SAN ANTONIO — Bellies are stuffed, families are together, and for retailers … it’s showtime.
Thousands of Black Friday shoppers will soon hit the streets of San Antonio.
As people hunt for deals, law enforcement is warning of a dangerous trend. Organized crime groups are expected to be out. They aren’t just waiting for opportunity to strike, the Bexar County Sheriff says, they are planning it.
“A suspect or a group of suspects will place somebody under surveillance,” said Sheriff Javier Salazar. “As crazy as it sounds, like a movie plot, they will literally follow the victim from point A to point B to catch them isolated and unguarded.”
It’s called ‘jugging.’ Authorities say it’s on the rise in the San Antonio area.
There have been about a dozen incidents since the summer, and not all cases involved victims' withdrawing money from an ATM. In June, a father purchased a watch at La Catera. He told KENS 5 he was followed home and then robbed at gunpoint.
“You need to check your tail,” said Salazar. “You need to check your rear-view mirror to see if there’s any cars. If you see the same car in your rear-view many times, make some turns.”
The sheriff encourages people to drive to a police station or a heavily populated area and call 911.
“We would rather you overreact a hundred times than under react one time and become a victim,” he said.
Bring your shopping bags home between stores, Salazar recommends. If that’s not possible, quickly place your bags in the trunk or someplace out of sight. This will also help you avoid being targeted by car burglars.