El Paso police are seeking to identify “jugging” suspects involved in the burglary of vehicles targeting victims who withdrew cash from ATMs, banks and credit unions across the city.
“Jugging” is a type of crime were thieves wait near a bank or ATM watching to see if a customer withdraws money. The customer is then followed to another location, where the crooks either break into their parked car, hoping the money was left behind in the vehicle, or rob the victim of cash.
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“It is important for the community to be aware of their surroundings,” Sgt. Javier Sambrano, Crime Stoppers liaison, said in a video statement. Residents are encouraged to report any suspicious activity, such as vehicles near banks that seem like they don’t belong.
“Most importantly, do not leave anything of value inside a vehicle,” Sambrano said.
Crime Stoppers of El Paso’s Crime of the Week is attempting to identify suspects in a jugging case on Oct. 3 in the East Side.
A bank customer withdrew money at 9:50 a.m. on Oct. 3 from the Chase Bank at 1533 Lee Trevino Drive next to Vista Del Sol Drive, Crime Stoppers said.
The customer was followed to the Walmart store at 10727 Gateway West Blvd. near Yarbrough Drive. The thieves then broke out the driver’s side window of the victim’s car and stole money that had been withdrawn at the bank, Crime Stoppers said.
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The bank jugger suspects were driving a red Hyundai Kona. A man suspected in the case was recorded on a security camera at a nearby convenience story before the burglary, police said.
Crime Stoppers noted there have been other similar cases where victims were followed after leaving financial institutions and their vehicles were burglarized. In years past, police have arrested groups of men from the Houston area involved in “jugging” cases in El Paso.
An estimate of how many “jugging” cases there have been recently in El Paso was not immediately available.
Anyone with information on bank jugging thefts may anonymously call Crime Stoppers of El Paso at 915-566-8477 (TIPS) or leave a tip online at cselpaso.org.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Customers followed from El Paso banks in ‘jugging’ burglaries
