"(The car which was reported stolen in San Antonio del Mar, January 18, 2011, has been recovered)
Neighborhood Watch commentary:
Communities in Punta Banda, including Ejido Cantú, have formed a Neighborhood Watch due to a rape that was committed recently, as well as a sudden
influx of some who seem intent on creating trouble. The following commentary was posted on the Punta Banda Newsletter on Jan 22, 2011 (#18353): http://groups.yahoo.com/group/puntabandanewsletter/. It is somewhat lengthy, but provides us an indication of how well a Neighborhood Watch
Program functions when people actively participate:
"A few comments about the incident on the beach yesterday morning that resulted in the arrest of 2 yay-hoos who were going house to house down the
beach trying to enter and do whatever they intended to do.
First, it was 9 a.m. in the morning...in the morning, broad daylight, people up and awake and drinking coffee and enjoying their lovely morning on the
beach.
It was NOT the dark of night or 3 a.m. when they could sneak around like rats and not be seen. It was broad daylight.
Second, they were brazen and basically unafraid when they were yelled at them and when they were confronted. They just moved on down the beach and
continued to do what they were doing at the next house when they were confronted prior to the police arriving.
Third, the neighborhood watch program DOES WORK. Calls went out up and down the spit and neighbors were alerted. One neighbor who was listening to the
message being left on their answering machine about the two headed south looked outside and they were on the patio of their house.
Fourth, our community MUST be vigilant and pull together and watch out for each other, even if we are the type of people who came here to be alone or
be left alone. We MUST watch out for each other and MUST be aggressive and resourceful and engaged in our surroundings and alert to who doesn't belong
here. We are the best deterent and the message needs to go out to the community that we're all tired of this and we're all working together to keep
criminal elements off our property and the property of our neighbors.
Know who your neighbors are even if they are a few houses away, have their numbers on speed dial and have 066 -- the 911 of Mexico -- on speed dial.
Have a phone nearby, not upstairs or half a house away. USE the phone and make the calls. 066 was called instantly yesterday and the Policia were here
in less than 10 minutes and the creeps are arrested.
Keep doors and windows locked, have dowels or boards on sliders and windows, have motion sensor lights front and back and sides, consider an alarm
system (some are expensive and sophisticated -- others can be purchased on line or at Home Depot fairly inexpensively), consider security cameras --
again some are fairly inexpensive. Our dogs -- who were the subject of a ton of newsletter comments last week -- are excellent alarms and deterents.
Let them use their keen senses and desire to protect us and their homes. Reward them and love them. Look to the US and what is happening there.
Cities there are NOT safe. As governments slash budgets, public safety is on the chopping block in a big way. Police response times there are
suffering and police are understaffed and not as engaged in the community. People need to look out for themselves and for others and know what to do
and how to pull together.
These are desperate times and bad people are willing to do more desperate acts.
Yesterday Neighborhood Watch worked and yesterday we were lucky. It will work again and those that do these acts need to know it works.
Finally, the Policia from Maneadero did their jobs well and efficiently yesterday and they are to be thanked and praised. They responded quickly, took
control of the incident, went after the bad guys with a vengeance, protected us and apprehended the 2 suspects. There were at least 5 police vehicles
on the spit and they are conducting followup investigations. A simple thank you from us when we run into them at a lunch stand or see them sitting
alongside the road, or we flag them down as they are driving past will go a long way folks toward making this the kind of place we all want it to be.
Stay safe, stay alert, stay engaged, be well."
PatDave - 1-25-2011 at 05:56 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Gypsy Jan
These are desperate times and bad people are willing to do more desperate acts.
I'm guessing this quote won't make the official travel poster. Mexicorn - 1-25-2011 at 06:00 PM
Good post Jan. Break in's have indeed increased. We must all be more vigilant and look out for one another. By being afraid or not wanting to get
involved will only increase the criminal activity in our neighborhoods. Nomads love Mexico-it's a fact and we must try to be good examples and do our
best to keep our communities safe.DENNIS - 1-25-2011 at 06:04 PM
There has been no Neighborhood Watch organized anywhere in this area. The closest thing to it was the response of neighbors to a couple of scumbags
crawling around the area in broad daylite. It was what a NW would do, but it was only coincidence that more than one party reacted at the same time
and it boggles my mind as to why that reaction wasn't of a physical nature.
Seeing the success of this effort, I'm surprised no one has mentioned a get-together to organise a line of defense, but they haven't.
In the past, I've been a strong proponent for vigilance and self responsibility on the PB Message Board and my efforts have fallen on deaf ears. Most
of these people refuse to see the problem and insist the area is crime free. Getting these folks organised will be a feat in itself.
I Just Do Not Like Posting Bad News
Gypsy Jan - 1-25-2011 at 06:17 PM
But, friends keep telling me, "Oh my house was broken into while I was gone or my car was broken into and my etc. was stolen, etc."
Please be careful and if you are so inclined, adopt a Baja Dog from a shelter; you will get unconditional love and loyalty and this dog will most
likely protect you and your property with all their heart and ability.
Ninjas caught in San Felipe
mcfez - 1-25-2011 at 06:28 PM
A while back ago...Campos Ocotillo...was being hit with thieving punks. Quad runner to big screens. In fact...young Salvador went into our house a
retrieved some items for safe keeping.....it was apparently that bad.
The issues is that many folks in our camp are older. They tend to stay indoors, cant hear real well, or just dont notice outdoor stuff.....the bad
guys lurking. A Neighborhood watch is worthless after 8 pm....everyone is asleep!
So old man Salvador hired a guy to patrol with a little electric (?) car, and a flashlight. His job is to roam the 80 -100 acre Campos.
The very first night....the security caught 3 dudes in Ninja outfits...coming up the side canyon! True story folks.
So....I say hire some old guy that could use a job.
[Edited on 1-26-2011 by mcfez]Woooosh - 1-25-2011 at 06:29 PM
Great post Jan. I liked the part about pulling people out of their comfort zones for everyone's benefit. I like the call to action- even if all you
can muster is to call 066. And yes, our beloved dogs really earn their kibble when we allow them to follow their instincts.
Petty crime is on the rise and we should all be in a defensive mode. This is considered "local interest" by the NOB press- so sorry Dennis, it won't
taint anyone's view of Baja Norte. Based on this report the police responded quickly and did all the right things to support you and your neighbors.
That's really good news and the best we can ask for right now. They are a target too.
Hijack Question: Now that the Military is officially in charge of all major crime in Rosarito Beach (the role of the local police is to "prevent
crime"), how come we can't call the Marinas direct? The Marinas should not want 066 calls filtered by the current police force who could quickly tip
off the cartels. The whole point of the Military being in Rosarito and the new State Police being formed is to replace the corrupt municipal police
with a clean fighting force that has expanded powers to fight corruption and the cartels. I don't get it. Seems like police tipping off the cartels
to anti-narco military activity would make a public shoot-out more likely and Rosarito less safe.
[Edited on 1-26-2011 by Woooosh]DENNIS - 1-25-2011 at 06:41 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Woooosh
Based on this report the police responded quickly and did all the right things to support you and your neighbors. That's really good news and the
best we can ask for right now.
There's an unmentioned reason for this. I won't go into it here, but you're right. It was an impressive response, five cars for two druggies. They
had to come out from Maneadero to boot.
I hope this doesn't give these folks an unreal sense of security. The response may not be so enthusiastic in the future.
