Learned a lesson about "jugging"

[bliss79]

As of yesterday, I was unaware of this practice, and that is what caused the "never again" of this post. There were things that, out of ignorance, I didn't do.
I was taking my two small children to see a movie around 3 pm, and this place only takes cash, so we had to stop at the ATM. When I drove around the bank to the ATM there was a car facing the wrong way at the machine, like the passenger was the one making the transaction. I thought this odd, but could easily enough be explained, so I waited for them to move. Once they were gone I began my withdraw. As I was doing this another car came very slowly around me on the right side of my vehicle, which is not designed for 2 vehicles. All 3 drive-thru lanes were empty and there was no good reason for them to take the route they did. So this got my attention. I made sure there was no one on foot and then completed my withdraw. As I was leaving I felt very uneasy. When I reached the end of the driveway I could see the car that passed me sitting between the two rows of parking spots facing away from me and had the brakes applied (could see the brake lights). As soon as I came into their view, they made a 180 and then sat there just shy of my position. At this point I am certain that they plan to follow me, but I'm still thinking it is just someone being an idiot. So I sit for about 45 seconds giving them an oppurturnity to leave, they did not, so I turned towards them and looped around the building. As I came around they were still sitting there and again when I came into view they began towards me. I was determined not to be followed, so I turned onto the road and then right back into the parking lot and was now directly behind them. They then made a left turn heading back towards the main lot of the shopping center, and I followed. As soon as they were obstructed by traffic, I made a quick turn and headed to the highway, and they were unable to follow. So we carry on with our day and I don't really give it another thought (one of my mistakes).
We finish up our day and as im about to call it a night, I see a video (unrelated to jugging) that a friend posted on facebook and watched it. As it finished a new video started, and as it did I became sick at my stomach from the content. It was a video of 2 events in Houston that described EXACTLY what had happened to me earlier. People scouting you out at a bank or ATM, and then follow you to your next destination, then either rob you or break in to your vehicle.
So in my ignorance I failed to do a few things. First I made a potentially dangerous assumption that this person(s) were just being idiots. I did not make a good enough effort to get a plate number. They had paper plates and when I first noticed this, I was too far away to read it. Once I was behind them I never even thought to look again. I focused only on the second vehicle, I still have no idea where the first car ended up, or if it was in fact the same car. And (the part that I hate the most) I did not report it until MUCH later. I have looked everywhere I can and am very grateful that I have not come across any reports in the area of any victims of this yesterday. I'm sure there are other things that could have been done better, but glad it ended they way it did, and that I did not have to use my weapon in front of my children.

[youngin]

Wow, didn't know this was even a thing! I'm glad you didn't get hurt, and nothing came out of it.

Thanks for letting us know, especially since I'm a young Houstonian!

[The Annoyed Man]

Wow, didn't know this was even a thing! I'm glad you didn't get hurt, and nothing came out of it.

Thanks for letting us know, especially since I'm a young Houstonian!

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[jimlongley]

Why I often use a dash cam.

[Oldgringo]

Another reason that I'm glad that we call a rural hamlet of some 3,500-4,000 God fearin' folk home.

(The signs at the edge of town reads POP. 5,500 but some 1,500-2,000 of 'em are either in one of the prisons or the state hospital.)

[bliss79]

Why I often use a dash cam.

That is starting to sound like a better idea every day!

[schufflerbot]

my buddy has a twin cam system in his daily driver that records - almost 180* front and rear. The footage is recording on a 24hr loop and he stops the recording if he needs to review the footage. pretty neat and would have probably been a useful tool after this happened.

[powerboatr]

Another reason that I'm glad that we call a rural hamlet of some 3,500-4,000 God fearin' folk home.

(The signs at the edge of town reads POP. 5,500 but some 1,500-2,000 of 'em are either in one of the prisons or the state hospital.)

me to cept most our population is COWS

weird term "jugging"
I cant remember the last time I used an atm either

[ELB]

As soon as they were obstructed by traffic, I made a quick turn and headed to the highway, and they were unable to follow.

