If your business is registered to your home, you might want to think twice about how visible your brand is—especially if your work vehicle doubles as advertising.
That’s the warning from two League City entrepreneurs who recently caught a burglary in progress on their home surveillance camera. What they didn’t expect was for multiple other business owners to come forward, recognizing the suspect and the vehicle seen in the video.
A Disturbing Pattern Emerges
Tony and Stephanie August, owners of Texas Door Company, run their business from their home—a setup shared by more than 50% of U.S. small business owners, according to the Small Business Administration.
They never had issues advertising their services with signage on their work truck—until two weeks ago.
After discovering a broken window on their work truck, the couple reviewed their home security footage. The video showed someone actively breaking into the vehicle. They immediately contacted League City police.
“The police came out and let us know that there’s a rash of it going around,” Stephanie said.
They’re Not Alone
Stephanie started digging into local social media posts and quickly uncovered something troubling: they weren’t the only ones.
Alicia Cepeda says her husband’s work van—essential to his A/C repair business—was broken into around the same time.
“My husband got up in the morning to go to work and realized one of the windows was broken,” she said. “Everything was pretty much gone—tools, toolbox, even parts he just picked up for a job.”
What’s more disturbing? The faces and vehicles showing up in these surveillance clips all looked eerily familiar. She says she posted the video in her neighborhoods Facebook group page.
“As soon I posted, several other people recognized either the vehicle or the person. And that’s when they came with pictures of the person and you could easily see it’s all the same guy.” Cepeda said.
Businesses Being Targeted Across Cities
Every business owner who came forward had something in common: they ran their business from home and advertised it on their vehicle.
Stephanie August has now gathered surveillance videos from several victims across multiple cities—including Baytown, Seabrook, La Porte, and Pasadena—all showing what appears to be the same suspect and getaway vehicle.
Tony August says as a small business owner, having thousands of dollars in tools and equipment can be detrimental.
“It’s hard to come back from something like that,” Tony said. “You have to work extra hours, extra jobs, and something you were planning or saving for—now it goes to replacing stolen tools. It isn’t right.”
Police Investigation Underway
League City Police are actively investigating the string of vehicle burglaries. If you recognize the person or vehicle seen in these surveillance clips, you’re urged to contact the department.