A Weslaco business owner says someone broke into his downtown cocktail bar last week while it was still under construction and stole thousands of dollars worth of equipment.

Aaron Garcia is building The Vault, a new bar in downtown Weslaco at 588 S. Texas Blvd. He says a burglar broke through a back door of the business on the night of March 31, 2026, and took a generator, shovel, wheelbarrow, and other items. 

The combined worth of the stolen items is more than $2,000.

Garcia says the burglar was caught on surveillance video entering the building by breaking down a wall, looking around, and grabbing what he could. 

Garcia's contractor recognized the suspect's clothing from earlier that same day when a man showed up asking for work.

"I believe he was scoping it out," Garcia said.

Garcia also believes the suspect left a footprint in freshly poured cement.

"Here stood a man that stole from us the same day he came to ask for a job," Garcia said.

Weslaco Police Department spokesperson Heriberto Caraveo says officers have increased patrols in the area while investigators work to identify the suspect.

"If there's a suspicious subject, a lot of the times you might think, oh, it's nothing, he's just looking for a job, he's just walking around. But if [you think] he's scoping the area, give us a call; we'll determine that," Caraveo said.

Police are reminding property owners to secure both personal and commercial property to avoid crimes of opportunity.

"Reinforcing windows, reinforcing doors. If you don't have any doors, maybe install a temporary gate or fencing," Caraveo said. "Try to control and minimize what you're leaving behind."

Garcia says the back door has since been reinforced. With the help of social media, he was able to recover one of two stolen ladders found hidden a block away.

Garcia says the biggest loss may be time.

"It delayed us a couple of weeks... one week in our time could mean a month in construction," Garcia said.

Residents can request extra patrols to check a home or business by calling the Weslaco Police Department.

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