I've lived near San Antonio for almost 10 years, we bought a house a few miles outside city limits after I retired from the military. My wife is a cancer survivor and San Antonio has outstanding military hospitals. They're still building homes in my area and new communities are being planned and built every year. During daylight everything looks nice and safe and comfortable. But at night the rats come out.
Property crime is ridiculous. Every single week SpotCrime shows vehicle thefts and burglaries all around us. My security cameras show thieves prowling the area almost every night between midnight and 3am-4am. My next door neighbor's F-350 was stolen out of his driveway using a tow truck. Across the street, F-250 with a screwdriver. Neighbors wake up to trucks on blocks with no wheels. Mid-day home burglaries happen, occasionally with residents home.
Part of the problem is our proximity to Mexico. But another is unfortunately that the theft trade and illegal immigration are an accepted culture of the city. There's a thriving market fencing stolen property. Flea markets, permanent yard sales, etc. Even in my new neighborhood there are "coyote" houses on every street with 5-6 vehicles in front and probably a dozen rotating residents. They announce "warrant roundups" on the news and my street has been blocked off at least 3 times by the Sheriff department to surround various houses and serve arrest warrants. Anyone you meet here is 50/50 on legal status.
Retiring as a San Antonio resident has been a culture shock for us. I'm not from Texas and was active duty military for almost 30 years. I was accustomed to a disciplined law-abiding culture and a suburban lifestyle. We've lived all over the world and in much of the United States, we've seen some things. San Antonio is striking it its lawlessness, we even have dozens of law enforcement officers arrested every year.