Nice shake. You did well overall.

[bliss79]

As soon as they were obstructed by traffic, I made a quick turn and headed to the highway, and they were unable to follow.

Nice shake. You did well overall.

Thank you. I hope there is not a "next time", but if there is, I know the things I will do better.

[powerboatr]

Ok my wife I talked about this today....

so of course a few questions arose
not picking and certainly not trying to diminish your story or situation, ones safety and ones family safety are paramount, only actually being at the scene can provide all the details like you did.

1. Why not call 911 while your decoying the follower? Or at first indication an unsavory event may be happening? Its sounds like these persons were watching others before you arrived
2. car in the atm wrong direction and then one pulls up to the odd side ? evasive maneuver to get ones self and children out of potential harms way , wife would have drove over a hedge or ?? not picking, we were trained by folks that live to not be boxed in...
3. we shared your story with my mother in law 86 because her and her friends on bingo nights are targets..


again thanks for sharing, as it brought forward a conversation on awareness of our surroundings.

[LDB415]

That's a new one to me too. I read the title and thought of the Darling family on the Andy Griffith Show and the old man (Denver Pyle) blowing on the moonshine jug while the boys played banjo, bass and whatever. I won't use drive throughs of any sort, ATM or fast food or whatever, but still it's a good reminder to pay attention always.

[bliss79]

Ok my wife I talked about this today....

so of course a few questions arose
not picking and certainly not trying to diminish your story or situation, ones safety and ones family safety are paramount, only actually being at the scene can provide all the details like you did.

1. Why not call 911 while your decoying the follower? Or at first indication an unsavory event may be happening? Its sounds like these persons were watching others before you arrived
2. car in the atm wrong direction and then one pulls up to the odd side ? evasive maneuver to get ones self and children out of potential harms way , wife would have drove over a hedge or ?? not picking, we were trained by folks that live to not be boxed in...
3. we shared your story with my mother in law 86 because her and her friends on bingo nights are targets..


again thanks for sharing, as it brought forward a conversation on awareness of our surroundings.

Happy to answer, and certainly do not feel like you are picking.
1. While it was going on, I never felt like it was more than people just being idiots. It was not until later that night that I was even aware this (jugging) was a thing.
2. At the location there were plenty of outs if I needed them. But the car coming by on the wrong side did make me a little more aware of what was going on.
3. I also shared with my mom, step-mom, and mother-in-law.

[bliss79]

That's a new one to me too. I read the title and thought of the Darling family on the Andy Griffith Show and the old man (Denver Pyle) blowing on the moonshine jug while the boys played banjo, bass and whatever. I won't use drive throughs of any sort, ATM or fast food or whatever, but still it's a good reminder to pay attention always.

I love those episodes, now I know what I will be watching on Netflix tonight. Thanks!

[powerboatr]

Ok my wife I talked about this today....

so of course a few questions arose
not picking and certainly not trying to diminish your story or situation, ones safety and ones family safety are paramount, only actually being at the scene can provide all the details like you did.

1. Why not call 911 while your decoying the follower? Or at first indication an unsavory event may be happening? Its sounds like these persons were watching others before you arrived
2. car in the atm wrong direction and then one pulls up to the odd side ? evasive maneuver to get ones self and children out of potential harms way , wife would have drove over a hedge or ?? not picking, we were trained by folks that live to not be boxed in...
3. we shared your story with my mother in law 86 because her and her friends on bingo nights are targets..


again thanks for sharing, as it brought forward a conversation on awareness of our surroundings.

Happy to answer, and certainly do not feel like you are picking.
1. While it was going on, I never felt like it was more than people just being idiots. It was not until later that night that I was even aware this (jugging) was a thing.
2. At the location there were plenty of outs if I needed them. But the car coming by on the wrong side did make me a little more aware of what was going on.
3. I also shared with my mom, step-mom, and mother-in-law.

Thanks
this is a great discussion, neighbor and i had a few minutes over it this morning,
awareness is KEY