A San Antonio man is accused of breaking into pickup trucks in Castle Hills as part of a group investigators say stole vehicles and targeted homes in several North Side neighborhoods.
Isaac Daniel Vasquez, 19, faces two counts of burglary of a vehicle, theft of property valued at $30,000 to less than $150,000, and engaging in organized criminal activity. A judge set his bail at $80,000.
The investigation began after two vehicle break-ins early Feb. 5. Ring camera footage showed Vasquez and a 14-year-old boy approaching a red Ford pickup in a Castle Hills driveway, according to an affidavit supporting Vasquez’s arrest.
The juvenile, who was not named because he is a minor, pointed a handgun toward the home’s front door as Vasquez used a screwdriver to break the pickup’s window, climbed inside and passed property to the boy, the affidavit states.
About three streets away, Nest camera footage showed the pair looking into two pickups at another home. Vasquez tampered with one truck’s window and reached inside, according to the affidavit.
Investigators later linked a black 2023 Land Rover Range Rover to the break-ins using license plate reader footage. The SUV had been reported stolen from a San Antonio home on Jan. 30. Its owner also reported that a purse containing her wallet, driver’s license, passport and bank cards had been taken from the vehicle.
The Land Rover was recovered Feb. 16 after it was involved in an evading incident with San Antonio police and later abandoned. Investigators found screwdrivers, a ski mask and property they believed belonged to burglary victims inside. A fingerprint from the vehicle was identified as the 14-year-old’s, according to the affidavit.
A woman who knew Vasquez and the boy told investigators they went out on weekends with another person to steal cars and break into vehicles. She said she sometimes drove them to neighborhoods including Alamo Heights, Terrell Hills, Olmos Park and Castle Hills, then dropped them off to commit the thefts, the affidavit states.
In one instance, the woman said she heard a homeowner fire shots at Vasquez and the boy. The juvenile was arrested on a warrant Feb. 9, but the affidavit does not specify the charge.