Like a scene from an action movie, imagine fog coming from the vents and lights bouncing off the walls in the middle of a heist!
It's no fantasy - it's a new tool being used to smoke out smash and grab bandits and a local convenience store has installed one.
In just three seconds, the fog fills a room and sets off these bright blinding strobe lights, making it hard to steal something and making it impossible to complete their mission.
This new security guard doesn't need a gun or a flash light. It's called FlashFog and it's not all "flash."
KENS 5 first learned about it when a fire alarm went off at this Murphy USA on Potranco after a smash and grab.
Police say the bandits were engulfed by the fog and so disoriented by the strobe lights, they struggled and scrambled to find their way out.
KENS 5 conducted a demo with fire fighters standing by. When the alarm sounds, fog invades the small space until there is no visibility. The lights make it hard to focus.
San Antonio fire officials say this can be an effective tool to ward off thieves, but they should be notified for their own safety.
"We could be in harm's way," said Earl Crayton, assistant chief fire marshal.
The actual fog is not harmful to their health. It's the same as theatrical fog used at concerts.
A system costs about $2,500. But for gas stations that stand to lose much more, they say it's worth it compared to what they'd lose in a smash and grab burglary.
