News Summary
Three men from Texas have been apprehended for a series of burglaries in Orange County, known as ‘bank-jugging.’ The suspects closely followed victims after cash withdrawals, stealing cash and valuables. Law enforcement discovered burglary tools and a stolen banker’s bag in their vehicle. The suspects face multiple charges and have pleaded not guilty, with ongoing investigations revealing a concerning trend in such crimes. Police urge the public to stay vigilant while withdrawing cash.
Orange County, California
Three Texas men have been arrested in connection with a spree of burglaries known as “bank-jugging,” where suspects closely follow banking customers after they withdraw cash to rob them. The men, identified as Maurice James, 24, Samuel Marcus Polite, 20, and Ja Vion Marcell La Shang Mathews, 22, have been charged with multiple offenses related to their criminal activities.
The arrests occurred on July 8 after the Irvine Police Department had been investigating reports of vehicle burglaries where victims had just withdrawn cash. Their investigation led them to identify a black Ford Expedition with a fake license plate as a suspect vehicle.
On the day of the arrest, police observed the Expedition moving between various banks across Orange County, indicating that the occupants were scouting for potential victims. In Seal Beach, the suspects were caught in the act of burglarizing a car, where they stole a banker’s bag from a victim who had recently conducted a banking transaction.
Upon their arrest, law enforcement searched the suspects’ vehicle. They discovered the stolen banker’s bag, fake license plate, burglary tools, a ski mask, and cash inside the car. The three men have been booked at the Orange County Jail and face serious charges including conspiracy, vehicle burglary, felony vandalism, possession of burglary tools, and possession of stolen property.
Ongoing Investigations
Detectives are now working to determine if the three suspects were involved in the earlier vehicle burglaries reported on July 2, which also targeted victims who had just made cash withdrawals. There is a growing trend of thefts related to bank-jugging that has concerned law enforcement agencies nationwide, prompting them to alert the public about the risks associated with cash withdrawals.
Police have issued a warning to banking customers urging them to be discreet when withdrawing cash and to always remain vigilant of their surroundings. This advice is imperative given the methods employed by criminals in bank-jugging incidents, who often watch for vulnerable individuals.
Details of Criminal Activity
The accused men reportedly traveled from Texas to Southern California, having rented a 2025 Ford Expedition from Hertz on July 2. Upon arrival, they allegedly replaced the rental car’s license plate prior to beginning their series of burglaries. They scouted multiple locations, frequenting shopping plazas that contained banks in areas such as Cypress, Buena Park, Los Alamitos, and Seal Beach. Their premeditated actions demonstrate a calculated approach to committing these offenses.
Legal Proceedings
The suspects have all pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them. They are scheduled to appear for a pretrial hearing on July 18 at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach. The outcome of this case may serve as an important element in understanding and combating the trend of bank-jugging, which continues to pose a risk to community safety.
As the investigation progresses, law enforcement officials remain proactive in their efforts to prevent further incidents related to this type of crime, emphasizing the importance of public awareness and personal safety when handling cash transactions.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
Texas Men Arrested for Vehicle Burglary Linked to Bank-Jugging
Additional Resources
- NBC Los Angeles
- Google Search: bank jugging
- KTLA News
- Wikipedia: Robbery
- CBS News Los Angeles
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Crime
- Patch
- Google News: Orange County bank jugging
- Audacy News
- Google Scholar: bank jugging
