The city of San Antonio is rolling out a new traffic ticket reporting system that will allow residents to report suspected theft of city property online, as well as through print and online forms.
The system is being rolled out at all of the city’s intersections with signs up in front of every building and a dedicated mobile app.
A person who is found to be in possession of a stolen item is issued a ticket that can be issued for a maximum fine of $2,000, and the ticket is valid for one year.
The ticket also provides the person with the opportunity to request a court appearance and to receive a written report from the city.
The city also will notify those in possession the details of the ticket and will send them a copy via email once the court hearing has been completed.
Ticket holders are required to notify the city in writing within 24 hours of the date of the offence.
If a person is found not guilty, the person can be fined up to $2 and a court hearing is then required to be held within 14 days of the citation.
The new ticket system will also allow for the issuance of fines based on the amount of property stolen, rather than the value of the property.
A person caught with a stolen property worth less than $500 can be required to pay a fine of up to 50 per cent of the value, while a person caught stealing between $500 and $999 could be fined between $1,000 and $5,000.
Anyone caught with less than two-thirds of their property valued at $1 million or more can be charged with a theft fine of between $2 000 and $10,000 per day.
The fines are currently only available online through the city website.
The city is encouraging motorists to report suspicious activity to the city and also encourage the public to report theft to the police.
Anyone who feels they have been the victim of theft is encouraged to call the San Antonio Police Department at (210) 873-1110 or (214) 743-2121.