Authorities across the country are sounding the alarm as a fast-spreading crime trend surges just in time for the holiday shopping rush. This rising tactic, known as “jugging,” has become a favorite method for criminals looking to prey on unsuspecting victims leaving banks, ATMs, and retail stores. With shoppers carrying cash, gift cards, and pricey purchases, law enforcement says the threat is more serious than ever.
According to the FBI, jugging has evolved into a nationwide pattern. Criminals lie in wait near financial institutions or busy shopping centers, watching for individuals who withdraw cash or carry envelopes and shopping bags that signal an easy payday. As holiday crowds grow, so does the pool of targets.
Retired NYPD officer Bill Stanton explained the behavior in stark terms during an interview with Fox News Digital. He likened jugging to predators lurking near a watering hole, waiting for the right moment to strike. In this case, he said, ATMs and similar machines become the modern landscape where criminals stalk potential victims.
States across the map have reported spikes in these crimes, but Texas has been particularly overwhelmed. One of the most disturbing incidents occurred on November 10 in Houston, where a 70-year-old man was approached while using an ATM outside a Walmart. Police say the suspect forced the man to withdraw cash at gunpoint before shooting him and fleeing. The victim, who was rushed to the hospital, remains in critical condition.
That case was only one in a string of similar attacks. On April 29, Houston police say a man withdrawing money from a Wells Fargo ATM was tailed to a nearby car wash. The suspect brandished a gun, attempted to rob him, and then took off on foot before escaping in a white SUV.
Just a day earlier, two suspects allegedly followed another man from a Chase Bank. When the victim briefly stepped into a gas station, the thieves moved in. Surveillance footage shows the criminals boxing in his car and smashing both front windows before grabbing an envelope of cash left in the center console.
Detectives believe the same two suspects were involved in the attempted robbery the next day, suggesting a coordinated effort rather than isolated crimes. Law enforcement warns that jugging crews often operate in groups, scanning parking lots and bank entrances for their next target.
The ongoing damage has prompted both local and federal authorities to crack down. Federal prosecutors in Texas highlighted the seriousness of the threat earlier this year when a Houston man received a 10-year prison sentence for a jugging-related robbery. In that case, the criminal targeted an ATM technician carrying service funds.
Investigators say jugging operations are becoming more organized and more brazen, with some criminals following victims for miles before making their move. Police advise shoppers not to carry visible envelopes or large amounts of cash and to stay alert when approaching or leaving banks and major stores.
As holiday shopping intensifies, law enforcement is urging Americans to take extra precautions. Police departments nationwide warn that this crime wave thrives on distraction, routine, and predictable behavior—and they encourage the public to remain vigilant to avoid becoming the next target.
Department of Justice
Prosecutors said 33-year-old Johnny Juwan Clark was already on supervised release for a previous robbery when he and three accomplices forced an ATM worker to the ground and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in Midlothian, Texas. Clark was part of a Houston-based criminal ring called the “Hiram Clarke Money Team,” and admitted following the technician through multiple stops before ambushing him in front of a Chase Bank ATM, according to the DOJ.
