Customer buying expensive jewelry was followed for miles, hours before robbery, investigators say
SAN ANTONIO – A Bexar County man left The Shops at La Cantera without thinking he would become the target of a crime known as “jugging.”
John, who wants to remain anonymous to protect his family, said he had no idea thieves were going the extra mile to rob people.
“I walked out of this store and then ended up going from that store to go have dinner with the family and still had no idea and was completely unaware that I had become a mark,” he said.
Thieves watched, followed and waited for over an hour and a half. They caught up with him at his front porch, where they held him at gunpoint. “It’s extremely dangerous when you have weapons pointed straight at you and you have no idea what they’re going to do or what their intentions are,” he said.
They stole his luxury watches and took off — a week before Bexar County Sheriff investigators said a similar incident happened to a man who left a bank with a hefty withdrawal.
It was taken from him on his driveway.
Sheriff Javier Salazar said thieves have become more sophisticated and patient with their targets.
“They’re taking their time. They’re putting in the work and then waiting for just the right time to strike,” Salazar said.
He wants the community to be on alert whenever they are out shopping or visiting financial institutions.
“Don’t walk out of the bank carrying that envelope. You stick it in your pocket. You stick it in the front pocket. There’s a, there’s a bunch of other things that you could do to, to not be such an easy target,” Salazar explained.
He said people should also have a little bit of paranoia and pay attention to see if a vehicle is following them and have a plan if someone is following them.
Anyone conducting large transactions at a bank should ask the bank for special accommodations.
