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Jul 16, 2023

Jugging crimes up across Houston in 2023, investigators say

Investigators with Houston Police Department’s robbery division appealed to the

Investigators with Houston Police Department's robbery division appealed to the public last week, seeking help to identify a man suspected in a so-called jugging attack March 8 in north Houston.

The man followed another person from a bank and then robbed him in front of a convenience store in the 3500 block of Laura Koppe, according to investigators. Video of the robbery showed a man in a mask and dark-colored clothes jump out of the back passenger door of an SUV and confront another man, before quickly fleeing.

It was the latest sign of an uptick in the number of jugging cases in Houston in 2023. In April, for instance, the number of jugging reports increased from 56 in 2022, to 93 this year, an increase of about 66 percent, according to Houston Police Department data provided by Sgt. Tracy Hicks of the department's auto crimes task force.

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A jugging is a type of crime, popular in the Houston area, in which a person watches a high-end business or a bank, waiting for someone to withdraw money or purchase a high-dollar item, before following them and robbing them or stealing from them.

Detective Jeff Brieden of the Houston police's robbery division attributed the increase to a growing awareness of the crime and the realization it can be a comparatively easy path to quick cash. In prior years, investigators typically associated it with veteran criminals because it took patience and effort, he said. But the demographics of such crooks have been shifting younger, he said.

The type of crime has been on the rise in recent years, increasing from about 715 in 2021 to around 850 in 2022, according to Hicks’ data. Each month through April 2023 had an increase from 2022's numbers.

Many juggings are preventable with an increased level of awareness and caution from residents, Brieden said.

"What we’re seeing on our end is a lot of common denominators," he said.

Prospective thieves often will use dark-tinted vehicles and those with temporary license plates to avoid identification, Brieden said. So, residents about to go into a bank should exercise caution and check to see whether there are any vehicles that make them uneasy, he said.

It's also important not to draw attention to oneself after leaving a bank, such as displaying a money belt, he said. The March 8 jugging, for instance, began when a man left a bank with a coin box, Brieden explained. The money contained within it wasn't much, but the box drew attention.

Anyone who believes they’re being followed after leaving a bank should make several turns to double-check whether the other vehicle is following them, Brieden said. If they are, concerned residents can contact police or drive to a nearby station. If someone is following you, don't return home, Brieden said.

"If you’re the victim of a robbery, pay attention to as many specifics about the suspect as you can," Brieden said.