SAN ANTONIO – Neighbors in the Government Hill neighborhood of San Antonio said they are dealing with a rare problem in their community.
In recent months, residents said criminals have been targeting homes and businesses in their area for break-ins and other destructive activity.
San Antonio Police Department reports show someone caused damaged to two businesses, including the site of a store that is no longer in operation.
Although the report listed some damage to the vacant building, the owner of the business on East Grayson Street told officers there was nothing inside for criminals to steal.
In other cases, homeowners reported having damage done or property stolen.
Rose Marie Hill said a strange man forced his way inside the duplex on Mason Street where her 106-year-old mother and disabled brother call home.
“Luckily, they didn’t hurt anybody,” Hill said. “But the fear is there.”
Hill said the alleged burglar opened an electric panel box and shut down the electricity to the home. He then pried open a window and climbed inside.
Hill said the man then rifled through boxes of papers before leaving without taking much of anything.
“Very, very scary,” Hill said about the experience. “To put fear into someone like that, it’s unacceptable.”
A few blocks up the street, another woman who wanted to hide her identity, told KSAT 12 News that burglars also broke into a section of her home last month where a tenant lives.
“They’re looking for products of value that they could walk out with because they carried a very heavy, heavy clock of mine,” the neighbor said. “But they couldn’t take it with them.”
She also described the apparent crime wave as “very concerning and very scary.”
Hill, who also serves as president of the Government Hill Neighborhood Alliance Association, said she is determined to spread the word to her neighbors.
She recently released surveillance photos on social media of the man who she said entered her family’s home. Hill has also discussed the situation with others in the neighborhood.
Hill said she has invited police and other city entities to take part in a neighborhood meeting Aug. 26.
In an emailed statement, SAPD said the department understands the frustration for victims and people living in the area.
“Although we cannot identify any trends attributing to the recent reported crimes, East SAFFE will increase patrol-bys in the area,” the department said. “The area SAFFE officer and the Government Hill HOA president have a great community relationship and will follow up.”
Data from SAPD’s website shows there has been a slight uptick in property crimes on the East Side of the city, overall.
It shows there have been 5305 reported property crimes during the first half of this year, compared to 5268 during the same time last year.
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