Pasadena family-owned business loses trailer, but gets it back after internet sleuths come together

PASADENA, Texas (KTRK) -- Thieves targeted small business owners on Sunday night and made off with a trailer they depend on to make deliveries. However, security camera footage, social media, and a good Samaritan helped make sure they didn't lose their equipment for long.

The Castillos own a party rental company, but Monday was supposed to be all about their daughter.

They planned to drop her off in San Marcos for her freshman year of college. That was their main focus, until they got up that morning and saw their trailer was missing. They posted a video of what happened online, and the community came through for them.

"I know everyone did have their eyes out and ears open," Rebecca Castillo said, who's one of the owners of The Jumping Zone.

Thanks to security camera footage, people in Pasadena knew exactly what to watch out for.

The video captured two individuals. One of the men brought equipment that cut through the trailer's chains and locks. Then, in about two minutes flat, they hitched it up to their white SUV and took off.

"Our trailer is our means of transporting all our deliveries, all our orders," Castillo said.

They called police, but she said they also posted the video online and asked the community for help. No one has been able to identify the thieves, so far, but someone did spot their trailer. It was abandoned on a street.

"This was very shocking for us, but we are so happy now that a good Samaritan actually called and told us that they saw it down the street. We were able to get HPD out there immediately. They can stand there until we can figure out how to get it where we need to," Castillo said.

Castillo spoke with ABC13 as they were headed back from dropping their daughter off to school. Thankfully, they were able to accomplish that and then come back to collect their trailer. Police are still trying to track down the thieves.

There was no equipment inside. The Castillos only have to worry about replacing a flat tire and a bent rim.

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