BEDFORD, Texas - Bedford police used license plate cameras to track down a jugging suspect in the nearby city of Mansfield.
Bedford Jugging
What we know:
The suspect was arrested on Saturday for a vehicle burglary that happened shortly after the victim visited a bank.
Police said officers used the city’s Flock cameras to identify the suspect’s vehicle, even though the license plate had been intentionally obscured.
The car was seen leaving Bedford and driving into Mansfield, so officers got help from the Mansfield Police Department to arrest the driver.
They allegedly found the stolen cash and items the suspect used to obscure the license plate in the vehicle.
The driver was also arrested for outstanding warrants from three other law enforcement agencies.
What we don't know:
Bedford police did not release the suspect’s name or mugshot. It’s also not yet clear what charges the suspect is facing.
Jugging suspects arrested after casing multiple Tarrant County banks, police say
One of the officers found an abandoned puppy mid-operation, which he adopted after the arrests.
What Is Jugging?
Dig deeper:
A "jugging" robbery is a type of theft where thieves follow a victim as they service or withdraw cash from ATMs or banks and then rob them.
House Bill 1902, newly signed into law by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, recognizes the act as a state-jail felony, with the possibility of being enhanced to a third or even first-degree felony if other penal code standards are met.
Jugging has now been added to Texas’ robbery offenses, and carries penalties of 180 days in jail and up to $10,000 in fines for a state-jail felony, to life in prison for a first-degree felony.
HB 1902 became law on Sept. 1.
What they're saying:
Police thanked the city of Bedford for investing in Flock cameras, which the department said helped officers quickly identify and arrest the suspect.
The Source: The information in this story comes from the Bedford Police Department and past news coverage.