The police have issued warnings against jugging, as the robbery crime on the rise continues to plague the streets of the US, so we have explained its meaning for your awareness.
People are alarmed by the term going around in the media after a shocking video showing a woman being attacked in Houston came to light. The victim was paralyzed as a result of the violent robbery.
The country is grappling with similar crimes for a long time, including another infamous incident that reportedly saw a Nike warehouse in Memphis get robbed by two thieves, nearly a month ago.
For your own safety, here’s what you need to know about jugging robberies and how they are conducted.
What is jugging robbery? Meaning explained
Judging robbery is a type of crime, typically involving two people – a spotter and a driver.
The spotter watches every move of the victim closely, while they are out shopping, filling up the gas tank at the gas station, or headed to an ATM to withdraw cash.
According to the police, the thieves are on the lookout for victims who are often distracted with their belongings, so they can swiftly run up to them, snatch their purses or other packages and run away.
Meanwhile, the driver, who is as involved in the planned crime, helps the spotter get away from the crime scene once the task has been achieved.
Jugging has long existed, but criminals are believed to have gone more violent with the technique in the recent past as there are several incidents of severe attacks during jugging in the US alone.
Crime leaves Houston woman paralyzed
Two teens have reportedly been arrested and charged in relation to the jugging of a Houston woman, who was paralyzed after suffering an impact during the attack.
The viral video shows the suspect walking toward the woman, Nhung Truong, who was carrying with her an estimated $4,300 in cash, which she had withdrawn from a Bank of America, for a planned trip to see her family in Vietnam.
The suspect snatches Nhung’s wallet and runs, only to come back for the envelope with the cash when he realized the wallet did not have what he was looking for.
When the victim tries to fight him, the thief grabs her and slams her down onto the concrete. Nhung’s daughter revealed in a GoFundMe set up for her mother that the latter suffered a spinal cord injury and the recovery could take years.
Tips to be safe
The Houston Police Department has offered tips to the public after witnessing about 812 juggings in the city between January and November 2022, as opposed to 720 incidents in 2021. Apart from being vigilant, here’s what you need to do in order to be safe.
- Women are advised to keep their wallets tucked deep under the armpit and carry them to their vehicle in the same position until they get in. Throwing the purse or personal belongings to the passenger’s seat before locking the doors is not advised as thieves can pop up from the other side and for your wallet or other things.
- If a thief attacks you and you’re struggling to free yourself, stand steady and deliver two fast kicks to the groin area of the jugger. Pull back as hard as you can and break free by leaving the purse or other belongings which are held by the jugger.
- If you see someone watching you from outside a bank or a store, do not walk out on your own. Alert the manager on duty and request for someone to walk you out to your car, so you aren’t alone.
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