Victim recalls frightening encounter with crime spree suspect

Joseph Mata, 35, accused of committing 6 armed robberies Monday

SAN ANTONIO – The arrest of a suspect in connection with a series of armed robberies throughout San Antonio on Monday does little to comfort one of his victims.

Jose Napoles said he's still worried about the safety of his family and himself.

Napoles was robbed outside his Southeast Side home Monday by a couple in a car who asked for directions.

"So, the male comes out and he had a knife on his left and a gun in his right hand," he said. "As he was approaching me, he goes, 'Give me everything you've got.'"

With his girlfriend and 1-year-old son standing nearby, Napoles didn't put up a fight.

The suspect swung at Napoles with the knife and missed. But he did leave Napoles with a scar from the gun.

"He hits me with the gun in the face. Glasses fall back," he said.  

San Antonio police said the man who took off with Napoles' wallet committed six robberies Monday during a crime spree that stretched from the city's Northeast Side to the Southeast Side.

It appears the victims, which included a customer outside a Goliad Road Family Dollar Store, were chosen at random.

Late Monday night, police announced that they had arrested Joseph Mata, 35.

"We developed suspect information and a good license plate. One of the victims actually got us a good license plate. Surveillance was set up on (Mata's) home," said Officer Carlos Ortiz, a public information officer for the San Antonio Police Department.

Ortiz said although police have tied Mata to six robberies, he has only been charged in connection with only three robberies at the moment.

Investigators are working on filing more charges, Ortiz said.

As for the woman who was involved, Ortiz said investigators have identified her and consider her a suspect.

But as of Tuesday morning, she had not been arrested or charged.

Napoles said he has concerns that the nightmare for him may not be over.

He said the suspect knows where he lives and promised to come back if he called police.

"I am actually worried. It's just that now I will be more cautious," he said. 

 


About the Author:

Katrina Webber joined KSAT 12 in December 2009. She reports for Good Morning San Antonio. Katrina was born and raised in Queens, NY, but after living in Gulf Coast states for the past decade, she feels right at home in Texas. It's not unusual to find her singing karaoke or leading a song with her church choir when she's not on-air.