ARLINGTON, Texas — A new video released by the Arlington Police Department shows part of a jugging incident that happened in late December. Police say jugging is a crime that happens all year, but they are expecting more cases during tax season.
The term "jugging" refers to thieves who watch and wait around financial institutions, such as banks or ATMs. They find a victim, follow them away from the bank, and steal their money.
The surveillance camera captured a man driving to Nam Hung Mall, across the street from a Chase Bank on Pioneer Parkway that he just visited. A car with multiple suspects inside then arrived at the shopping center and reversed in next to the victim's vehicle.
"He broke the rear window and snatched the large amount of money in the driver's seat. You'll notice how quickly he left," said Sgt. Alex Rosado with the Arlington Police Department. "He is very clearly working with somebody else so this is more than one person involved in this criminal episode."
In this case, the victim was inside a store, and not harmed. However, Rosado said there are other cases where people were hurt or killed.
"Anyone can be a victim of this crime. There are certain cultures in Arlington that are known for carrying large sums of cash," said Sgt. Rosado.
Asian and Hispanic communities are common targets, police say. The elderly are also victimized often. They often carry more cash and don't report crimes to police, officials say.
In this latest jugging video, the victim was an elderly Asian man who did not call 911 when the incident happened. Instead, his son later reported the crime to police.
With Tax Day approaching, Sgt. Rosado is expecting more jugging cases in Arlington. His department is pushing out flyers and information about the crime to help residents stay aware.
Here are some tips to protect yourself:
- Lock your vehicle once you get inside.
- Avoid making additional stops after leaving the financial institution.
- Avoid large cash withdrawals. If it must be done, conceal it with a discreet wallet or envelope.
- Bring a friend or family member to the bank.
- Don't be distracted by being on your phone or listening to music.
- Be aware of your surroundings when entering or leaving the bank or ATM.
Call 911:
- Provide suspect information, such a race, clothing, height and weight
- Provide suspect vehicle information, such as color, year, make, model, body style, damage, sticker, direction of travel
- If you think you are being followed, stay on the phone with 911 and drive towards the nearest police station.
"We don't want to see it escalate into someone getting hurt," Rosado said. "We do anticipate these types of offenses to occur as people are cashing large checks at banks and walking away with money so we are really trying to get ahead of it before that happens."
Other headlines: