SUPPORT IN ORDER TO PASS. OTHER NEWS TONIGHT, MARTIN COUNTY AUTHORITIES SENDING OUT A NEW WARNING ABOUT THAT VIOLENT CRIME TARGETING BANK OR ATM CUSTOMERS IN THEIR CASH. WE’VE BEEN TELLING YOU ABOUT IT SINCE LAST YEAR. IT’S COMMONLY CALLED JUGGING OR BANK JUGGING. CRIMINALS FOLLOW YOU AS YOU LEAVE THE BANK OR ATM ATTEMPTING TO ROB YOU. INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER TERRI PARKER IS LIVE TONIGHT AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE CHIEF DEPUTY ABOUT THE NEW TACTIC TO THIS CRIME AND HOW YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF. FELICIA AND TODD, THE CHIEF DEPUTY HERE, SAYS MARTIN COUNTY HAS SEEN THESE BANKS JOGGERS HERE BEFORE. BUT NOW HE SAYS IT’S REACHED A NEW LEVEL OF CONCERN BECAUSE HE SAYS THE CRIMINALS IN THIS CASE AREN’T SIMPLY WAITING FOR PEOPLE TO GET OUT OF THEIR CARS BEFORE THEY GO AND THEN TRY TO STEAL THE CASH. THEY’RE ACTUALLY FLATTENING THEIR TIRES, CHASING THEM AND TAKING THE MONEY RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM. THURSDAY WE HAD AN INCIDENT WHERE A LADY FROM PALM CITY WENT TO THE BANK IN PALM CITY, WITHDREW AN AMOUNT OF CASH AND THEN AS SHE WAS DRIVING EASTBOUND ON 714, NOTICED THAT HER TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT IN HER CAR WAS ON. THE WOMAN PULLED INTO A WAWA TO GET AIR, BUT WHEN SHE GOT OUT, REALIZED HER TIRES HAD BEEN SLASHED. AND THEN DEPUTIES SAY THIS MAN, ADRIAN FELIPE PEREZ ROCHA, JUMPED INTO HER CAR, GRABBED HER PURSE, THEN RAN TO A CAR DRIVEN BY HIS ALLEGED ACCOMPLICE, BRIAN CARDENAS MORENO. SHE TRIED TO GRAB HER PURSE BACK BUT GOT HURT INSTEAD. THIS INDIVIDUAL INVOLVED HIMSELF IN A STRUGGLE WITH HER, ENDED UP PUSHING HER DOWN ON THE GROUND. CHIEF DEPUTY JOHN BUDENSIEK SAYS HE’S CONCERNED BECAUSE THESE SO-CALLED BANK JOGGERS, CRIMINALS WHO LURK IN BANK PARKING LOTS TO STEAL PEOPLE’S WITHDRAWALS, ARE GETTING MORE BRAZEN AND MORE DANGEROUS. AND HE SAYS MOST OF THEM ARE PART OF SOUTH AMERICAN GANGS. NOW WE’RE SEEING THAT THESE GANGS ARE FLATTENING TIRES AND PUTTING THEMSELVES IN A POSITION TO VICTIMIZE OUR VICTIMS WHILE THEY’RE STILL PRESENT. DEPUTIES TRACKED THE SUSPECTS AND ARRESTED THEM MINUTES LATER, FINDING THE VICTIM’S PURSE, PHONE AND $1,000 IN CASH, BUDENSIEK SAYS IN ANOTHER LOCAL CASE THIS YEAR FOR SUSPECTS ALSO FROM SOUTH AMERICA, USE THIS HOMEMADE TIRE FLATTENING DEVICE TO DISABLE VICTIMS CARS. HE OFFERS THESE TIPS TO STAY SAFE. DON’T DISPLAY BAGS OR ENVELOPES AS YOU LEAVE THE BANK. LOCK CAR DOORS. PAY ATTENTION TO ANYONE AROUND YOU. IF YOUR TIRES LOSE PRESSURE AS YOU’RE LEAVING A BANK, CALL 911. KEEP DRIVING UNTIL A DEPUTY ARRIVES, AND IF A CAR HITS YOU, CALL 911 AND STAY INSIDE THE CAR UNTIL THE DEPUTY GETS THERE. CALL 911. LET US VET THAT OUT BEFORE YOU’RE THE VICTIM OF A CRIME. SO I ASKED CHIEF BUDENSIEK, HOW DO THESE GUYS EVEN KNOW WHO HAS THE MONEY? WHO MADE A WITHDRAWAL? HE SAYS OFTENTIMES PEOPLE WALK OUT OF THE BANK AND THEY’RE HOLDING THAT WITHDRAWAL ENVELOPE RIGHT THERE, OR EVEN COUNTING THEIR MONEY. DON’T DO THAT. PUT EVERYTHING AWAY WHILE YOU’RE IN THE BANK. GO QUICKLY OUT TO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOOR AND DRIVE AWAY QUICKLY AND JUST LOOK AROUND AND BE AWARE THAT THIS
South American gangs are targeting bank customers, slashing tires and stealing cash
Martin County Sheriff’s Office warns to watch out for dangerous trend
