Well, that’s a new one.

The Gardaí have alerted the public to the dangers of “jugging,” which refers to the process of a criminal waiting outside financial institutions and following customers of those institutions in order to steal the money they’ve withdrawn.

In a statement issued this week, An Garda Síochána said they had recently made three arrests for such crimes and had recovered €110,000.

Gardaí believe the risk of “jugging” to be higher at this time of year as people withdraw money to cover Christmas expenses.

The following advice has been issued to those who wish to stay on their guard against “jugging.”

• Be aware of your surroundings, especially if something seems strange as you enter the bank.
• Conceal your bank deposit bags, coin boxes or envelopes as you enter and leave the bank.
• Take your bank bag or envelope with you into your next destination. Don’t hide it in your vehicle.
• Always vary your routes and times for cash drops and collections.
• Consider using electronic funds transfer rather than depositing or withdrawing cash.
• If you feel like you are being followed, call 999 and drive to a Garda station.