Man followed from Texarkana bank, robbed of $20,000 in Genoa smash-and-grab
GENOA, Ark. — A man who withdrew money from a Texarkana bank Saturday morning reported to police that he had about $20,000 in cash and silver coins stolen from his pickup minutes later in what is often known as a “jugging” theft, according to radio traffic monitored by TXK Today.
The theft happened shortly before 10:40 a.m. in the parking lot of the Dollar General in Genoa. A witness told dispatchers a man in a black four-door sedan pulled up next to a parked pickup, broke out a window, grabbed items from inside and drove off toward Miller County Road 70.
The victim told deputies he had just made a withdrawal at the Wells Fargo branch on Richmond Road in Texarkana, Texas, around 10 a.m. and believed the suspects followed him from the bank to Genoa.
Deputies initially put the loss at $10,000 in cash. The victim later told them the thieves also took $10,000 in silver coins, his vehicle titles and the deed to his house.
Store surveillance video showed the suspect vehicle as a black sedan with two people inside, deputies said over the radio. The driver was described as a light-skinned Black male wearing a light green or tan shirt. The second occupant could not be identified.
Deputies asked the Texarkana Texas Police Department to review the bank’s cameras for the victim’s dark green GMC Sierra and any vehicle that left behind it. A TTPD officer later contacted the deputy working the case.
According to the radio traffic, TTPD told deputies the city has seen “a rash” of a black sedan watching people withdraw money from ATMs, then following them and breaking their windows to take the cash. The deputy said Saturday’s case “sounds like it’s all going to be connected.”
The case has been turned over to a Miller County Sheriff’s Office investigator. No arrests had been reported as of Saturday evening.
How ‘jugging’ works
Jugging is a form of theft in which suspects watch a bank, ATM or check-cashing business from the parking lot, pick out a customer who appears to leave with cash, then follow that person to their next stop. When the victim walks away from the vehicle, the suspects break a window and take the money.
The crime depends on the victim leaving cash inside the vehicle, even for a few minutes. Suspects often work in pairs, with one driving and one watching, and may follow a target for several miles before finding a chance to strike.
Police say the thefts are usually fast and the suspects are gone before the victim returns.
What to watch for
- Be aware of anyone sitting in a parked vehicle outside a bank who does not go inside.
- After a withdrawal, watch for a vehicle that pulls out behind you and stays with you through several turns. If you think you are being followed, drive to a police station or a busy, well-lit area and call 911.
- Do not leave cash, envelopes or bank bags in your vehicle, even in the trunk or out of sight. Take money inside with you at every stop.
- Put cash away before you leave the bank, not in the parking lot.
- Vary your routine if you make regular cash withdrawals or deposits for a business.
- Note the description and license plate of any suspicious vehicle and report it.
Anyone with information about Saturday’s theft is asked to contact the Miller County Sheriff’s Office or the Texarkana Texas Police Department.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.