BajaNomad

What to do about police ripoff

babaoreilly - 12-23-2013 at 09:46 AM

So my neighbor's camp on the East Cape was robbed of a nice Stihl chainsaw.
This was Friday.

I saw the La Ribera Municipal cops (three officers in an extended-cab official white police truck with racks on the back) in my neighbor's camp just before he noticed it missing.
I thought he was in camp at the time, but he wasn't.

They hauled asp out and returned 30 minutes later, by which time he had returned. They scoped him out but didn't stop.

They were also asking everybody nearby for money, residents and campers alike, Mexican and gringo. They were keeping a book with donations in it, and adding a zero to each person's donation, trying to influence the donations of the next people.

They didn't stop at my camp, but slowed down and checked it out.
Twice. Never asked me for money.
They didn't see me the first time, but did the second.

So what should I do?
Should I mention it online or what?
Should he confront the cops? Their boss?

David K - 12-23-2013 at 09:49 AM

Must be getting close to Christmas... the time of giving... ?

gnukid - 12-23-2013 at 09:52 AM

You don't have a very strong case to proceed. You would need to document an actual theft with proof, two witnesses, receipts of original purchase, photos and even then you will likely not get very far excel to discourage the behavior.

Instead be calm, be vigilant, use a camera to document activity and if you do have a case consider using anonymous reporting services.

[Edited on 12-23-2013 by gnukid]

Mula - 12-23-2013 at 09:57 AM

Between Christmas and New Years the Loreto Police used to take up collections/donations to be used for their National Police Day - January 2.

This was between 2006 and 2009.

Don't know what they did with the donations.

Don't know if they still do this or not.

Osprey - 12-23-2013 at 10:03 AM

La Ribera just a little while ago had a major change at the cop shop >> new Commandante, mostly new cops. We were all smiles until they showed themselves to be more brazen and lawless than the last bunch. They came to my gate, I gave em some pesos and my dog went after the one with the donation list. The others just laughed.

Your only hope is the Policia Ministerio but on this kind of event I'd say you would be wasting your time and maybe making things worse. I give the Ministerios gas money for patrols. Don't ask me why because I don't really know.

[Edited on 12-23-2013 by Osprey]

bajabuddha - 12-23-2013 at 10:57 AM

There's only one thing you can do... IF YOU LOVE IT, LOCK IT. Your neighbor was derelict in leaving the saw accessible or visible. This has gone on as a rule, not an exception for a long, long time, and it's getting worse. Desperate times lead to desperate measures; tourism and Gringo Dinero has really dropped because of all the cartel killings in the north-east part of Mexico, and petty theft for resale has risen proportionately. Also, if policia don't 'turn their heads' to corruption (or join in) their lives are in danger. This also leads to their own increase in 'get what you can' mentality.

An associate once confronted a policia and refused to pay mordida on an obvious shake-down and was very adamant; he had a pistol stuck up inside his nose, and the cop said, "Tienes armas, tienes poder" (we have the guns, we have the power). He paid the mordida.

The xmas 'donation drives' are also a tradition, and i always throw in something, but all i hope for in return is to be left alone. Also, always generous to the local Ambulancia crews and the Cruce Rojas charity boxes at local topes. Even donated a few backboards to the Mulege medics because they were using plywood boards for transport; our EMT barn had new fiberglass ones, the older types were no longer OSHA approved.

One more 'warning' about the holiday season, watch the change in speed limit signs; bus stops in the middle of nowhere that go from 80/110 kmh down to 40 kmh are excellent radar traps, and many an officer's kids have enjoyed great gifts this time of year.

Lee - 12-23-2013 at 11:46 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajabuddha
There's only one thing you can do... IF YOU LOVE IT, LOCK IT. Your neighbor was derelict in leaving the saw accessible or visible. This has gone on as a rule, not an exception for a long, long time, and it's getting worse. Desperate times lead to desperate measures; tourism and Gringo Dinero has really dropped because of all the cartel killings in the north-east part of Mexico, and petty theft for resale has risen proportionately. Also, if policia don't 'turn their heads' to corruption (or join in) their lives are in danger. This also leads to their own increase in 'get what you can' mentality.


Such emotion. And, let's blame the victim while posting.

Be generous with the cops all year. They come around, give them money, give them food. Assume they will help you when you need help because you've helped them. Sometimes karma does works.

Hanging with cops isn't a bad thing.

babaoreilly - 12-23-2013 at 12:25 PM

Thanks for the info.

Hey Lee, I think that was the problem.
He used to hang with the cops, give them gifts and money,
but stopped when he caught them stealing from his camp two years ago.

