Vehicles Burglarized in FSR, Coincides with Suspicious Activity

Finesilver Ranch residents on Atwell Park, Edgecreek, and Sweetwood reported four vehicles were burglarized overnight 27 - 28 December.  There have been no reports of property loss or damage, and as yet, San Antonio Police have no record of the incidents.  Based on third party information, the only available as of this post, it appears none of the vehicles were locked and the burglars found nothing of value.

Possibly related, a Blue Armor Security officer reported four males walking from the park towards Cove Creek at about 1:00 am the same night.  Upon entering their green Honda, they avoided the officer, driving toward Chapelwood. The officer caught up to the Honda as it exited the gate.  He obtained the license plate number.

Residents who suspect their vehicle was entered illegally are urged to file a complaint with SAPD.  Victims of such crimes, burglaries -- whether property was taken or not, may file online or call 207-7273.  San Antonio Police say they cannot pursue a lead without a formal report. 

After receiving a case number, please notify Association Management Services (829-7202), or comment below to ensure coordination with Blue Armor, the FSR Safety Committee, and SAPD.

Firefighters Respond to Spill at Exxon

San Antonio firefighters responded to a "flammable liquid spill" at the Exxon gas station, Bandera and Braun Rds, at about 7:15 this morning.  According to an SAFD website, one unit manned by four personnel responded.  There were no reports of injuries or property loss.

November 2009 Safety Committee Report

Graffiti Removed

A Safety Committee member noticed a graffiti tag on the park basketball goal post.  The city provided a can of spray paint specifically for the job.  Thank you, Patty, for taking time to cover the marking.

Residents may dial 311 to report grafitti on city public property; call Association Management Services, 829-7202, to report tags on FSR common areas.  Deter future tagging and continue to keep the neighborhood free of this blight.

Braun Road Improvements
The intersection of Braun and Finesilver may prove a little safer since the city added a stop stripe at the Finesilver Ranch exit.  Braun Rd improvements also include fresh center striping and signs alerting drivers to the Finesilver Dr intersection.

Cellular on Patrol
San Antonio PD's next Cellular on Patrol training sessions are Thursdays, 7 and 14 January, 6:00 - 10:00 pm at the Prue Substation.  Attendance both nights is required for certification.  A refresher course is scheduled for one four hour session, 18 February. 

The FSR COP welcomes additional volunteers to maintain a strong neighborhood watch program.  Call Association Management Services, 829-7202, for more information on joining the team.

Blue Armor Patrol Summary
On Friday evening, 13 November, a security patrol responded to a resident's report of a suspicious vehicle at the gate.  The officer searched the neighborhood but was unable to locate the vehicle or suspicious activity.

The community center men's room was found unlocked on 30 November.  The officer determined there was no vandalism and secured the door.

SAPD Responses
Police responded to eight calls for service to Finesilver Ranch during November, compared to 12 calls during November last year.  The monthly average for 2008 was 14 calls.

A theft of Nintendo equipment valued at $340 was reported on Atwell Park, and lost property was reported on Edgecreek.  There was also a telephone harassment complaint and two miscellaneous reports. 

A minor accident report was taken on Sweetwood, but it is not known if this is the actual location of the incident.  Finally, police responded to two burglar alarms, believed to be false.

There were no November police responses to the Greenbriar neighborhood near Nichols ES.

Greenbriar, with about 1/4 the number of homes as Finesilver Ranch, is the closest gated community and presumably has similar demographics for crime reporting comparison.

Sex Offender Watch
No registered sex offenders reside in Finesilver Ranch as of this post.

SAFD Responses
There were no fire or EMS responses to FSR during November.

Follow FSRsafety on Twitter
Join Twitter and follow FSRsafety to receive time sensitive announcements of neighborhood safety and crime prevention concerns online and via text message.

During November, FSRsafety issued 12 "tweets" on public safety interests occurring in and immediately surrounding Finesilver Ranch.

Subscribe to the FSR Safety Committee Blog and follow on Twitter for updates throughout the month.

Commercial Operator to Pay for Damaged Pillar

The business whose vehicle struck the entry gate pillar will pay for the repair, acccording to Association Management Services.  A resident witnessed the 8 December incident and provided to AMS a phone number displayed on the vehicle.   

The pillar was also struck 8 November, 30 September, and
16 June.  The HOA Board is considering entry improvements.

Update: Man Possibly Poses as Police Officer

San Antonio police arrested a man who used a security company uniform to pose as a police officer, news outlets reported Friday and Saturday.  Police caught the man after a woman on the city's north side filed a harassment report with SAPD.  A second man is wanted.

KSAT12 video shows the suspect in a uniform bearing a "DCS Security Services" patch.  DCS is a San Antonio company located on Nacogdoches near Wurzbach Parkway.  According to FOX29, the suspect was not a DCS employee at the time of the impersonation.

It is unknown whether either of these men were involved in the Finesilver Ranch incident.  But the Express News notes the woman filed the complaint last month, and police believe the two were involved in other impersonations. 

Call SAPD (207-7273) if you believe you were a victim of a police imposter. 

Man Possibly Posing as Peace Officer at FSR Community Center

A Finesilver Ranch resident reported his teen aged grandson and the boy's three friends were confronted by a man who identified himself as a police officer at the FSR Community Center, 8 December at about 5:30 pm. According to a report taken by Blue Armor, FSR's contracted security service, the boys told the grandparent the officer "stopped and frisked" them for drugs. 

The grandparent called the SAPD Prue Substation to determine whether an officer had reported making contact with juveniles in the neighborhood.  However, the response was inconclusive due to the number of officers whose units work city-wide out of substations other than Prue.

During the same patrol period, the Blue Armor officer was notified by another resident of an unnamed security company observed patrolling the neighborhood earlier that day. The resident wondered if the HOA had switched to a new company:  FSR has not. 

Yet another resident saw earlier this week a dark blue sedan sporting a red stripe parked at the community center.  These markings do not match Blue Armor's white with red stripes and blue lettering.  On this occasion, the resident noted an apparent security officer talking with teen aged boys.  The timeline of this event has yet to be correlated with the 8 December incidents.

Blue Armor and FSR Safety are attempting to confirm whether SAPD has a record of any officer contacting children at Finesilver Ranch on 8 December. This may include a check of other area law enforcement agencies as well.  Further, the committee is attempting to determine a description of the "officer" and is seeking further information on the unauthorized security patrols observed in the neighborhood.

See the Blue Armor website, the official security company of Finesilver Ranch, for patrol vehicle markings and officer uniform style. Call Association Management Services, 829-7202, if any other security presence is noted in FSR. Call 911 to report any suspicious activity observed in progress, or having just occurred.

Crash Near Guilbeau and Tezel Kills Teenager

A teen driving at high speed Thursday afternoon on Guilbeau lost control of his Crown Victoria and crashed into the backyard fence of a home on Rugged Ridge, according to an Express News report.  Police say he died at the scene.  No others were injured.

Cellular on Patrol Meeting, Tuesday, 8 Dec; Residents Welcome

Cellular on Patrol (COP) and Safety Committee members will meet at the FSR Community Center, Tuesday, 8 December at 7:00 pm to discuss plans for 2010.  Anybody interested in neighborhood safety and crime prevention is invited.

The COP is always seeking additional volunteers.  Learn more about COP Tuesday night.