‘Proactive’ policing leads to arrests of 2 suspected lumber thieves

Officer watching construction site catches thieves in the act, police say

SAN ANTONIO – An officer who was being “proactive” when it came to investigating the theft of expensive lumber from a construction site has arrested two men who he says he caught in the act Thursday morning.

SAPD: Suspecting cop watches construction site of previous theft, catches pair of thieves in the act

The construction site, which is located on Carnahan Street not far from Broadway and Hildebrand, had been targeted by thieves one day prior.

According to a sergeant at the scene, someone had stolen plywood and several wood planks during the previous theft.

Pair arrested after attempting to steal from construction site, police say (KSAT)

He says one officer, in particular, decided to be proactive and keep an eye on the site just before daybreak Thursday in case the thieves came back.

The officer sat in his marked patrol vehicle just down the street from that area.

Shortly before 7 a.m., he noticed two men who appeared to be taking lumber from the site, police said.

The officer then moved in and arrested those men at gunpoint.

Police say the truck the suspects had driven to the scene also was reported stolen.

A few construction workers who arrived a short time later to start their shift told KSAT 12 News they were glad to hear of the arrests.

They say the cost of lumber is especially high now, and the site has been targeted by thieves several times recently.

Police suspect that the two men who they arrested have stolen before, and possibly were responsible for the thefts at the construction site Wednesday.


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.

Azian Bermea is a photojournalist at KSAT.