Organized teams of thieves are using distraction methods to steal money from people who withdraw large amounts of cash.
It is being called 'bank jugging,' and it has become a serious problem across SoCal. Police in Riverside are warning people to be more cautious of their surroundings when withdrawing cash.
According to police, a woman was robbed of $20,000 after she was followed into a mall parking lot in Riverside.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
Surveillance footage captured a woman distracting the victim by placing a bill behind her car as she was getting out of the vehicle. As the victim was being distracted, a black car pulled up and a second person jumped out, snatching the purse in the front seat quietly before driving off.
Two similar incidents took place in Orange County and Irvine where crews attempted to steal cash from distracted individuals. In both cases, the thieves were arrested.
Irvine Police Seargent Karie Davies says there have been 24 'bank jugging' incidents in 2023 and many of the crews performing the heists are coming from the state of Texas.
"Typically these guys are driving rental vehicle, they don't use them for more than a week and then they dump them," said Officer Davies. She recommends not leaving anything of value in your car.
With holiday shopping around the corner, many shoppers are heading to banks and local malls. Police are warning people to be extra careful when withdrawing large amounts of money from banks.
"Don't let yourself get distracted, be aware of your surroundings as you are walking to your car," said Officer Ryan Railback.
Investigators are still trying to identify the thieves in the Riverside case. Anyone with information regarding the robbery is being asked to contact the Riverside Police Department.
