HOUSTON – A Houston housekeeper is traumatized after she said thieves followed her home from the bank and stole her hard-earned cash, personal identification, and more.
The victim, who spoke only to KPRC 2 and asked for her identity to not be shared, withdrew $10,700 from a Bank of America near Washington and Yale on July 5.
“I started with nothing,” she said. “I had to work all these years in order to provide for my family, for my son.”
The money was all the single mother had in savings, she said, after cleaning three homes a day for the last five years.
“I was going to buy a new car, I was planning on celebrating my son’s birthday... also buying more cleaning supplies,” she said, adding that she planned to use the new car solely for her cleaning business. “All of that money was going to a purpose.”
She left the bank in the Washington Corridor and traveled about 40 minutes north, not realizing anyone may have been following. Once she arrived at her apartment complex in northwest Harris County, she stopped by the leasing office for a couple of minutes to drop off a document.
She came back to her car window busted and items cleaned out.
“I thought it was just a dream ... I just couldn’t believe it would happen so fast,” she said.
The thieves got away with her ID, passport, work permit, insurance cards, and iPad.
Harris County Sheriff’s Office investigators came to the complex and reviewed surveillance video but haven’t released it. She said they told her it shows the thieves targeted her.
“As soon as they saw me getting out of the car and walking through the front office, they immediately blocked behind my car,” she said. “A person got out of the vehicle and went into the side of my car and they broke the window.”
Investigators told her the cameras didn’t show a clear suspect description but it’s now under investigation by the HCSO Auto Theft Unit.
An HCSO spokesperson told KPRC 2 on Wednesday the department has investigated 92 jugging crimes so far this year across the county.
Last month, Houston police leaders announced jugging incidents are on the rise and created a task force to crack down on criminals targeting victims who leave places like a bank with items of value.
“When you leave those type of places, please pay attention to if you’re being followed. If you feel like you’re being followed, please call the police,” HPD Commander D.F. Hitzman said.
After the housekeeper’s entire savings was swept away and her identity stolen, she’s had a wake-up call about awareness and is scared for her safety.
“It has left me with so much trauma now to being out in the public,” she said. “I’m not hurt physically, but mentally, it’s a lot of damage.”
She’s also looking for a lawyer’s help to make progress on her case and try to hold whoever did it responsible.
MORE STORIES