SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio police say they expect to see a particular type of crime increase as the temperatures rise.
They say based on past history, there could be a summertime spike in car burglaries in the city.
Lately, they said, these criminals seem to be looking for more than just spare change left in the vehicles.
“They’re following people from the banks and ATMs and people are leaving their money, their cash in the vehicles,” said detective Yolanda Sandoval with the San Antonio Police Department’s Property Crimes Task Force.
The practice is what law enforcement calls “jugging.”
>> Car burglars target vehicles of spring break visitors at West Side hotels
Sandoval said in some cases, the criminals have walked away with thousands of dollars.
Also of concern for the task force is the issue of guns being left behind by their owners, then stolen from their cars.
“They’ll think, ‘Oh, it’s in my glove compartment. It’s in my middle compartment,’ but it’s not safe there,” Sandoval said.
While she was not able to confirm a destination for those stolen weapons, other officers previously have told KSAT 12 News the guns could be used in other crimes or sold to people in other countries.
In one recent crime spree at a North Side hotel earlier this month, burglars appeared to have their sights set on pickups.
They broke into at least seven vehicles parked at the business off Isom Road. Four of them were pickups.
“I think a lot of times people think that because it’s a truck, yeah, there might be more firearms in there. Sometimes there are,” Sandoval said.
Although cash and weapons are hot in demand by these burglars, police say car owners shouldn’t leave anything to temptation.
“You leave a purse, you leave a backpack, a cellphone, it’s easy to grab,” Sandoval said.
In one case, she said, even a bag of trash prompted a break-in by a car burglar.
The bottom line is to take everything of value, and even what you may not think is valuable, with you instead of leaving it in your vehicle, Sandoval said.
Read also: