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Two banks in Bowie are the latest to be involved in 'bank jugging' incidents Wednesday.
BOWIE, Md. — The number of bank customers being targeted by armed robbers in Maryland continues to increase. WUSA9 has reported on several bank jugging incidents. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, bank jugging is when people leaving the bank or ATM are followed and targeted in a robbery.
Bowie Police are now investigating two new armed robberies that took place Wednesday afternoon. The first took place just after midnight at a Truist Bank along Laurel-Bowie Road. The second robbery happened just 2 and half miles down the road at a TD bank on Collington Road just after 11:30 a.m.
“It’s really scary,” a woman who goes to the TD Bank in Bowie, Joyce Newberne-Phillips said.
“For them to come out in the open daylight and rob that’s scary. I would never expect that,” Newberne-Phillips said. “Who would have guts to …think… the police department is right over here… the whole brand new Bowie police department so we are already believing we’re safe.”
People across the DC, Maryland and Virginia region are on high alert when it comes to bank jugging.
“It makes me not feel very safe,” Bowie resident, Stacia Wright said. “It’s really disconcerting. I hadn’t heard the term before but it is one of those things where this is a metropolitan area.”
Bowie Police said they've seen in uptick in bank jugging in the city. Meanwhile some residents said they’re surprised by this.
“Anything can happen,” a woman who uses the bank often, Christian Solomon said. “Being a banker, I see something like this, it's pretty common.”
Bowie Police are offering some tips.
- Be aware of your surroundings outside of the bank.
- Store your cash in a discreet way, that means you should put it in your purse or wallet.
- Vary your routine and change your habits.
- Always lock your doors, close your windows and make sure all valuables are put away and lastly report any suspicious activity.
Meanwhile people in Bowie say they’ll be on the lookout.
“It is something that you’re not paying attention to,” Wright said. “Now I will be paying a lot more attention to and being a lot more careful.”
“I don’t want to carry a weapon, I don’t, but if I have to, I will start because it’s getting too far,” Newberne-Phillips said.
At this time, police have not made any arrests in connection to either robberies. Anyone with information is asked to contact the police.
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