SAN ANTONIO - A Northeast Side homeowner believes thieves were watching her activity and broke into her house last Thursday around noon.
They were in and out quickly, she said, stealing about five thousand dollars in family heirlooms.
"They kicked it in my door. They had busted the inside frame and the metal chain was on the floor,” she said.
A victim three times now, the homeowner was a nervous wreck.
"It was a just a shock. I began to shake really bad," she told us.
Too frightened to appear on camera, the woman is still fighting back.
After talking to neighbors in the MacArthur Terrace Subdivision, the homeowner discovered thieves have hit several homes and broken into cars.
"It makes you mad. But at some point you decide to stop being the victim and be vigilant and help each other," said another homeowner who had been victimized.
Signs are posted at street corners, but the neighborhood watch had been dormant. We're told many homeowners are elderly and stay indoors.
"We need to get out of our comfort zone and talk to each other," one homeowner insisted.
She believes everyone can help spot suspicious activity. A new crime watch is forming and the group has printed flyers to hang around the area with alerts about suspicious activity, safety tips and emergency contacts.
Homeowners said most people don't realize they have a handy weapon -a phone to call police and neighbors. They can also snap a picture if something seems unfamiliar and suspicious.
"Or video tape it. Get a license plate number," the crime victims said.
The homeowners believe police don’t have enough manpower to respond to all calls for assistance. Since police have limited resources, they feel neighbors must step in and help out.
The homeowners are planning to attend a Citizens on Patrol class Saturday morning at the San Antonio Police Department substation at 13030 Jones Maltsberger Road. The class runs from 9-1pm and citizens can contact SAPD for more details.
