Johnathan Peña
Sports Editor
San Antonio Police were called out to the VIDA neighborhood six times over six days with a list of residential and commercial property thefts in March.
Property theft March 6, 2024:
San Antonio Police were called to 10167 Astra Trl. for a theft under $100 March 6.
The suspect stole a water hose reel from the garage entrance of Sonya Barrea Eddy, director of integrated reading and assistant professor of writing/instructional at Texas A&M University-San Antonio.
According to Eddy, members of the neighborhood had bulk waste items in front of their yards ready for pick up from the San Antonio Solid Waste Management.
“People come by to rummage through the bulk and pick what they need and see what other neighbors are throwing out so they can get a use out of their items,” said Eddy.
“The person who took my stuff was driving around and looking at all the piles, and I didn’t think anything of it because that was normal,” said Eddy. “I was watching on my camera, and that person looked up and saw the hose reel I left outside and wheeled it to his truck.”
According to Eddy, she spoke to her neighbors after the theft but their cameras weren’t working and they couldn’t identify the license plate on the truck
“I should’ve put it inside, but it was like leaving your stuff on a rolling cart just to take it away,” said Eddy.
Eddy told Officer Jackelyn Richardson, the officer on the scene, that she recorded a video of a male in a white truck but didn’t know what race he was.
Eddy questioned the safety of VIDA as a new development, because many residents are unaware of who lives in the neighborhood.
“I don’t have a good sense of who lives in the neighborhood, and I think it makes us an easy target to take our property because everyone is new and still moving in.”
Property theft March 6, 2024:
Officer Yesenia Flores was dispatched to 10210 Mitra Way for a burglary of a vehicle and theft March 6 at 5 a.m.
Patricia Regland recorded on surveillance when the suspects arrived at her house in a black Toyota Tacoma and parked next to her white Toyota Tundra.
The suspects are two white males who did not attempt to make entry into Regland’s vehicle but stole her veteran husband’s eagle statue from the front yard.
There is no more available information on this case.
Property theft: March 9, 2024:
Emily Contera was contacted by phone to file a property theft report between $100 and $750.
Located on 10126 Astra Trl, Contera said a green recycle bin was stolen.
There is no further information on this case.
Property theft: March 6, 2024
While on patrol, San Antonio Police were dispatched to 10635 NYE Pass on a service call for stolen building supplies at a construction site managed by Lennar Home Builders.
Officer Jordan Bittner arrived at the location and spoke with Austin McDaniel, an employee of Lennar Home Builders.
The suspect stole the windows kept in a storage unit.
McDaniel noticed the windows missing at 7 a.m. on March 6 and wanted to document the incident; he was given a case number.
Property theft: March 12, 2024
While on patrol, Officer Bittner was again dispatched, but this time to 1462 Azul Way for a theft call involving an unknown suspect and at least $750 stolen in circuit breakers.
Bittner arrived at the location and spoke with Hannah Rogers, another employee of Lennar Home Builders.
Rogers suspected someone had entered the construction site and stole circuit breakers. She was unaware of the person’s entry.
Rogers was given a case number and no further action was taken.
The Mesquite reached out to Lennar Home Builders to ask about the commercial property thefts in VIDA, but they gave no comment.
Eddy said the VIDA’s Homeowner’s Association recently hired off-duty police officers to patrol the neighborhood where thefts were more prevalent and occurred at a specific time.
Residents can also call the police and request to have their neighborhood patrolled by the San Antonio Police Department.
