Kyle police nab second suspect in vehicle burglary spike | The Hays Free Press

Kyle police nab second suspect in vehicle burglary spike

Posted by on Jun 22nd, 2011 and filed under Hays County, Kyle, Top Stories.


SANTOS

by SEAN KIMMONS

Burglars have aggressively targeted vehicles throughout Kyle this month, stealing thousands of dollars worth of personal items.

With at least 23 vehicle burglaries reported to Kyle police in the past 20 days, the city has been under a thief offensive. June’s numbers already account for 40 percent of the total 57 reported similar thefts since January 1.

Some headway has been made. In one week, two men were arrested in the string of thefts with the help of vigilant citizens.

Johnny Santos, 17, of Kyle, was arrested June 14 after a resident called police to report a man using a flashlight to peer into vehicles in the Post Oak subdivision in southeast Kyle, police say.

Further investigation allowed police to charge Santos with five other vehicle burglaries, which occurred in the subdivision around the same time. As of Tuesday, he remains in custody in the Hays County Jail on bonds totaling $18,000 for the Class A misdemeanor charges, jail records show.

More than $1,000 of stolen property has already been returned to its respective owners, but police still have other items to be claimed. Theft victims are advised to contact the police department at 268-3232 for unclaimed property.

ZUNIGA

“It is always satisfying to be able to solve a case and return property to victims of crimes,” said Kyle Police Chief Jeff Barnett. “It is important to note that without the help of an alert citizen this man might still be out committing crimes. Our best defense against crimes like these is an alert and active community.”

On June 7, police arrested another Kyle man after a woman caught him searching through her truck in the Saddle Creek Apartments parking lot.

The woman confronted Aviel Zuniga, 35, who then threatened her and said he would shoot her. A male relative grabbed Zuniga and held him until police arrived around 1 a.m. Police did not find a gun at the scene but still charged Zuniga with second-degree felony robbery.

Additional charges are expected for Zuniga, who has since been released from jail on a $10,000 bond, records show.

More than $7,250 worth of items have been stolen from vehicles in the recent crime wave. The majority of the items were electronics and tools.

Police anticipate that the latest arrests will slow down the rampant crime trend.

“We are hoping that the recent arrests will send a message to would-be criminals that our police officers and our citizens are watching out for the safety and well-being of one another to prevent criminals from being successful,” Barnett said.

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  • Citizen/Vigilante

    The REALLY sad part is that these guys are probably posting bail with money they received from selling stolen goods.

  • Mario Lopez

    Not going to to much good when they let him go on bond. So a thief steals theatened to shoot the victim and they let him go. I bet he paid the bond with all the money he stole. He will just change his name and be at it again. I wonder how the victim feels with him being out on the street now that person has to look over their shoulder.

  • Sister E

    The sad part about “news” is that people can write whatever they want without actual facts. None of you personal know either men arrested. The truth is EVERYONE makes mistakes… except for anyone leaving comments about the men, right!? No, bail was not posted by the selling of stolen goods but by a family that loves their son/brother. Thats a FACT. But hey… whatever makes you feel better. I only know one of the men arrested but I pray for them both because everyone deserves a second chance. I have said my part and will continue to focus on what matters, my loved one. I have said my part and will not comment anymore. God bless.

  • chris

    “It is always satisfying to be able to solve a case and return property to victims of crimes,” bullcrap. my house was broken into three times within two weeks, the cops were called all three times, but refused to even take a statement. refused to take the seriel numbers on the items stolen,refused to fingerprint the house,refused to take pics of the muddy footprints on my carpet,refused to take the cigarette butts as evidence or for dna that were left on the kitchen floor and countertop, and the person even left their cell phone in my house, but the cop wanted to charge me for being in possession for a cell phone that was not even mine. neighbor even noticed the red ford ranger and wrote the plate number down which belonged to david reyonlds who lived in kyle. david had taken my stuff to the kyle flea market to sell and even though i had several other witnesses and enough evidence to convict, they did not do a damn thing and nothing was ever recovered

