A series of “jugging” incidents is under investigation in McKinney, Texas, after four bank customers at three separate Chase bank branches were targeted over the weekend.
In a jugging crime, a crook will stake out a bank, wait nearby, and target customers walking inside. McKinney Police told NBC 5 that in all four cases, the victims were followed after making a cash withdrawal from a Chase branch. (RELATED: Suspected Bank Robber Arrested After Slipping On Ice, Sending Cash Flying)
“Typically when you’re going into the bank you’re going to withdraw a larger amount of money than you can from an ATM, so that’s what they’re watching,” McKinney Police spokeswoman Anna Navarro told the outlet. “The person that withdrew the money will go inside a store, to a gas station, or do something, and the suspect will go up to the car, smash the window, take that envelope and drive away. So, it happens extremely quickly.”
McKinney Police described the four cases to the outlet. Two jugging victims made cash withdrawals at two separate Chase bank branches. After driving to separate locations to run errands, both victims returned to find their car windows smashed and the cash withdrawal envelopes stolen.
A third victim had just left another Chase bank branch and drove to a gas station. While he was inside, someone smashed his car window and stole an envelope containing $1,500. Another victim had her passenger side window smashed and her purse stolen after making a stop at the same Chase bank branch, according to police.
McKinney Police told the outlet that suspects are difficult to identify because jugging crimes happen so quickly. Police are urging people to put their money away before leaving the bank and remember that banks won’t replace money when it is stolen.
“It’s heartbreaking for us to work these cases because we feel the pain of these people that have lost a lot of money unfortunately,” Navarro said to the outlet.