BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – Texas House Representative Philip Cortez and Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar introduced a bill during Tuesday’s House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence meeting to enforce harsher penalties for vehicle burglaries in Bexar County.
Salazar spoke before the committee, saying he has seen an influx of vehicle burglaries due to people in search of weapons.
“It’s increasingly becoming a violent crime because of the presence, the introduction of weapons that unfortunately are being left in so many vehicles on a nightly basis,” Salazar said.
House Bill 727 would change the current vehicle burglary penalty from a misdemeanor to a state felony. It would also address cases where firearms are stolen from vehicles, incidents involving multiple vehicle burglaries, situations where a weapon is carried during a burglary and cases involving repeat offenders.
Salazar said the stolen weapons are being used in other crimes, such as burglary of vehicles in neighborhoods, which ultimately puts people in danger.
“Many times they’re holding a gun in their hand and in some instances even appointing as they’re burglarizing, rifling through the car,” Salazar said. “They’re pointing that firearm at the front door of the residence, waiting for somebody to come out and confront them. We’ve seen instances where gunplay has occurred.”
If passed, the bill would go into effect on Sept. 1, 2025.
