TAMPA, Fla. — Police warned Tampa drivers Tuesday about a crime known as "bank jugging" after a man was caught on camera breaking a car window and taking cash from the center console.
"Bank jugging" is a term used for car burglaries that target people who withdraw cash from an ATM or bank.
On April 5, police say a driver was followed from a bank on West Kennedy Boulevard after taking out some money. After stopping at a nearby restaurant, a camera facing the inside of the car caught a person breaking the front passenger window before opening the center console and taking the money.
The suspect in the video, which was posted to YouTube by Tampa police, was wearing a blue disposable mask, a white hoodie and gloves that are yellow and white.
Police said the man was driving a white Kia Sportage.
Detectives contacted the Houston Police Department in Texas because they believe the suspect may be tied to a criminal group that travels between Tampa Bay and Houston to commit similar crimes.
If you have any information that could help police identify the person involved in the incident, call Tampa Police at 813-231-6130 or contact Crimestoppers of Tampa Bay at 800-873-TIPS.
The agency also shared tips on how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of "bank jugging":
- Don't display large sums of cash in public
- Vary your routine when visiting a bank
- Be alert for suspicious individuals loitering around banks
- Deposit large sums of cash promptly
- Consider the use of a night deposit box
- If followed, drive to a well-lit, populated location, and call the police
