Police are warning the public about a new crime trend after arresting three men on suspicion of burglarizing a vehicle on July 8 in Irvine, Calif.

Detectives arrested Maurice James, 24, Samuel Marcus Polite, 20, and Ja Vion Marcell La Shang Mathews, 22, all of Texas, after investigating two vehicle burglaries in the city about 40 miles south of Los Angeles, the Irvine Police Department posted on social media on July 10.

The burglaries may be connected to other “bank jugging” cases, according to police.

“A nationwide trend known as ‘bank jugging’ involves suspects surveilling banks and watching for customers who withdraw cash. They then follow the victims to their next stop and burglarize the vehicle to steal the money,” police posted on X.

On July 2, Irvine officers investigated two vehicle burglaries that involved victims who had just withdrawn cash from banks. The department’s crime center helped detectives identify the suspect vehicle as a black Ford Expedition with stolen license plates.

Detectives found the Expedition and watched as suspects visited banks across Orange County, possibly looking for victims.

In Seal Beach, police say the suspects burglarized a car, stealing a banker’s bag, after the owner had conducted a bank transaction.

Police stopped the Expedition just after the incident and arrested all three men, according to the police department. When they searched the suspects’ vehicle, they found a stolen banker’s bag, a fake license plate, burglary tools, a ski mask, and cash.

Detectives are investigating whether the men were involved in the Irvine burglaries that occurred on July 2, police said.

A Pacific Western Bank location in Irvine, Calif., on May 3, 2023. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

The three men arrested on July 8 were booked into Orange County Jail. All three face charges of conspiracy, vehicle burglary, felony vandalism, possession of burglary tools, and possession of stolen property.

“We urge banking customers to be discreet when making cash withdrawals and to be aware of their surroundings,” police warned on social media. “If you withdraw cash, proceed directly to a safe drop-off destination.”

According to Irvine-based Pacific Premier Bank, ATM customers should always cover the keypad and dispose of their receipt properly. They should also consider varying their routine by going to different bank branches and making withdrawals at different times of the day.

Anyone with information on the Irvine bank-jugging case is urged to contact detectives at the Irvine Police Department.