Beware of 'bank jugging' this tax season, police warn

Beware of ‘bank jugging’ this tax season, police …

Reward offered for suspect in botched robbery: FBI

Over 25 lbs. of cocaine hidden in furniture: prosecutor

NYC puppy raiser celebrates National Puppy Day

Video

Shopping healthy at the supermarket

Mega Millions jackpot hits $977 million

Manhunt for squatters accused of killing woman in …

Woman, 99, found dead after fire breaks out in BK: …

Adopt a furry friend on National Puppy Day

Video

Chef Anna Francese Gass shares tasty Italian snacks 

Video

SHARE’s mission to support women fighting cancer

Style expert shares spring fashion and beauty trends

Dessert wines to perfectly pair with savory dishes

Italian recipes to celebrate St. Joseph’s Day

UConn preparing for ‘a real war’ against Northwestern

Video

Moose on the Loose: Opening day for the NY Yankees

Athlete of the Week: Allie Falesto and Julia Scott

Breaking down the Yankees with Pat Ragazzo

Moose on the Loose: Cavalry coming

You Auto Know – Pet Safety

Video

KAFSC ‘Thriving Through Resilience’ gala tickets …

Pollo Campero opens in Harlem

Limitless possibilities at NewYork-Presbyterian Iona …

Spring beauty treatments and products that are a …

by: Rich Johnson, Ashleigh Jackson

Posted: Mar 24, 2024 / 06:38 PM EDT

Updated: Mar 24, 2024 / 08:08 PM EDT

(NewsNation) — Police are warning the public about “bank jugging” this tax season.

“Jugging is a crime of opportunity where thieves look for people leaving banks or ATMs with large sums of cash and then follow them, hoping to find an opening to steal that money,” the Arlington, Texas, Police Department wrote in a Facebook post on March 20.

Even though jugging isn’t a new crime, authorities are reminding people to remain alert — especially when cashing their refund checks, since criminals in these cases want to walk away with significant amounts of money.

“As we move into the heart of tax season and folks start cashing their refund checks or withdrawing refund money from their bank accounts, we want to remind the public to stay vigilant!” the Arlington Police Department’s Facebook post stated.

Jugging is a crime that’s happening from coast to coast. There have been dozens of cases from Texas to California to Virginia. Police in Fairfax County, Virginia, for instance, said they have been investigating at least 10 incidents that they’ve recorded since last April.

These crimes can be very lucrative for those who pursue them. Thieves allegedly made off with $20,000 from one woman in Riverside, California, late last year, Inside Edition reported. In a separate but similar incident in Virginia Beach, a Wells Fargo customer said she was swindled out of $33,000 moments after withdrawing the cash.

“These are dangerous crimes,” Lt. Derek Green with the Burbank, California, Police Department previously told Nexstar’s KTLA. “You usually have somebody driving a vehicle. Oftentimes, you have somebody that’s actually inside the bank posing as a customer themselves, and they’re in communication with each other, so they’re keeping close eyes on their victims.”

Police say it’s up to you to stay vigilant. Financial institutions have also posted strategies to help you avoid becoming a jugging victim. These are among the top tips:

NewsNations’ Evan Lambert and Zaid Jilani contributed to this report.

Suggest a Correction

Submit

Δ

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Get details on the best deals for Amazon’s Big Spring Sale across makeup, skin care, hair care, nail and body care.

Amazon’s Big Spring Sale is live now. Here are some of the deepest discounts of the season.

Finding new hair care products can seem like a game of chance. Take some of the guesswork out of the equation by looking at hair oils available at Sephora.