Moorpark Police Arrest Two in Connection with Southern California ‘Bank Jugging’ Thefts, Suspects from New Jersey and Florida Held on $150,000 Bail

On a typical sunny afternoon in Moorpark, the mundane routine was disrupted by a sharp dose of vigilance and law enforcement diligence. Moorpark Police detectives apprehended Juan Molano and Edgar Hernandez on charges of grand theft conspiracy, possession of stolen property, and possession of burglary tools, as detailed in a news release by the Moorpark Police Department. The arrest occurred on July 2, 2025, following a concerned citizen’s alert about suspicious activity after withdrawing a sizable amount of cash from a local bank.

The suspects, 24-year-old Molano from Passaic, NJ, and 33-year-old Hernandez from Tampa, FL, had apparently pegged a routine at area banks, watching for individuals who emerged with envelopes that might as well have been marked “bounty” — if their intent was to be read from afar. This incident was not an isolated one. Moorpark detectives linked them to a string of “distraction-style” thefts, exploiting the window of opportunity from teller to destination, thefts that spanned the breadth of Southern California.

While it was the victim’s prompt action that put this case in motion, what followed was a cross-city collaboration. “Moorpark patrol deputies and detectives, along with the assistance of the Simi Valley Police Department, conducted an investigation and established probable cause to arrest both Molano and Hernandez,” the statement detailed. A vigilant community member and well-coordinated police work resulted in these suspects being held on $150,000 bail each, with arraignment scheduled for today, July 7, 2025…

Story continues

TRENDING NOW

LATEST LOCAL NEWS