San Marcos Police Warn Residents About Bank Jugging Crimes

The first incident happened on Monday, March 6 about 3:30 p.m. at the Bank of America in the 300 block of Hopkins St.  A man parked and went into the bank to withdraw a large sum of money.

San Marcos Police Department is releasing surveillance video of a “bank jugging” crime following three incidents that occurred in March.

Jugging is when a crook watches a bank customer leave a bank with money, follows them, and breaks into their car for the cash. Detectives hope the video will educate residents about the crime.

The first incident happened on Monday, March 6 about 3:30 p.m. at the Bank of America in the 300 block of Hopkins St.  A man parked and went into the bank to withdraw a large sum of money. He returned to the car and placed a portion of the cash inside the vehicle. He then walked across the street to take care of additional business. When he returned, he found his front passenger-side window smashed, and his money was missing.

Surveillance video shows a newer model, black Jeep Cherokee or Grand Cherokee back into a parking spot at the bank.  The suspect appears to watch the man place the money in his car. When he walked away, the Jeep backed into a parking spot next to the victim’s vehicle and smashed his window without ever exiting the vehicle.

The suspect then pulled forward. His partner in the crime got out and grabbed the cash, then got back inside the vehicle and they drove away.  No one in the area reported seeing the crime.

A second incident took place on Wednesday, March 8 at 3:50 p.m. A man made a large withdrawal of cash from Wells Fargo in New Braunfels. After leaving the bank he made a stop at the Nike store in San Marcos. When he returned to his vehicle his window was smashed and his money was missing. Witnesses who saw the incident say the suspect is an African-American man with dreadlocks and a small, thin build. He was driving a dark colored Nissan SUV.

No one was hurt in either incident. Police say a third incident also happened in a nearby city and they believe the crimes may be linked. San Marcos police warn residents to be careful and provide these tips to avoid becoming a victim:

• Be aware of your surroundings and watch for people sitting in vehicles who don’t enter the bank.
  • Hide your money! Don’t leave the bank with a money bag or envelope in plain sight.
• Never leave a money bag or envelope in plain sight in your vehicle.
  • After you leave the bank, be careful about going to another location to run an additional errand.