he was still taking inventory, the manager said it appeared the burglars stole money from the safe as well as about $50,000 worth of cell phones.

It's unknown if that included any of the newly released iPhone X for which many people had spent the morning waiting in line at retailers across the country.

When officers arrived, the burglars had left. Police said they did find ropes inside.

The burglary appears to share similarities with a case that occurred on the Northwest Side back in April.

Workers there who had just arrived for the morning shift at a Speedy Cash payday loan store on Callaghan Road were surprised when two masked gunmen dropped down through the ceiling.

Police said at that time the robbers also entered by cutting a hole in the roof and that they managed to get away with cash from the business.


About the Authors:

Katrina Webber joined KSAT 12 in December 2009. She reports for Good Morning San Antonio. Katrina was born and raised in Queens, NY, but after living in Gulf Coast states for the past decade, she feels right at home in Texas. It's not unusual to find her singing karaoke or leading a song with her church choir when she's not on-air.

Ben Spicer is a digital journalist who works the early morning shift for KSAT.