Nurse Shares Video Showing Moment He May Have Been Targeted in ‘Jugging'

Heart-stopping video captured on a home surveillance camera shows a Richardson man run for his life as a stranger darts after him.

Richardson police tell NBC 5 it could be an attempted jugging.

Juggings involve criminals staking out banks looking for customers leaving with cash, either visibly on their person or money they are seen placing somewhere in their vehicle.

The crooks then follow their potential victim to their next stop and either rob them or break into the victim’s car to take the money.

Ricky asked NBC 5 to not use his last name but wants to share his close call in hopes of helping others.

“Lucky for me, I was untouched,” he said. “For anybody else, I don’t want anything to happen to them. The amount of cash could be small, but the injury could be fatal.”

He says he stopped by the Bank of America on Centennial Boulevard in Richardson on Monday afternoon between 3:45-4 to withdraw some cash.

He then drove to his house located about five minutes away where he parked and noticed a car parking near his home.

“I noticed someone in the mirror, but I didn’t think much of it and I got out,” he said.

Ricky said the car drove away from his house but then suddenly did a U-turn and sped back toward him.

“They got out fast, charging,” said Ricky. “[I was like] Ok, well I don’t know what this is but I think you’re coming after me so let’s go.”

Ricky says his safety training as a nurse kicked in.

He jetted toward his backyard as one guy, described by Richardson Police as a male in his late teens or 20s dressed in all black with white sneakers zooms by after Ricky.

A second guy gets out of the back passenger side and is heard on home surveillance video calling his buddy back to their car.

“Come on J.J. It’s all good,” he can be heard saying.

The black-clad suspect runs back into the getaway car and they leave for good.

Ricky says he was not hurt during the confrontation.

“I’ve never had this experience before so, I was kinda freaked out,” he said. “I had a little bit of cash on me so I was like, 'I think I know what he’s after,' because I don’t get involved with anybody who can cause this situation.”

Ricky is also coming forward hoping people in the Asian community, he says frequently carry cash, are vigilant in case Asians are being targeted.

Richardson Police say this could be an attempted jugging, where criminals watch for easy targets leaving banks with money, envelopes or money bags visible.  The crooks will follow their potential victims to their next location and scope out if they leave their withdrawal in their car.

Juggers will then wait for the victim to go inside to break into their vehicle within seconds.

There are some cases where juggers have confronted their victims and robbed them.

Ricky admits he was not very vigilant when leaving the bank with his cash in the front pocket of his jacket.

“My first mistake and the officer pointed it out, was when you come out of the bank don’t have anything in your hand, nothing in your pocket. That’s what I should have done,” he said. “And looking around is not enough because the officer said they could have binoculars, watching from a distance.”

Officer Mike Wieczorek provided NBC 5 with tips to help avoid falling victim to a jugging:

• Always be aware of your surroundings. Watch for anyone following you.
• Conceal your money before leaving the bank, including bank bags, bank envelopes or coin boxes.
• Don’t leave your money in the car at your next destination.
• If you suspect you are being targeted, call 911 and give the dispatcher your location and the direction you’re going. Then drive to the nearest police station until marked police cars can meet you.
• Also, watch for any vehicles in the parking lot with occupants who appear to be watching customers and banking activity.