SAN ANTONIO — Since last year, there’s been a double digit uptick in theft in San Antonio. A problem one HOA is working to combat. 

Helen Cronenberger loves her dogs. As a retiree, she’s been taking her basenjis to dog shows for nearly a decade.

“I used to run and show them myself, but my brain does it but my legs just don’t,” Cronenberger said.

Helen built her home in Shavano Heights in the late 90s. Overall, she feels safe here, living in the same gated community for 25-plus years 

“We look out for each other,” Cronenberger said. “And keep eyes on each other’s homes if we go on vacation of something.”

But, over time, things have changed in the neighborhood. Helen says that’s when she got involved in the homeowners’ association.

“We were having minor robberies of our post office boxes,” Cronenberger said. “Other problems in the neighborhood of people who didn’t belong here.”

So the HOA got this flock of solar powered security cameras installed at the gate.

“Anything that comes through that gate we will see,” Cronenberger said.

According to San Antonio Police, theft numbers have seen a double digit increase since 2021. Property is being stolen five times more than last year, which means more 9-1-1 calls.

“Last year we were getting one to two per day,” Cronenberger said. “Unfortunately, now we’re getting 14-15 per day.”

These security cameras help when a crime occurs. The cameras record who goes in and out of the neighborhood 24/7.

“Any automobile that passes through those gates if either the FBI or San Antonio Police are searching for that particular plate, they will immediately be notified,” Cronenberger said.  

Miss Helen says since they got the cameras installed, mail has stopped disappearing. And several people have doorbell cameras, which adds to the overall neighborhood safety.

“We feel that in fact people buy homes here because of the camera system,” Cronenberger said. “That’s one of the selling points.”