The Dallas Police Department recently issued a warning to residents about a rising trend in robberies: bank jugging.

Criminals have reportedly been positioning themselves outside banks, waiting for unsuspecting individuals to exit the premises carrying newly withdrawn cash before robbing them, sometimes using vehicles to block them in parking spaces.

“We’ve seen it here in our local banks and institutions within the city check cashing places and also at commercial stores and businesses,” explained Assistant Chief Michael Igo, according to Fox 4 KDFW.

While jugging itself is nothing new, the uptick in such robberies is.

A sharp increase in reported jugging incidents has been seen over the summer, with 143 cases logged so far this year, per Fox 4. Perpetrators have even traveled to Dallas from locations as far away as Houston to commit such crimes.

As previously reported by The Dallas Express, authorities across the metroplex have warned residents about jugging in the past. For instance, Frisco issued an advisory earlier this year that encouraged residents to be on the lookout for juggers.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE DALLAS EXPRESS APP

While juggings only represent a fraction of incidents this year, there have been 1,594 reported robberies in Dallas as of September 1, according to the City of Dallas Open Data crime overview dashboard.

DPD has been understaffed for years, maintaining a force of only around 3,100 sworn officers. A City report previously advised that a city the size of Dallas needs about 4,000 officers to be adequately policed.

The shortage has affected Downtown Dallas, which routinely logs much higher crime rates than nearby Fort Worth’s downtown area. Private security guards and a dedicated police unit reportedly patrol the latter.

To help residents avoid becoming a jugging victim, DPD has issued several guidelines.

Some key tips:

  • Be aware of your surroundings inside and outside banks, and pay special attention to vehicles backed into parking spaces with people inside.
  • Conceal bank bags or cash envelopes when exiting financial institutions, and avoid leaving them inside your vehicle.
  • Be on alert for any signs that you are being followed upon leaving a bank, and contact the police if you are.

Igo said that DPD is being “very proactive” in tackling the jugging issue.

“We work with other local law enforcement agencies, we have officers in place that … conduct covert surveillance on these banks,” explained Igo.

Four suspects were arrested in June in connection to two jugging incidents, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.

The four men, ranging in age from 19 to 26, were allegedly found in possession of cash, firearms, and drugs. Police also recovered the victims’ bank bags and personal items, including a purse. Each of the suspects faces charges of aggravated robbery as well as federal charges for engaging in organized crime.