Crime, Safety, and the Police

[Hargow20]

Has anyone been seeing more shakedownls lately. ? Just wondering fi there has been a rise or if was just the victim of the random stop. ?

[Cocr Brotheler]

I have been using a Pacsafe for years. As an added layer of protection I never have it visible. What I do is put in in a locked suitcase then lock the suitcase AND the PacSafe to wherever. That way Someone would need to rip apart the suitcase first before they were confronted with the PacSAfe. Not highly unlikely that it could be done but it presents more of a challenge to thieves and less time efficient from a grab and dash perspective.

There are also many other creative stash options available on Ebay or Etsy. It just takes time and putting some thought into it.

Another option is to use the Pacsafe IN A SAFE. Most safes have a master key which management has.....just a thought to ponder.

I like to loop my Pacsafe up under the sink around the plumbing. Imagine a determined hotel staff trying to cut or weld thru the plumbing to get to the Pacsafe jajajaja. Take them awhile and look like complete idiots. One time in Pereira, Colombia I thought I hid about $100 in COP inside a book in my upscale hotel but they found it! If it ain't locked down poof gone, "No dar la papaya".

[Cocr Brotheler]

"Need to find secured Atms in Tijuana. ".

I'm sorry to hear of all the debit thefts down there. I'm thinking folks are trying to pull from ATMs once inside TJ since they ration the amount of purchase before entering correct? Last time I exchanged money before enterring they limited me to $50 or $100 worth. Fine I just go to multiple cambios but never I even imagine trying to use my debit card down there even pre-COVID.

And with all the risk of tryin to use the debits is it overall better to exchange USD in the USA Banks even with lesser exchange versus the high amount of thefts if trying to pull in Tijuana?

[Captain Solo]

I rented a room from this guy Craig Harrison in Cabo a few years back. He owned a small hotel and bought / sold timeshare units.

He was a hard-ass kind of guy, pugnacious and hard to deal with. Local guys said he had been stabbed, his body weighed down with rocks and dumped in the ocean.

Expats living in Mexico there are lots of people hungry and desperate in Mexico due to the CoVid shutdown, therefore there is a steep increase in property crimes against wealthy expats.

Meanwhile, at the southern end of the Baja Peninsula, the Baja California Sur state prosecutor's office said the body of 65-year-old Craig Harrison was found on the beach in Cabo Pulmo Saturday evening. An autopsy determined that he had been stabbed in the chest before ending up in the ocean.

Harrison, a citizen of South Africa and Canada who settled in Mexico, had been missing since Aug. 29. According to his real estate website, Harrison settled in Cabo San Lucas in 1997 after working as an accountant and a wine importer in Canada.

He ran a vacation rental business in Cabo.

[Captain Solo]

2 missing US tourists found dead in well in northern Mexico.

By Associated press.

Published: September 8, 2020 at 4:48 am.

Updated: September 8, 2020 at 4:50 am.

Mexico city— Authorities have identified bodies found in a well in northern Mexico as two missing tourists from the United States, officials said Monday.

The Baja California state prosecutor's office said in a statement that the victims were identified as retirees Ian Hirschsohn and Kathy Harvey. Their disappearances were reported to authorities Sept. 2, the statement said.

Investigators searching an unpopulated area south of Ensenada spotted human remains at the bottom of the well the following day. They were recovered Friday and Saturday, the statement said.

No information regarding the cause of death or motive was provided. The case remains under investigation. Authorities did not provide their hometowns, but local media reported they both lived in southern California.

Meanwhile, at the southern end of the Baja Peninsula, the Baja California Sur state prosecutor's office said the body of 65-year-old Craig Harrison was found on the beach in Cabo Pulmo Saturday evening. An autopsy determined that he had been stabbed in the chest before ending up in the ocean.

Harrison, a citizen of South Africa and Canada who settled in Mexico, had been missing since Aug. 29. According to his real estate website, Harrison settled in Cabo San Lucas in 1997 after working as an accountant and a wine importer in Canada.

He ran a vacation rental business in Cabo.

[Captain Solo]

Jinxx,

That reminds me. When paying with your cards in Mexico, tell them to bring out their machine and charge it in front of you. If they take the card away they have ways to clone it. I am sure the guys at Azul's cloned my AMEX card. Someone in KC bought 4 orders from Pizza Huts worth over $400, which were later reversed.

The Schwab debit card can be programmed for specific countries and date spans, then lock / unlock quickly with only 1 switch. Schwab mobile app is easy to use. I will use that feature when I go out of the US.

[Captain Solo]

KingKielBasa.

