Teen arrested in San Antonio for stealing car in Hays County
HAYS COUNTY, Texas - A teen was arrested in San Antonio after stealing a car in Driftwood. This comes after two neighborhoods in Hays County seem to have been targeted.
"My husband walked out to get in his truck, he said ‘your car’s gone’ and mine was gone, just gone, evaporated," Hays County resident Kristen Robinson said.
Last week, in the middle of the night, someone took Robinson’s car that was parked in her driveway. She said she thought her car was safe.
"I have one of those keyless entry systems that has the key code on the outside of it, so you can’t get in it unless you have the code for it to get into it, but apparently that isn’t good enough," Robinson said.
It wasn’t enough. Inside Robinson’s car were her wallet and keys, so the thieves took off with it.
"I really feel frustrated and violated by it," Robinson said.
She isn’t the only person who has experienced auto theft or burglaries.
"We do have an issue with property crime and that’s not just a Hays County problem because it’s a crime of opportunity," Hays County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Anthony Hipolito said.
In the first six months this year, the Hays County Sheriff’s Office reported 82 vehicle burglaries. In Robinson’s neighborhood, Rim Rock in Driftwood, and the Sunfield neighborhood in Buda have reported almost a dozen vehicle burglaries this year.
"They’re going to go to bigger neighborhoods where they can get in and out very easily and get back to wherever they came from," Deputy Hipolito said.
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The man who took Robinson’s vehicle went back to San Antonio. Robinson said with the help from LoJack, a GPS system in her vehicle, San Antonio police officers were able to find her car and the teenager who took it.
Johnny Martinez, 17, was arrested for third degree felony theft of a vehicle. In just the past year, he’s been arrested for unauthorized use of a vehicle, evading arrest, and theft of a vehicle.
Johnny Martinez, 17
"We’re at a time and age that the criminal element is around no matter what town you live in, no matter what county you live in, the criminals will come to you if they think they’re going to have an opportunity to be successful in committing that crime," Deputy Hipolito said.
He said in the summer months, stay alert.
"The kids are out of school and sometimes these bigger crime organizations will target juveniles to do these crimes for them, so they don’t get in as much trouble," Deputy Hipolito said.
Deputy Hipolito encourages residents to lock the doors to their vehicles and don’t leave anything inside.