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office is warning people to watch out for a dangerous new criminal trend that has taken a more serious turn.“Thursday, we had an incident where a lady from Palm City went to the bank in Palm City, withdrew an amount of cash. And then as she was driving eastbound on 714, noticed that her tire pressure light and her car was on,” said Chief Deputy John Budensiek.The woman pulled into a Wawa to get air, but when she got out, she realized her tires had been slashed.Deputies say Adrian Felipe Perez-Rocha jumped into her car, grabbed her purse, then ran to a car driven by his alleged accomplice, Bryam Cardenas-Moreno.The victim tried to grab her purse back but got hurt instead.”This individual involved himself in a struggle with her and pushing her down on the ground,” Budensiek said.Budensiek says he’s concerned because these so called Bank Juggers – criminals who lurk in bank parking lots to steal peoples withdrawals — are getting more brazen and more dangerous. And he says most of them are part of South American gangs.“Now we’re seeing that these gangs are flattening tires and putting themselves in a position to victimize our victims while they’re still present,” Budensiek said.Deputies tracked the suspects and arrested them minutes later, finding the victim’s purse, phone and $1,000 in cash.Budensiek says in another local case this year, four suspects also from South America used a homemade tire flattening device to disable victims’ cars.He offers these tips to stay safe: Don’t display bags or envelopes as you leave. Lock car doors – pay attention to anyone around you If your tires lose pressure, as you’re leaving a bank, call 911 Keep driving until a deputy arrives If a car hits you, call 911 and stay inside car until a deputy arrives.Top headlines:Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25 Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office is warning people to watch out for a dangerous new criminal trend that has taken a more serious turn.
“Thursday, we had an incident where a lady from Palm City went to the bank in Palm City, withdrew an amount of cash. And then as she was driving eastbound on 714, noticed that her tire pressure light and her car was on,” said Chief Deputy John Budensiek.
The woman pulled into a Wawa to get air, but when she got out, she realized her tires had been slashed.
Deputies say Adrian Felipe Perez-Rocha jumped into her car, grabbed her purse, then ran to a car driven by his alleged accomplice, Bryam Cardenas-Moreno.
The victim tried to grab her purse back but got hurt instead.
“This individual involved himself in a struggle with her and pushing her down on the ground,” Budensiek said.
Budensiek says he’s concerned because these so called Bank Juggers – criminals who lurk in bank parking lots to steal peoples withdrawals — are getting more brazen and more dangerous. And he says most of them are part of South American gangs.
“Now we’re seeing that these gangs are flattening tires and putting themselves in a position to victimize our victims while they’re still present,” Budensiek said.
Deputies tracked the suspects and arrested them minutes later, finding the victim’s purse, phone and $1,000 in cash.
Budensiek says in another local case this year, four suspects also from South America used a homemade tire flattening device to disable victims’ cars.
He offers these tips to stay safe:
- Don’t display bags or envelopes as you leave.
- Lock car doors – pay attention to anyone around you
- If your tires lose pressure, as you’re leaving a bank, call 911
- Keep driving until a deputy arrives
- If a car hits you, call 911 and stay inside car until a deputy arrives.
Top headlines:
Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
Credit: Source link