HOUSTON – Houston police arrested two men who are both accused of "jugging." It's a crime trend that Local 2 has warned people about before -- criminals follow unsuspecting customers as they leave the bank, then either robbing them for the money or breaking into their cars to steal it.
Investigators believe the two men, Marvin Rue and Londun Mourning, could be connected to as many as 10 cases.
"That's essentially what they do on a daily bases," said Sgt. David Vega, with the Houston Police Department. "They go around from bank to bank looking for customers. That's all they do, that's how they make their living."
On Wednesday officers with HPD's southeast, eastside and northeast tactical units were watching when Rue and Mourning followed a customer from a bank on the Gulf Freeway near 610 to a Walmart parking lot. That's where investigators said the men busted out the customer's car windows and attempted to steal.
"They target banks and they look for customers going to the bank and then leaving," said Vega.
Investigators said the same vehicle Rue and Mourning were driving -- a black Dodge Magnum -- was wanted in connection to a jugging in Baytown on Monday. Police said a woman was followed from a bank in Houston to Baytown. Her car was broken into as it sat in the parking lot.
Police told Local 2 the victim was a courier doing work for the bank and the suspects ended up stealing a bag of receipts that they likely thought was a bag of cash.
"It's very important they are aware of their surroundings and the possibility that someone is watching them in the parking lot," said Detective Robert Parker, with Baytown police.
The suspects will be charged in both the Houston and Baytown crimes, investigators said.