Thieves uproot, take plants from new Roy Maas emergency shelter

10-15 plants still need to be replaced

SAN ANTONIO – The organization’s mission is to restore hope, one child at a time. Now, Roy Maas Youth Alternatives is restoring its landscape after thieves stole $1,000 worth of plants from the front of its new building.

The robbery happened Wednesday at the organization’s new Bridge Emergency Shelter, which is set to open soon in the 3100 block of West Avenue.

"A couple of nights ago, we arrived in the morning to find the newly planted shrubs in front of our emergency shelter had been disturbed. Basically, they weren't there anymore,” said Bill Wilkinson, CEO of Roy Maas.

Wilkinson said the theft means a whole lot more than an eyesore for the organization’s new shelter.

“They are just plants, but it's costing us a thousand dollars to replace them, and that's a thousand dollars I can't use to provide services to our kids,” he said.

Surveillance video from Wednesday night shows a couple of people driving up in a truck, taking the plants out of the ground and then driving off.

Wilkinson said the city requires a certain amount of landscaping for a certificate of occupancy.

“We have had great support from the neighborhood, so we just want to be another part of that and having an attractive property is part of that,” he said.

The organization has managed to replace about 15 of the plants but needs another 10 to 15 more.

Anyone with information about the theft is asked to call police.