mulege marv
Senior Nomad
Posts: 652
Registered: 10-8-2004
Location: san carlos / grass valley, calif.
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Mood: relaxed
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crime in baja
there has been alot of posts on the ongoing crime issues in baja and yes im one of them. people seem to think its getting worse but i dont, even tho i
was a victum of a crime. living in mulege i would say 99% of the people here are good honest people and that is alot higher percent that i would give
the town in calif we came from. you here about the bad usually because thats news right ? well there is a lot of good to be said also. does mexico
have some rules and laws that make absolutly no sence to me ? yes. but its mexico, they really dont need to make sence to me, i moved here. if you
think crime is bad in baja log on to your local paper in the states like i do (sacramento bee) and read about the gangs, rapes, murders, robbery,
molestings, and on and on, makes baja look pretty good !
Want what you have
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Bajagypsy
Super Nomad
Posts: 1416
Registered: 8-31-2006
Location: BahÃa Asuncion BCS
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Mood: Living the dream
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Mulege Marv,
I totaly agree with you, crime is everywhere, I would rather be in a town in Baja, with the little bit of crime that is there, than a city here in
Canada, where gangs are rampant, and so are drugs.
Sorry that you had to go through what you did, and I'm truly heart happy that it hasn't changed your mind about living where you are.
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9006
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Mood: Inquisitive
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Your thoughts on the level of crime in Mulege and other areas outside of BCN dont lie, Marv. It is better than many areas of the US. But it is getting
worse, statistically. That's just the opposite of many areas of the US.
I think for many of us the most disturbing part is the realization of the incredible incompetence and complicity (and even outright extortion from the
victims) of the policing agencies.
I hope the Mulege community isnt pressuring you into absolving the community of what occurred. If so, the business and civic community would better
spend their time in pressuring the police into becoming a part of the solution instead of a part of the problem. Lax enforcement only encourages the
criminal element further.
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lizard lips
Super Nomad
Posts: 1468
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: EARTH
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I argree Marv! It seems to me too many "Gringos" leave thenselves wide open for robbery or worse and blame it all on the Mexican system.........Come
down and enjoy but dont be stupid.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Hook
I think for many of us the most disturbing part is the realization of the incredible incompetence and complicity (and even outright extortion from the
victims) of the policing agencies. |
Actually, for me, it's the incredible difference in the self defence we are allowed to display.
Marv....Did you travel around Sacramento unarmed? Did you have guns in your house? Nothing wrong if you did. It would have been the wise thing to
do.
In Mexico, we arn't afforded that option. We are fish in a barrel, sitting ducks, easy prey for a predator.
I hope this doesn't morph this thread into a discussion of how many machetes one can stuff under the seat of his car.
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Mango
Senior Nomad
Posts: 685
Registered: 4-11-2006
Location: Alta California &/or Mexicali
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Mood: Bajatastic
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In general, I feel safer in Mexico than I do in the USA. I don't carry a gun here or there. The only place I've been robbed or shot at with guns is
here in the USA.
I could post all day about home invasions, car jackings, murders, robberies, etc.. here in the good ole' USA.
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8923
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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The only times I've either had a gun pointed at me (point blank) was by the police here in the USA. In Tijuana, the police asked me for $20 -
politely. Go figure.
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fdt
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4059
Registered: 9-7-2003
Location: Tijuana, Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Yeah, what if it all goes right
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Cooke
In Tijuana, the police asked me for $20 - politely. Go figure. |
They attend Costomer relations classes in the Academy 
A well informed Baja California traveler is a smart Baja California traveler!
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stanburn
Nomad
Posts: 145
Registered: 10-4-2007
Location: Santiago, Colima, MX
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Dennis,
Do you really believe that having the right to own a weapon automatically makes one safer?
I Lived in the LA area from 96 to 04 and have been in Mexico full-time since November 2004. I am scared to death when I have returned to the US. I
feel sooooo muuuuuuch safer here in Mexico there is no comparison.
But then again, I live alot like a local. I don't have a 2800 square foot house when the locals live in <1000 square feet. I don't have a fancy
American car with 20k in toys on top/behind it. I drive a 1991 Caravan the few times I am not taking the bus.
If you are not flaunting your wealth or involved in drugs, no hay problema aquí.
Solamente los dos centavos de mios.
Stan
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by stanburn
Do you really believe that having the right to own a weapon automatically makes one safer? |
Well, no. Not exactly. I believe that holding a gun in your hands with pure resolve to shoot a man between the eyes makes you safer. At least a
fully equiped player in the game.
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
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Thanks Marv
I feel better hearing this from you. In the wake of Hurricane John there were many opportunists snatching up anything of value. Nothing unusual these
lowlifes abound in many places.
I wasn't shocked actually and I have no idea if they or the flood made off with our stuff. What kills me is the bold and common practice of people
helping themselves to almost worthless objects. Some odd stuff has just "disappeared" around our place. I guess will see how things go.
Our home is now more exposed to passerbys because the large home next to us was completely washed away along with fences, walls and vegetation.
