RnR
Senior Nomad
Posts: 836
Registered: 5-1-2010
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Never Get Complacent!
The short story:
Just returned north from the East Cape area and had a significant value of jewelry go missing at one of the military checkpoints.
There's probably no chance of recovering the jewelry but I would like to file a formal complaint. Need some help from a north or southbound traveler
with this.
It happened at either the San Ignacio or Rosarito/El Tomatal (15 miles north of Jesus Maria) checkpoint.
There is an information board posted at both checkpoints that lists a phone number at which to file complaints or suggestions, "quejas o sugerencias".
I need that phone number or, even better, an email address.
Both checkpoints are probably manned out of the Guerrero Negro army base. Anybody in Guerrero Negro know somebody at the base that could take the
complaint? Again, phone number or preferably an email address? My telephone Spanish is not great, written Spanish is much better. Thanks in
advance.
Now the long story:
Coming north we hit the Loreto checkpoint in the late afternoon. Instead of the cursory 2-3 minute inspection on the highway, we (and every other
large vehicle) were waved into secondary. Four soldiers descended on my truck/trailer combo and proceeded to do the most detailed inspection that you
can ever imagine. An hour and 20 minutes of inspection by four guys at once!!!!! They looked into everything! The plastic drainage plugs in the
vehicle doors/frame, the air cleaner, flashlights into the coolant recovery/windshield washer tanks. Tapped on everything!. Essentially emptied
every cabinet in the trailer, felt the mattress, pulled the heater grates and used flashlights and mirrors in the heater ducts, pulled the access
panels around the tub and refrigerator. Opened shampoo bottles and looked/sampled inside. Unbelievable!!!!
This is about 20 rountrips for us and I've never seen anything like it. We were not alone. They had two other RV's getting the same treament. There
must have been 30-40 soldiers ready for the inspections. After about 10 minutes of this I asked the sargeant what was going on. His answer, "Three
days ago they found a US plated motorhome with the wall cavities packed full of drug packages."
The jewelry did not disappear at this checkpoint. As a matter of fact, the soldier checking the bathroom cabinet turned to me and handed me the small
cloth pouch containing my wife's jewelry. He said, "Please take and hold this. I do not want to be held responsible for it."
After this experience, I told my wife to stash that jewelry pouch. In her purse, in her pant's pocket, somewhere more secure than a bathroom cabinet
....
Stayed the night at Santispac. Next day, onward. Pretty much the same story at San Ignacio checkpoint. About an hour! Same story at Rosarito/El
Tomatal - about an hour inspection. This was getting OLD!!!!
Pulled in for the night at Santa Inez. I was setting up outside and there's a shriek (cussing) from my wife. The jewelry pouch is gone!
Had to have happened at San Ignacio or Rosarito. We had watched the inspecting soldiers very closely (as usual) but somehow one of them made off with
the pouch. It's easy to watch when they do the 2 minute inspection and do nothing other than open the cabinets/refrigerator and just look in. It's
another story when they are taking everything out of the cabinets, making it into a pile, and then putting it back. In the confines of a motorhome
it's very easy to block what their hands are doing with their body and you have no where to stand except behind them!
The checkpoints further north were back to business as usual. A brief, cursory look and even a wave-through on the Tecate highway.
Can't say that I learned a lesson because we already know the lesson. With the detail of the searching and three soldiers in the RV at one time, it
just wasn't possible to see everything that was going on.
Watch them and never get complacent!
Once again, phone numbers/email address/contact person name for filing a complaint, please. Thnx
Other posts have alluded to the same in-depth searches. Don't know how long it will be before this enthusiasm wears off. Hopefully soon!!
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
Member Is Offline
Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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WOW !! BUMMER !!
HOLA,,SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS AND SUPPORT YOU 100 PERCENT IN FILEING A REPORT WITH THE ARMY !! ops caps... you might also file with the tourism department
as they take complaints about the well being of their tourist rather serious. Or I should say from my own expericne they used too.. I dont think that
has changed in the past few years..they have a speical office/department for thing's of this matter and I dont know what its called..but I'm sure you
will find on their gov tourist website and thanks for the heads up !! I think this stupid war on drugs is NOT WORKING,,duhh,ya think???? K & T
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shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13043
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
Member Is Offline
Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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I just heard today that another fellow...brother of a nomad...had his ipod stolen at the ensenada checkpoint. It was in a backpack in a ziplock and
the thief poked a hole in the bag instead of opening the zip....creep....didnt take the camera though...guess he has one....so yup...be on guard.
[Edited on 6-3-2012 by shari]
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