SAN ANTONIO – A relaxing vacation ended with a disappointing discovery for a local family after finding out their truck was stolen when they returned home and landed at the San Antonio airport.
The family parked their blue 2023 Dodge Ram TRX pickup at the San Antonio International Airport parking garage in the 9800 Blk of Airport Boulevard before taking off for the trip.
“Once I realized the truck had been stolen and gone since the 18th (of April), I thought, ‘I’m not getting this truck back.’ I don’t believe they’re going to be able to find this vehicle after it’s been gone for five days,” said the owner of the truck, who asked to remain anonymous.
San Antonio police said the blue pickup hit the garage guard’s arm, so whoever was driving could get out without paying for parking. A criminal mischief report got filed on the night of the incident — April 18.
“(Officials) told me it happens all the time people want to skip parking, so they break through these barriers with their vehicle, and they just go on their way,” the victim said.
He said he wasn’t notified about the criminal mischief report until he reported his truck stolen on April 22.
“(The police officer) explained to me that they can’t say a vehicle was stolen until I come and confirm that the vehicle has been stolen. My concern with that is if somebody is parking in (the) long-term (lot), they’re probably gone for more than a couple of days. I can pick and choose any car I want there,” the victim said. “They’re going to write a report, and it’s going to sit until the owner comes home and reports it stolen.”
Due to how much time has passed, the owner believes his dream truck is long gone. He won’t know the total financial hit until the insurance company finishes its investigation in a few weeks.
The victim is frustrated more wasn’t done when someone took his truck and escaped from the secured parking garage without paying.
“That person was able to drive my truck for five days with nothing pinged to it,” he said. “No police officer in the city of San Antonio would have pulled over that truck because there was nothing that told them that the (person who stole the) truck may have committed a crime.”
SAPD said only one other vehicle got reported stolen at the airport parking garage this year.
San Antonio airport officials told KSAT via email that they believe this case is an isolated incident.