Cedar Park police are urging local residents to remain alert following the arrest of three men from Waco, Texas, who were apprehended after a high-speed chase on April 30. The incident began when employees at a Wells Fargo bank reported suspicious behavior indicative of a potential “jugging” situation.
Jugging refers to a crime where an individual waits for someone to withdraw cash from a bank or ATM and then follows them to steal the money. This crime, which was classified as a felony in Texas as of last September, has been increasingly prevalent.
Cpl. Dan Kitchens of the Cedar Park Police Department noted the frequency of such incidents, stating, “It’s a fairly common phenomenon. We deal with it several times a year, ranging anywhere from $500 to we had one incident a few years ago with a $100,000 loss.”
On that Thursday morning, bank staff observed a group of men acting suspiciously as they monitored customers. When police arrived, the suspects attempted to flee, prompting a high-speed pursuit through the Riviera neighborhood. During the chase, two of the men exited their moving vehicle.
Officers managed to apprehend Gabriel Lara and Nicholas Barrientos after a brief foot chase. The driver, Ruben Barrientos, continued to evade capture but crashed soon after on the 183 to 45 flyover, where he was subsequently taken into custody.
All three men, identified as being from Waco, admitted during questioning that they had come to the area with intentions of committing jugging-type robberies. Fortunately, police intervened before any thefts took place, leading to charges solely for evading arrest.
Investigators also suspect the trio may have been involved in a jugging incident in Austin the previous Friday, although no victim had been reported at that time. Additionally, detectives have linked them to an active case in Oklahoma, where approximately $25,000 was stolen from a victim who was followed to a place of worship.
Authorities are reminding the public to stay vigilant, avoid leaving cash in vehicles, and to contact 911 if they feel they are being followed.
