As the holiday season approaches, law enforcement is warning Americans to stay alert. With Thanksgiving just a week away and Christmas around the corner, authorities say criminals are on the lookout for easy targets.
Officials are especially concerned about “jugging,” a crime in which suspects follow people withdrawing cash from ATMs, banks, or stores and steal it once they find the perfect opportunity.
In July 2024, the FBI released a statement explaining the meaning behind the term.
“‘Jugging’ refers to a crime in which a suspect, or group of suspects, targets customers believed to have large amounts of cash. The perpetrators either rob customers while in the parking lot of a bank, credit union, or ATM or follow them to their next location,” the FBI said at the time.
As Trending Politics pointed out, jugging crimes increase drastically during the holiday season because people often carry cash or lavish gifts.
While speaking with Fox News, retired NYPD officer Bill Stanton explained what he believed jugging is.
“Jugging is just, in my opinion, a slang term for crimes of opportunity,” Stanton told the outlet. “Think of predators, where there are crocodiles or water creatures that hang out by the watering hole, right? And in this case, it’s an ATM or an ATM-type machine.”
Several cases of jugging have been reported across the U.S. this year.
In September, two individuals were arrested by authorities in Texas for allegedly stealing an envelope of cash from a person who was pumping gas.
The suspects, Keshawne Shamar Jones and Kedarion Meeks, allegedly followed the victim from a bank and later stole his money from his car when he wasn’t looking.
Round Rock Police charged the duo with theft ranging from $2,500 to $30,000. The crime became a felony in Texas upon the passage of House Bill 1902. Penalties can include life in prison.
Oklahoma also experienced jugging and informed the public about the crime.
On Oct. 8, Oklahoma City Police released a video on X that demonstrates a series of jugging-related arrests carried out by law enforcement.
“Always hide your cash, stay aware of your surroundings leaving a bank or ATM,” the department warned.
Stanton pointed out that criminals will often strike victims when they aren’t paying attention.
“If you give the impression that you are prey, that you are lunch or dinner by way of giving up your money, it’s only a matter of time,” Stanton told Fox News. “It’s not a matter of if, but when. Just because it’s never happened before, doesn’t mean that you’re untouchable – it means that you’re lucky.”