You'd think being more exposed would discourage theft. Not so sure.
Anyhoo, it's good to hear the crackhead got his upcommings because the police did there job. Sorry you had so much trouble getting your rig back.
I had no idea Marv until you posted here that it was YOU that got hit. I just figgered being near the area you might know something. We really love
Mulege. It's gone thru some rough times since 9/11. Time heals wounds. We will continue on but be a little more careful where we leave our stuff.
Can't blame a missing old bbq on anyone but meself! 
But if someone breaks in, they better watch their step.
btw, I'll deal with Mex cops any day over these guys here in Newport!
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
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Mood: undecided
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DENNIS  Your take on the gun situation is right on. If you're locked and loaded it's gonna take a real loco idiot to challenge you, but
the world is full of idiots.  All these anti-gun regs just disarm the folks that
abide by the law.
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
Member Is Offline
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If I could I'd bring my little Savage. Small but mighty! 
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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oladulce
Super Nomad
Posts: 1625
Registered: 5-30-2005
Location: bcs
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From 2003 til '05 meth use escalated in and around San Juanico and thefts steadily increased to the point of being almost a daily occurrence of
ridiculous proportion. No one was immune and everyone expressed frustration. The break-ins went from opportunistic, to bold daylight blowtorching of
metal garage doors and removal of rooftop solar panels.
There was one guy in particular who topped everyone's list of prime suspects, in fact he had been caught with stolen property several times. Sometimes
he was taken in to Constitucion, and other times nothing happened to him at all , but he was always released and would come back to town. My husband
thinks he was the one that broke in to our garage as we slept right outside in our camper.
There were a couple of other guys on the suspect list and meth was always a component. One of them we knew when he was a nice teenage boy and I didn't
realize the sketchy looking guy driving around was even him. He would get caught red-handed too, but due to a reputed Constitución "mafia"
connection the local cops considered him untouchable so nothing ever happened to him.
At the peak of this theft crime wave in '05 we moved to a new property farther outside of town. As we worked on the design of our new place, paranoia
had taken over and security was always one of the top design elements. Before we started building we contemplated if we still wanted to be at Punta
Pequena in that present climate , and decided if it got bad enough that we needed an on site cuidadero on the property, we no longer wanted to be
there.
We had 2" thick wooden garage doors made that have metal framework and heavy cross- bracing on the backs and beefy slider bolts for the locks on the
inside. Each door has anchors that slide in to the concrete floor and frame. All doors and windows have magnetic contact sensors that are activated
if the contact is broken and these are a part of a wireless security system.
Inside the garage is a poured, concrete-walled storage closet for tools, and Gorilla anchors are bolted to the floor for running the lock cables that
secure the quads and dunebuggy together when we leave.
We opted for lockable storm shutters for the casita windows rather that bars and have incorporated other security features, but I can't give away
everything.
One day during construction I was in the garage and suddenly 4 unfamiliar guys were standing in the doorway. The lots out here are a couple of acres
each and bordered by ocean on one side and wide open desert on the other and we didn't have any neighbors yet so it's not someplace you'd find people
out for a stroll. Even small waves out front make enough noise that we often don't hear people drive up the back road, and definitely wouldn't hear
people on foot. They had obviously wandered in from our back lot and looked just as startled to see me standing there. One guy said they were looking
for so-and- so while the others were sussing the place.
About then our mason (from Constitución) walked in and immediately picked up on what was happening. I couldn't catch everything he said to them but
they sauntered away appearing cool and unthreatened. They walked to the front of our property and got in to a car that came driving very slowly up the
road along the bluff. José's only comment was "ratones de Constutución".
That incident left an impression on me because there was no premonition of danger, eerie feeling, or cause for alarm on that bright sunny day. Just
boom, and 4 strange guys are standing in my garage. We've since installed a driveway alert and now have motion sensors around the buildings so at
least we can leave the house windows open at night. We lock up even if we're going fishing on the beach below and have key lockboxes rather than
hiding spares under the mat.
I smiled when I re-read what I've just written cause I pictured a couple of paranoid geeks with all this "security", but actually because all these
little security measures have become such a habit, we can relax more and don't have to dwell on our safety out here in the boonies.
Sometime in 2006 the chief suspect in the burglaries finally did something that got him hauled away and the word is he's not coming back anytime soon.
The other couple of minor players are either in "rehab" or are gone now.
The moment the prime suspect left town, the burglaries and thefts stopped. Although everyone knew this guy was to blame, I think all were surprised at
just how much havoc one dirtbag could reek and how he could negatively impact the lives of so many.
Things feel more relaxed like the old days now, even with the steadily increasing population in the area. But Marv's car was found in Insurgentes and
wasn't the other mans Jeep found in San Carlos last year? I can't say we're looking forward to the completion of the paved road south out of San
Juanico that will be a direct shot from these areas known to be meth and crime hot spots. I guess that crappy washboard dirt South road is really a
blessing and a curse for now.
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