I had a checking account with Chase, never used its debit card, but the account was hacked and perps withdrew about $700 in Dominican Rep.

I don't have time to deal with these problems so I just closed that account.

[KingKielBasa]

A year and a half ago when I banked with Chase I had a few beers and going against my better judgement tried to used the ATM outside Adelita. Chase immediately locked my account due to suspicious activity. They did try to call me however my number on file was my company cell which I don't take over borders. I was pissed and shut down my account when I returned to the states but in hind site they were looking out for my best interest.

My card got cloned by a restaurant Ricardo's at Plaza Rio. I've noticed that some restaurants bring the card reader machine to your table and do the transaction right in front of you which might be preferable to the waiter taking your card to do the transaction in the back. In Ricardo's the mesero took my card to the back and the next day I got the alerts from my bank suspicious charges on my card.

ATMs from any major bank should be safe. There's a HSBC ATM inside the Calimax at constitucion and second ave, which I think is the closest real bank ATM to the zona.

[Hargow20]

I have not been hassled by the police in quite a awhile. A few years back the police were stopping people randomly in the Zona. My guess is that the police found decided to stop me since that area is realitvely deserted at night. I will probably take uber or a taxif for awhile. So it is probably a good idea to avoid going by there at night. This stuff about searching your wallet is a excuse to steal your money.

Wow that's good to know. I've never heard of policia looking at phone photos. They are really desperate. I know us border can look at your phone. Mexico changed from the covid. It wasn't that bad the last 3 years. I was shocked they didn't stop me at all the last month. I wouldn't of cared if they stole my 20 bucks in my wallet as I was waiting for it.

[Dogers69]

Was walking back from Tijuana & had a very irritating experience with the police. I was leaving old shopping mall that is near the Pedestrian bridge. As I was about the leave the shopping center I was stopped by 2 police officers The proceed to search me and when I held my wallet they then got irritated when I attemped to hold my cash. The searched my back pack and all clothes. After this they them started viewing my photos on my phone. I had photo of a persons drivers license from a accident. They then asked me who it was and wanted to know when it was taken. It happened awhile ago so it was hard to remember. I had another phote of some people. One of them was girl that had a short dress. The cop then tried to tell me that the picture of the girl was considered pornography in Mexico. While I was being questioned the police stopped another gringo and started hassling him as well. The police then told me he will have to ask his boss if I have to pay a fine. Finally said I could go.

Wow that's good to know. I've never heard of policia looking at phone photos. They are really desperate. I know us border can look at your phone. Mexico changed from the covid. It wasn't that bad the last 3 years. I was shocked they didn't stop me at all the last month. I wouldn't of cared if they stole my 20 bucks in my wallet as I was waiting for it.

[Hargow20]

Was walking back from Tijuana & had a very irritating experience with the police. I was leaving old shopping mall that is near the Pedestrian bridge. As I was about the leave the shopping center I was stopped by 2 police officers The proceed to search me and when I held my wallet they then got irritated when I attemped to hold my cash. The searched my back pack and all clothes. After this they them started viewing my photos on my phone. I had photo of a persons drivers license from a accident. They then asked me who it was and wanted to know when it was taken. It happened awhile ago so it was hard to remember. I had another phote of some people. One of them was girl that had a short dress. The cop then tried to tell me that the picture of the girl was considered pornography in Mexico. While I was being questioned the police stopped another gringo and started hassling him as well. The police then told me he will have to ask his boss if I have to pay a fine. Finally said I could go.

[Artisttyp]

I just purchased a few tactical / military face masks. Many come with filter pockets on the back side. They would make a great stash for money! There are a few Etsy sellers who make them. This is one of them.

How many of you have gotten your face mask searched lately? Have police asked you to remove it?

https://www.etsy.com/shop/RPThreads

[Captain Solo]

Jinxx.

This HSBC ATM is close enough to La Zona.

Good info.

[BangoSkank]

Possibly true, if you stay at fleabag hotels in ZN, which I never do. Ticuan Hotel rooms have solid fireproof safes, and I have never heard of anyone having an issue with those. I am sure hotel management has the master key, but I am certain cleaning staff has no way to open those.

Bringing your own travel safes and locking those in larger suitcases. That's massively overthinking and over complicating things. Great if it works for you, but I couldn't be bothered.

At the Ticuan the safes need to be fire proof.

[Artisttyp]

I would highly doubt the "master key" is readily accessible by anyone.

A master key is never highly accessible but just know that one is out there. If the right situation arises it could very well be used and you might never know it. I always lock my valuables up before placing them into a hotel safe to be sure no one touches anything while I am away.