  • Donn Brooks

    Not knowing any more about this situation than you have described, this sounds pathetic and is a poor reflection on the Kyle Police Department. However, I wonder if you complained to the Chief of Police. If you have done so and are still dissatisfied, you should complain to the City Manager and if he fails to act to your satisfaction, you should ask for the matter to be placed on the council agenda. However, bear in mind that it was probably not the entire police department that made the decision to not help you, and it is a trifle unfair to blame the entire department for the mistakes of a few. But, the citizenship deserve to have this matter reconciled and these responses are not an efficient means of doing so. I hope you will follow through on my suggestions. From this posting it is virtually impossible for the department, should they be reading it, to give you relief because you do not provide your last name or the date of the burglary. I do wish you well.

  • Mario Lopez

    23 vehicle buglaries in 20 days. No its not ONE mistake sister its 23 mistakes. And threatening to shoot the victim also. Thats 24 mistakes Sister. What about all the 23 victims of the burlaries where is their story. Everybody is a good ol boy and the best brother, son husband until they go to jail. If your relative was so great why didn’t you lend him your money so he wouldn’t have to break into cars and steal it before hand. By having a low bail he was able to get out now a victim who is a sister, mother and someones daughter is going to have to look over their shoulder every time they go outside. When was the last time someone stole your stuff and threatened to kill you or is that common in your neighborhood.

  • Mike

    Sister E, just because your friend/relative is a scumbag car thief (when they are caught in the act it’s hard to deny) don’t try to turn the blame around to the posters here. Nobody would be saying anything about these weak criminals if they hadn’t broken the law. I’d be willing to bet the 35 year old didn’t just start breaking into cars recently. He’s likely been breaking the law regularly since he was the same age as the 17 year old loser. Hopefully that kid can turn his act around but the smug look on his face doesn’t inspire confidence. Don’t try to defend your sleazy associates, hide your shame and find better people to hang out with.

  • Austinite

    POS illegals? I love how everyone jumps to conclusion that it’s “illegals” doing this. I’m pretty sure both these dudes are american. 23 mistakes? Is it right to assume they were responsible for ALL of these break-ins? There are tons of dumbshits who rob people and never get caught. What they did wasn’t right, but no one should ever pass judgement on another. What right do you have to call these guys scumbags? I’m sure you are all perfect model citizens and have never done anything wrong- or at least been caught. Obviously Sister E is a family member who knows what’s going on with one of these men, and you further bashing and making a situation harder on these people isn’t exactley “model citizenship”. So why not mosey along and let these people deal with their personal issues that the Kyle Free Press has so wonderfully made public. Also, if you read the article on the man that “threatned to shoot” the girl, no gun was found on him so who is to say she was not exaggerating.

  • Berry J

    What is this world coming to. What drives these people to steal? What drives these people to leave comments? Funny how we feel better about ourself when we do wrong to others. Kyle,Tx.

  • Texan

    Austinite, you are obviously another left wing, protect the guilty, screw the innocent, libral with no sence of descency or justice. You are the problem with America today.

  • Donn Brooks

    Memo to Texan: I do not believe you can find in any of the articles that any of these perpetrators is an illegal alien. I am concerned about border security. I am concerned about crime. I am concerned about protecting the rights of the innocent. But I am also concerned at that point when we accuse all people with Hispanic features or surnames of being illegal aliens.

  • Buda by Choice

    Everyone makes mistakes “Sister” but I have never chosen to be a thief, to break into people’s private property and steal from them, to do it repeatedly, and to think that this was okay. These men, young or old, have no moral guidelines in place in their own lives if they think ongoing stealing until stopped by the police is an option. Paint how you want, nobody wants a thief to steal from them and these men deserve punishment in accordance with the law.

    Shame on the family members who bailed them out. The help should have come years ago when they were in the process of deciding right from wrong and the type of men they wanted to be when they were adults. Too little too late.

  • BOB the Snob

    More likely the spawn of illegals.

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