Osprey, money for their gas to patrol?
I suppose it keeps them out of La Ribera longer...

smile and grin at the change all around you

mtgoat666 - 12-23-2013 at 12:52 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Osprey
La Ribera just a little while ago had a major change at the cop shop >> new Commandante, mostly new cops. We were all smiles until they showed themselves to be more brazen and lawless than the last bunch.


meet the new boss
same as the old boss

monoloco - 12-23-2013 at 01:09 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Lee
Quote:
Originally posted by bajabuddha
There's only one thing you can do... IF YOU LOVE IT, LOCK IT. Your neighbor was derelict in leaving the saw accessible or visible. This has gone on as a rule, not an exception for a long, long time, and it's getting worse. Desperate times lead to desperate measures; tourism and Gringo Dinero has really dropped because of all the cartel killings in the north-east part of Mexico, and petty theft for resale has risen proportionately. Also, if policia don't 'turn their heads' to corruption (or join in) their lives are in danger. This also leads to their own increase in 'get what you can' mentality.


Such emotion. And, let's blame the victim while posting.

Be generous with the cops all year. They come around, give them money, give them food. Assume they will help you when you need help because you've helped them. Sometimes karma does works.

Hanging with cops isn't a bad thing.
The cops come around here all the time, I refuse to give them any money except for 200 pesos on Dia del Transito in December when they come around collecting for the Xmas party and have a sign off sheet with the donation listed. Some of my neighbors give them money all the time, personally, I don't believe that giving them money has any effect whatsoever on their performance, they are completely useless whether you pay them or not. Ask a Mexican sometime if they ever give the cops money for "gasolina", it will be good for a hearty laugh. It took a while, but now I have them trained to not even ask anymore. Blaming the victim in this case is appropriate, this is Mexico, if you don't secure your property, it will walk. It's been that way forever and is not likely to change, anyone who's been here for any length of time knows that we all have to take responsibility for our own security because it will not be provided by the police or anyone else.

[Edited on 12-23-2013 by monoloco]

DavidE - 12-23-2013 at 03:25 PM

I've got a manganese steel chain and a ultra security American Lock. The chain gets run through anything likely to grow legs and then fits around a frame member.

Manganese steel will knock a chunk out of a four foot long Rigid bolt cutter, shred the diamond chips off of a cable saw, strip the teeth off a bi-metal hacksaw blade, rip the edge off a cutting saw, and laugh at liquid nitrogen. The price of my manganese square link chain made me weep.

mulegemichael - 12-23-2013 at 04:30 PM

lookit this way:....someone gits a new chainsaw for christmas!!....what's the problema?

David E

huesos - 12-23-2013 at 04:46 PM

Can you describe the American lock that goes with that chain? It surprised me that cameras are as effective as they are down here. Awareness of being caught on DVR seems to be prevalent.

bajabuddha - 12-24-2013 at 01:59 AM

The absolute BEST sentry you can have is a dog that will bark, regardless of size; even those w/armas will not just shoot a pet for protecting its' own. Years ago we (me and my future 2nd ex-wife {lol}) had a half-wolf, half-g. shepherd @95 lbs. He wouldn't hurt a duck he played 'tag' with in low-tide sargaso, but when asked "es Bravo??" We'd just say, ''No se..."

However, a few years ago, a friend had his motorcycle taken from right next to his camper on South Bay of Concepcion, his Lab didn't hear a thing, because 'Koki' (a known local theif) picked a dark moonless night w/high winds. The fiasco w/ the Mulege and Loreto so-called 'Policia' for three weeks was an enormous and egregeous fiasco. I documented the entire ordeal on another board-site and had my a$$ handed to me for doing it. So Lee, don't expect me to 'buddy-up'. And blame? Yeah, he didn't lock his motorcycle to his truck. It ain't blame, but culpability. You trust your 'friends', i'll trust mine.

IF YOU LOVE IT, LOCK IT.

acadist - 12-24-2013 at 06:51 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by mtgoat666
Quote:
Originally posted by Osprey
La Ribera just a little while ago had a major change at the cop shop >> new Commandante, mostly new cops. We were all smiles until they showed themselves to be more brazen and lawless than the last bunch.


meet the new boss
same as the old boss


HAHAHAHAHA, love The Who references! Welcome Babaoreilly!

This one?

durrelllrobert - 12-24-2013 at 11:38 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by DavidE
I've got a manganese steel chain and a ultra security American Lock. The chain gets run through anything likely to grow legs and then fits around a frame member.

Manganese steel will knock a chunk out of a four foot long Rigid bolt cutter, shred the diamond chips off of a cable saw, strip the teeth off a bi-metal hacksaw blade, rip the edge off a cutting saw, and laugh at liquid nitrogen. The price of my manganese square link chain made me weep.



