Frightening Texas 'jugging' incident caught on camera amid nationwide increase in violent robberies

DALLAS -- Police in Dallas say Texas dad Mark Gardner was a victim of bank jugging, coming face to face with three armed men as they surrounded his car with his stepson in the passenger seat.

The frightening moments were caught on camera.

"Never, ever did I think something like this would happen," Gardner said.

"Jugging" is when criminals wait as unsuspecting victims withdraw cash from an ATM, follow the victims to their destination and, in many cases, rob them at gunpoint.

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It's exactly what police say happened to Gardner just this week. Video shows Gardner backing into his driveway when an SUV immediately pulls in front, blocking him in. Three men with guns hop out and try to bust through the windows.

"This is where they took the butt of the gun and kept pounding it, 'Give it up! Give it up!' I started banging back, and it startled the guy, who went back," Gardner said.

Desperate to get to safety, Gardner then took off, dragging two of the suspects who had latched on to the door handles.

Police said these violent robberies are on the rise nationwide, but particularly, across Texas.

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Another incident happened at a Dallas gas station in May. Video shows a woman pumping gas after coming from a nearby bank. Then, a man smashes her window and jumps into the front seat of her SUV before grabbing the envelope of cash and taking off.

"So many of these jugging schemes are armed robbery. In many states, they can carry 20 to 25 years if you actually harm the person," said ABC News Crime and Terrorism Analyst Brad Garrett.

Gardner is just grateful to escape and share his story to warn others.

"If we could protect one person," Gardner said.