Two Houston men arrested in New Braunfels following 'bank jugging' robbery and chase

By
FOX Local
Published September 6, 2026 10:36 AM CDT

22-year old Mekhi McKinstry of Richmond, TX, and 20-year old Christian Woods of Houston, TX

The Brief

    • Two Houston-area men face felony charges after a "bank jugging" robbery Thursday in New Braunfels ended in a foot chase.
    • Officers used license plate readers, K-9s, and drones to track and arrest the suspects after they fled a traffic stop.
    • The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries, and authorities say additional charges may be pending as the investigation continues.

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas - Two Houston-area men face felony charges following a "bank jugging" robbery Thursday morning that ended with a foot chase through a nearby wooded area, according to police.

New Braunfels aggravated robbery

What we know:

The incident happened around 10:15 a.m. in the 2200 block of Meadow Way. Officers with the New Braunfels Police Department responded after an adult female victim reported being assaulted in her driveway shortly after returning home from a bank. An unknown male tried to steal her purse before leaving in a greenish-yellow Chevrolet Trax driven by an accomplice.

Responding officers used the department's automated license plate reader system to track the suspect vehicle, finding it a short time later turning onto the Interstate 35 access road from North Kowald Lane.

When officers tried a traffic stop, the vehicle pulled into a gas station at Loop 337 and Business 35, where both people in the vehicle got out and ran.

One suspect was arrested immediately at the scene. The second suspect ran into a nearby wooded area but was tracked down and taken into custody without incident following a search involving police K-9s, drones, and assistance from the Comal County Sheriff’s Office.

Suspects identified

Police identified the suspects as Mekhi McKinstry, 22, of Richmond, Texas, and Christian Woods, 20, of Houston. Both men were booked into the Comal County Jail on charges of aggravated robbery and evading arrest or detention.

The victim did not require hospitalization.

Dig deeper:

Law enforcement officials warned that the incident is consistent with "bank jugging," a trend where perpetrators monitor individuals leaving financial institutions or ATMs, follow them to a secondary location, and commit robbery or vehicle burglary.

The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities indicated additional charges may be pending.

The Source: Information in this article is from the New Braunfels Police Department.

New BraunfelsCrime and Public SafetyHouston