San Antonio bar owners warn other businesses to be on lookout for burglary ring

SAPD did not confirm burglary ring, could not say if burglaries are connected

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio bar owners are warning others to be on the lookout for a burglary ring they say is targeting their businesses.

Toni Torres, co-owner of Zombies Bar, said the bar was hit around 5 a.m. Monday, shortly after it closed. Surveillance video shows the crooks using chains to break open the door. They drove off with an ATM in a matter of three minutes. 

“They were in and out. They knew exactly what they were doing,” Torres said. “They were 100 percent in the know (about) how the system worked, how long response takes.”

She posted the video of the thieves to Facebook. They were wearing hoodies and moved quickly.  

Torres said other bar owners started responding and said they were targeted by thieves with a similar mode of operation. 

“I spoke to a few owners, and it seems to be the same game plan. It seems to be an hour after they close, between 3:30 and 5:30 a.m.,” she said. “They do the same thing. They back up the van. It’s a white van.”

Torres listed off about a dozen other bar owners she’s been in touch with who say they were targeted in the last couple of months. The bars are located all over the northern part of the city. Crooks are after ATMs and safes, she said.

Paul Keogh, owner of Main Street Bar, said he’s been hit three times, and it’s cost him more than $15,000 in damage.  

“If you have an ATM, I would consider not, because there’s other ways around an ATM,” he said.  “If your safe is not bolted down, bolt it down.”

The crooks can be seen on his security cameras breaking the windows and driving off with an ATM. Recently, they tried to take his safe, but it was bolted to the ground. He said he did everything possible to make sure it didn’t happen after the first and second times.

Keogh is taking stronger security measures. His mission now is to get the word out to other restaurant and bar owners.  

“It’s surprising that more bar owners aren’t aware that it’s happening,” he said. “We have to take it upon ourselves to get the word out and make people aware.”

KSAT reached out to the San Antonio Police Department about the burglaries. A spokesperson said the Police Department is not aware of a burglary ring and cannot say if the cases are connected.

Bar owners urge people to be on the lookout and take extra precautions.  


About the Author:

Patty Santos joined the KSAT 12 News team in July 2017. She has a proven track record of reporting on hard-hitting news that affects the community.