Cedar Park police say a suspected "jugging" crew turned a quiet late morning into a chase scene on Thursday, after an incident at a Wells Fargo branch ended with a Dodge Charger smashed into a concrete wall near the US-183/SH-45 flyover. Three men were arrested around 11 a.m., and while the pursuit looked dramatic, no injuries were reported.
How the chase unfolded
According to KEYE/CBS Austin, it started with a call about multiple people acting suspiciously at a Wells Fargo, including one person inside the bank. The caller also flagged an older Dodge Charger tied to the group.
By the time officers arrived, the car had already taken off. A short time later, it was spotted heading west on Whitestone. A Cedar Park detective tailed the Charger as it pulled into a Bank of America parking lot, at which point the driver hit the gas and the chase was on.
The car cut through a nearby neighborhood and two occupants bailed out and ran. Both were quickly detained, while the driver kept going until crashing into a concrete wall near the US-183/SH-45 flyover. Officers took the driver into custody at the scene.
What "jugging" looks like and safety advice
Police describe jugging as a tactic where suspects watch customers at banks or ATMs, then follow them to another location to steal their cash. It has become a growing concern around area bank parking lots and ATMs.
The Austin Police Department advises customers not to leave cash visible in vehicles, to vary their route after leaving a bank, and to call 911 right away if they think someone is following them. Those tips are part of a broader push by local agencies to cut down on opportunistic robberies linked to financial institutions.
Suspects and a possible wider linkage
Officers identified the three people arrested as 20-year-old Gabriel Lara, 20-year-old Nicholas Barrientos and 25-year-old Ruben Barrientos, KEYE/CBS Austin reports.
Authorities say the group may be tied to an Oklahoma jugging case in which about $25,000 was taken from a victim at a place of worship. That earlier incident and its court documents were covered by KOCO last year. Cedar Park detectives say their investigation is still active and more details will be released when available.
What police want residents to know
Cedar Park police are asking anyone with video or information from the Whitestone area around the time of the chase to contact investigators. They are also reminding residents to call 911 if they see active suspicious behavior near banks or ATMs.
For non-emergency reports, the city lists a main contact number and online reporting tools through the official City of Cedar Park website. Officials say they will share updates as new developments emerge in the case.
