By Shawn Henry 
Boerne cops busted a guy whose scheme was wilder than a Texas dust devil: pink paintballs, swiped trailers, and a bizarrely smooth operation to nab high-end Corvettes. Now he’s cooling his heels behind bars.
Eighth Victim Confirmed in Fiery I-85 Crash That Killed Entire Georgia Family; Truck Driver Charged
Jose Israel Barrera Jr., 36, didn’t exactly cover his tracks. Officers spotted him cruising down Scenic Loop Road with a shiny 2009 Chevy Corvette—price tag: $89,000—stuffed in a trailer. Thing was, that ride wasn’t his. It vanished from Mark Motors, and surveillance footage caught someone shoving it through a field like a grocery cart. Classy move.
Cops noticed the Corvette’s busted windshield and clumps of damp grass clung to the bumper, just like in the video. Oh, and that trailer? Hot property, lifted from Waco. Fresh paint smeared over the VIN, plates that didn’t match. Real subtle.
Nearly 50 Birds Killed After Truck Driver Runs Them Over in Florida, Officials Say
Barrera bolted when cops moved in, but let’s face it—he wasn’t outrunning anyone. In his truck? A Springfield Hellcat handgun, rubber gloves, industrial bolt cutters, and a paintball gun packed with neon pink ammo. Later, he fessed up: those paintballs were his genius hack to blind dealership cameras.
Turns out, he didn’t stop at one Corvette. Detectives squeezed out a confession for a second theft: a sleek 2011 ZR1, worth $91,900, pinched from Jaguar of Boerne. His method? An ATV nudging the cars off the lot onto a waiting trailer. Smooth.
This week, a judge tossed him into the Texas slammer for four years. Police say it’s one of the nuttiest cases they’ve seen—equal parts brains, boldness, and a ridiculous streak of pink.
Eve