By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
A San Antonio man faces a felony burglary charge after allegedly breaking into the UPS customer center in late June, police said.
Benjamin G. Lopez, 53, a resident of San Antonio, was arrested by Del Rio police on June 26 and charged with the offenses of burglary of a building, a state jail felony; evading arrest or detention, a Class A misdemeanor; and theft of property, greater than or equal to $750, less than $2,500, a Class A misdemeanor; according to police and court records requested by and released to the 830 Times.
In a police report filed in the case, DRPD Senior Officer Vicente Hernandez said officers were dispatched to the UPS customer center, 710 E. Cortinas St., at 1:47 a.m. on June 26 after a caller notified police about two men on the property “loading items into a gray truck.”
In an affidavit filed in the case, Hernandez, who made the arrest, said he was initially called about a possible burglary in progress at the UPS center.
“While en route, Del Rio Communications (dispatch) advised me that the caller stated there were possibly two males inside of the property taking packages. I arrived on scene and saw the front gate of the property open but saw no vehicle,” Hernandez wrote.
The officer said he got out of his patrol unit and began walking the property and found a gray Dodge Ram 1500 with its engine running, but its headlights off. He said there were two large dogs inside the truck, but no people.
Hernandez said also heard noises coming from inside the business.
Hernandez said he waited by the truck and saw a man walking from the northeast side of the property toward the truck.
The man, later identified as Lopez, was dressed all in black and wearing a gray/green pair of utility gloves. Hernandez said when Lopez saw him he uttered an expletive, was “sweating profusely” and seemed surprised.
Hernandez said when he asked Lopez if he worked for UPS, Lopez replied that he did, and when the officer asked him what he was doing on the property in the middle of the night, Lopez allegedly replied, “Not much, just transferring tires.”
Hernandez said he repeated the question three times, and each time Lopez responded he was “moving tires.”
Hernandez wrote when he asked Lopez for identification, Lopez said it was inside the truck. Hernandez said for his safety, he did not allow Lopez to get inside the truck.
“I ordered Lopez to step away from his truck several times but he refused. Lopez then walked toward the driver side door, opened it and quickly entered the truck and tried closing the door to get away from me,” Hernandez wrote.
The officer reported he drew his Taser and Tased Lopez. Hernandez said he then handcuffed Lopez.
Hernandez said he searched the property for a second man, but was never able to locate anyone else. He wrote Lopez later told him he was alone.
Hernandez said he found a pair of bolt-cutters in the bed of Lopez’s truck and said the license plate on the rear of the truck had been covered with duct tape.
Hernandez said he found four new tractor-trailer tires in the bed of Lopez’s truck.
Hernandez said he waited for a UPS manager to drive to the center. The manager told Hernandez that there was a shed on the property whose lock had been cut off and six commercial truck batteries had been taken out of the shed and moved outside. The manager also estimated the value of the four truck tires found in Lopez’s truck bed at $300 apiece.
Lopez was arrested and charged with felony burglary, misdemeanor theft and misdemeanor evading.
Bonds totaling $13,000 were set in the cases against Lopez by Justice of the Peace Pct. 1 Jesse James Treviño.
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