Two arrested for burglary following bank-jugging scheme
Two men are facing charges for "bank jugging" after deputies say they stalked a man taking out cash from a Wells Fargo at Berkshire Plaza off Santa Barbara Boulevard.
The Collier County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) says bank jugging is when criminals target bank customers who have just made cash withdrawals to steal from them. CCSO says the plaza is a known hotspot for the crime due to the amount of banks there within close proximity.
The sheriff's office says at 10:20 a.m., deputies were alerted to a suspicious black Nissan Rogue parked outside Wells Fargo Bank, positioned so it had a clear view of the front door.
Deputies say the car moved between multiple nearby banks before returning to the Wells Fargo parking lot, where a customer left the bank and entered a large white van.
The Nissan Rogue allegedly followed the van through the plaza, parking next to it in front of Suncoast Credit Union.
Officers say they witnessed the driver of the van, identifying him as Gerald Stevenson Thomas, exiting the van and re-entering the Nissan Rogue.
Authorities conducted a traffic stop, taking both the driver, Jean Das, and passenger Gerald Stevenson Thomas, into custody for burglary to conveyance.
The victim told deputies he had just withdrawn $3,400 from Wells Fargo and had the cash in his pocket when he exited his van to visit Suncoast Credit Union. The victim said no one was allowed to enter his van.
Deputies say a pair of binoculars were under the passenger seat. Deputies believe the suspects used them to target customers for the crime.
CCSO says both suspects live in Dade County.
