SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio police have responded to a hotel in the Stone Oak area 13 times since Aug. 8 for reports of vehicle burglaries and criminal mischief, according to police records.
Guests staying at the Homewood Suites by Hilton San Antonio North, near Loop 1604 and Stone Oak Parkway, say dozens of vehicles have been targeted, leaving windows shattered and guests dealing with the aftermath.
Jake Knies, who is staying at the hotel, said he has repeatedly seen broken glass in the parking lot and guests dealing with the aftermath of vehicle break-ins.
“I always come out the next morning with glass on the ground, windows shattered,” Knies said.
Knies said the problem appeared to escalate over the weekend, when he estimated about 18 vehicles had their windows broken.
Another guest, Brenda Drgac, said she is in town for a doctor’s appointment and fell victim to the burglars.
The San Antonio Police Department said officers have been called to the hotel 13 times since Aug. 8 for criminal mischief and/or vehicle burglaries. Multiple calls were made over the weekend.
For some guests, the break-ins have added significant unexpected expenses to their stays.
Drgac said she was in San Antonio for a doctor’s appointment and ended up spending the afternoon having her vehicle window replaced.
“You spend $500 to stay here for three nights and $700 to get your windows replaced, so it becomes an expensive place to visit,” she said.
The general manager of Homewood Suites by Hilton San Antonio North provided a statement saying vehicle burglaries and thefts have become increasingly common in the area.
“We are working to provide restitution to Guests for the inconvenience they experienced,” the statement said. “We are cooperating with the SAPD to ensure those responsible are apprehended and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Guests said the repeated incidents have left them concerned about their vehicles and looking for somewhere else to stay.
Drgac said her husband wants to leave the hotel, but she has a doctor’s appointment and plans to leave after.
She said she is concerned her vehicle could be targeted again.
Drgac said an officer told her the burglars may have been looking for guns inside vehicles.
For now, she has left her police report on the dashboard of her vehicle, hoping it will signal to potential thieves that the vehicle has already been targeted.
Police have not publicly identified any suspects in connection with the reported vehicle burglaries at the hotel.
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