Agile thief climbs wanted list

By Anita Miller
News Editor

San Marcos Tue, May 13 2008

— It’s not that police don’t have plenty of eye-witnesses; it’s just that they aren’t talking.
Animal Wonders was one of two businesses broken into at Springtown Center early Tuesday by a suspect described as smallish and agile — or a team including one member fitting that description.
In amidst the fish, birds, reptiles and pet accouterments, police found a computer trashed, a cash register torn apart and its contents missing.
Though the burglar also entered Zale’s, nothing was missing from the jewelry store.
Both businesses were entered by someone who cut a “fairly small hole” through the roof’s duct ventilation system, Sgt. Dave Waugh said Tuesday.
No burglary-type tools were found on the scene. Waugh said from the size of the hole, the suspect was “a relatively small person. It would have required someone who was quite agile to be able to come in through the roof and climb up and down into the business.”
Local police were alerted after the center’s security company got an “exit alarm” and its cameras captured images of a man climbing up through the roof. However, as of Tuesday afternoon, investigators were still waiting for the video, said Det. Byron Mobley.
Mobley said it’s also too early to know if the two break-ins were related to others in recent weeks targeting businesses.
About a week and a half ago, he noted, burglars broke one window in a downtown gas station’s service bay door, got into the safe and stole cash; around three weeks ago, burglars disabled the power to a loan company in a strip center off Hwy. 80 and also got into and cleaned out the business’s safe.
Going back to early this year, burglars simply broke out windows at Zale’s and Radio Shack, also in Springtown Center.
“We’ve just got to figure out if it’s the same individuals, or if different groups are doing it,” he said.
As for the non-human witnesses to Tuesday morning’s break-ins, Mobley quipped, “Unfortunately they don’t talk and unfortunately they don’t bite either.”
Waugh said police would appreciate the public’s help. Anyone with any information can call the SMPD’s Criminal Investigations Division at 753-2300. Those wishing to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at (800) 324-TIPS.