Kryptonite New York Noose 1213 Chain with Evolution Series 4 Disc Bicycle Lock - Outdoor Bicycle Accessories

12mm six-sided, chain links made of 3t hardened manganese steel for maximum strength. Cinch loop for effective lock-ups using less chain. Offers nearly the same...


$119.95

Lee - 12-24-2013 at 06:20 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by babaoreilly
So my neighbor's camp on the East Cape was robbed of a nice Stihl chainsaw.
This was Friday.

I saw the La Ribera Municipal cops (three officers in an extended-cab official white police truck with racks on the back) in my neighbor's camp just before he noticed it missing.
I thought he was in camp at the time, but he wasn't.

They hauled asp out and returned 30 minutes later, by which time he had returned. They scoped him out but didn't stop.

They were also asking everybody nearby for money, residents and campers alike, Mexican and gringo. They were keeping a book with donations in it, and adding a zero to each person's donation, trying to influence the donations of the next people.

They didn't stop at my camp, but slowed down and checked it out.
Twice. Never asked me for money.
They didn't see me the first time, but did the second.

So what should I do?
Should I mention it online or what?
Should he confront the cops? Their boss?


Unless there's more to this ''story,'' asking a question ''what to do about police ripoff,'' is heavy handed.

Looks circumstantial, at best. Do cops in La Ribera have a bad reputation? I don't know. I'm questioning why the cops are being blamed without more proof.

Are these cops guilty because they were in the vicinity?

Osprey - 12-24-2013 at 06:48 PM

No, these local cops are the ones who arrest burglars in the act and let them go. Then they tell the victim they don't have the authority to do more.

Let it go Lee. You are there, our cops are here.

Cappy - 12-24-2013 at 07:19 PM

If you love it lock it. Same in mex same in Cali

babaoreilly - 12-24-2013 at 07:31 PM

He complained to the chief
Cops came by this morning
Five of them with translator
No proof, but entertaining nonetheless

They mentioned that Miraflores has the same truck
And jurisdiction here
Merry Christmas!

Going to have pics next time
And go to the Feds
Or publish photos in one of the Mexican dailies

Well, the cops sure know who I am now
This nom de plume is retired.

Won't get fooled again
Til next time

Lee - 12-25-2013 at 02:30 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Osprey
No, these local cops are the ones who arrest burglars in the act and let them go. Then they tell the victim they don't have the authority to do more.

Let it go Lee. You are there, our cops are here.


Doesn't make sense to arrest people then let them go. So, guess that means the cops over there are thief's too.

On the other hand, if you say your cops are thief's, I believe you -- you've been around awhile. Newbie poster has not. And then there's the issue of being responsible for your stuff.

monoloco - 12-25-2013 at 03:21 PM

"Doesn't make sense to arrest people then let them go." They do it all the time around here, too. The local raton famoso de Pescadero, Carlitos, has been let go numerous times after being caught red-handed, including once after assaulting a cop with a hammer.

[Edited on 12-25-2013 by monoloco]

Dumpster Diving

bajaguy - 12-25-2013 at 03:41 PM

Sounds like Carlitos needs to wake up in a dumpster after a chance encounter with a few good (masked) men.
Quote:
Originally posted by monoloco
"Doesn't make sense to arrest people then let them go." They do it all the time around here, too. The local ratone famoso de Pescadero, Carlitos, has been let go numerous times after being caught red-handed, including once after assaulting a cop with a hammer.

Osprey - 12-25-2013 at 03:54 PM

We've had more than a dozen occasions in this little village where the regular (think traffic) police got to the house that was being burgled in time to witness the crime but no arrest took place. When they did arrest the culprit(s) they were release with a couple of days and never did appear before the local judge. When victims inquired they were told the traffic police had no real authority for that kind of crime. The Ministerio police are just too far spread here, do a good job when they are in the vicinity so it's very hit and miss.

Most of the time the traffic police won't work with the Ministerios and many a bandito gets multiple chances at an easy score here when gringos go north and leave their homes locked up but unattended.

[Edited on 12-25-2013 by Osprey]

DavidE - 12-26-2013 at 05:03 PM

Burglars love to come into a pitch black house.

A friend in Barra de Navidad told me she spread a bag of marbles on the floor next to her back door and window. She told me that she found sizeable bloodstains on the floor and hair on the corner of her dresser when she returned.

Osprey - 12-26-2013 at 05:40 PM

I have a big bag of marbles but they're for my tirador, slingshot. It's the only thing around my place I can call a weapon but I got it to discourage the bad guys, not kill em. My way of saying if they took all my stuff, had a yard sale, they would have maybe enough for a case of Tecate. Udo brought it down for me -- it is an adult weapon for sure and would put lumps all over anyone within about 50 feet. I've used one in the deserts of the Great Basin to make my dinner with great success so I know not to misuse it.