SAN ANTONIO – A recent surge in property crime in parts of San Antonio and Bexar County has the sheriff's office taking note. In this Crime Fighters report, KSAT breaks down the affected areas and how homeowners are helping bring down the burglars.
Ralph Labutis has lived in his home north of Loop 1604 and west of Interstate 10 for 26 years. In the last few years he's seen a lot of change.
"I mean, it has grown leaps and bounds. We were probably the 10th or 12th home here and it was real quiet then," Labutis said.
The neighborhood is still pretty quiet, but he has noticed a couple burglaries recently.
"We've probably had two break-ins," he said.
In 2014, there were 64 home burglaries in the residential areas above 1604 near I-10.
"Those are the areas where all the new subdivisions are being built. So as people crowd in there, we get this influx of crime along with it," said Bexar County Sheriff's Office Property Crimes Lt. Darrell Sanders.
Sanders said many of these burglars work in large groups.
"One group bragged about doing 300 a week, and those are the people we target," Sanders said.
Many homeowners are helping police track down the intruders by catching them on security cameras installed in their homes. It's how police caught two of the three burglars from a break-in four months ago on the East Side.
"They were wearing hoods and gloves but a coach at a high school recognized one of the kids because of the way he moved and walked," Sanders said.
Three burglars caught on camera are still on the loose after a December robbery of a home on Highway 281 North. A reward of up to $15,000 has been offered in the case.
Meanwhile, Sanders advises prevention, urging the public not to become "volunteer victims."
"They leave the newspaper, the mail, they post on Facebook 'I'm leaving for a week,'" Sanders said.
He also said it's important to know your neighbors.
"When I see a truck that's not familiar, I get their license plates," said Labutis.
Keeping a watchful eye can stop a crime before it happens.
Thieves are also targeting cars at shopping centers like La Cantera and The Rim. Law enforcement advise shoppers to always lock all car doors and hide expensive items in compartments, or take the items with them.
Below is a 2014 crime map from the Bexar County Sheriff's Office.
