Robbed in SM 32

[CancunCanuck]

I know there are a few of us in the same SM (32), usually a quiet, safe neighbourhood. Just wanted to give you all a heads up that I was robbed last night, they smashed my car window and stole my tent, snorkel gear, car charger for me cel (and the car manual?). Hard to tell if they got anything else in the mess they made.

Stupid thing is, one of the back doors was unlocked, they didn't need to smash the window and cost me big bucks.

Cops did nothing of course.

Take precautions, don't get complacent. :S

[Cancun Fun]

Someone did the same thing to Tj a couple years ago...just around the corner. Happened to us in Santa Fe last year. There was an old dead laptop (not even good for parts) that was left in the back and they broke a window to get it. Guess it happens no matter where you live if the right or wrong person walk past and see ANYTHING that might be worth a peso or two.

[V]

Sure sorry that happened to you, Canuck. I don´t have a car, here, but my cars were burglarized twice, in two different parts of town, when I lived in Dallas- and, like yours, they broke out the glass, both times to get at things they wanted. I shouldn´t have left anything out in plain sight, the first time: the second time, they just wanted to snoop around inside the car for anything of value.

[T.J.]

Sorry to hear about that Canuck, in my backyard and to a friend. That really sucks. I try hard never to leave anything that even looks valuable in my car, which has an alarm.

It just pisses me off to hear about things like this. What would they want with your owner's manual?

My car that got robbed was a rental. They broke one of the little windows, reached in and rolled down a window, then climbed in and out. It was a Tsuru and the doors were alarmed and they must have known it. Got a couple pair of sunglasses and two baseball caps. F'ers.

[Steve]

Sorry to hear of this CC

Hope they catch the bastards... hmm if only.

[CancunCanuck]

Thanks all, it just stinks. Realized they got my brand new jumper cables too.

T.J., another friend in the hood was robbed recently too, got into her apartment and stole laptops, cameras, etc.. Time for another neighbourhood meeting? Been a couple of years since we've had any issues here.

Remind me to tell you about the "interesting" (read: shady) repair job..... ;-)

[Jim in Cancun]

Same thing just happened to a friend of mine in SM 27 last night. Broke out the back little window just to get into a bag of freshly washed laundry! Rummaged around but didn't take anything!

So fixing a window can be a shy deal?

[T.J.]

Windshield and Window Repair & Replacement | Living in Cancun & Riviera Maya Forum

[Du Cooke]

Sorry to hear that canuck hope everything is dealt with, are robberies the most common of crimes over in cancun and how do the police respond to that, are they layed back or are they on the ball? are the police all for there own like if your not a mexican they turn a blind eye. hope everythings ok !!

[CancunCanuck]

DuCooke, robberies are probably as common as they are anywhere else. And the police are about as competent in solving them as anywhere else.

In terms of "if your not a mexican they turn a blind eye", I really don't think that is true, never had that experience or heard from anyone who has. They treat everyone the same I think. Of course, it helps if you speak Spanish.

Jim, 27 is not far from here, sorry to hear about your friend. Desperate times if they're stealing laundry. :S

[CancunCanuck]

And yes, the repair was a shy deal. ;-)

[rawkus]

My embassy gave me the advice to "not call the cops unless you REALLY have to..." I stand by it, as I have friends whom have reported a robbery/break in, only to have the cops come in and "finish the job", taking what the burglars never took...

Ive been robbed 3 times by the cops when walking across the park where I used to live. All in all, they took some dvd´s, some spare change, a sandwich(LOL) and a usb stick.

The best part? They had a quick look at my cellphone, but gave it back straight away, as its the most basic Nokia that you can find in Mexico, jaja

After that, I brought the biggest of our dogs whenever I went for a walk - never had a an issue since.

They also changed the two cops in the same park(V - in "our" park) and things improved.


@Du Cooke: Last I heard, the Cancun police had a success rate of 4 or 5 % of all cases solved...

I have never had any issues with any of our flats though. Lived on the top floor in one building, and this new one is on the ground floor, but has metal bars covering the window. These metal bars make Alcatraz look like childs play, hehe

[Du Cooke]

Well I hope everything gets sorted, am just interested to now how things work, due to am planning on moving over there in the next year, police being one of them, its interesting to now a little background how they react, am from UK and in my view of the police here its not a good or respectable view, so its good info to hear that police in cancun are on the ball there, rather than turning a blind eye to things like over here

[ToriB]

On the Ball? Where did you read that? Farthest thing from the truth. Success rate of 4 or 5%, is not a good sign.

[matkirk]

Du Cooke - were you being sarcastic?

The UK police do a great job compared to the ones here.

The police in Cancun are corrupt beyond belief, many are often drunk on duty, it's better to stay well away from the police here.

When I see police in the UK I feel safe, here I feel a bit worried...

[Du Cooke]

No not being sarcastic matkirk just having a say, we all have different views about the police here, there & every where, I hear like your self things about the police and have my own insight to maybe what police are like over there, It's just interesting to hear it come from people who live in cancun like your self, gives me a inside picture of the place more , most police forces inner workings are probably corrupt, britain being no different, I don't rate the police over here personally but everyone to there own

[matkirk]

Hi Du, I think you missed the point mate. You said...

so its good info to hear that police in cancun are on the ball there, rather than turning a blind eye to things like over here

that's the bit I thought you were being sarcastic about.

Where did you hear the cops in Cancun were "on the ball and not turning a blind eye"?

[Gringation]

Personally I haven't had any bad experiences with the local cops, but I also know that when you have an emergency in Cancun, most people only call the cops as an afterthought (if they call them at all). It just involves more potential paperwork, and nothing gets resolved.

Most people say they arrive very late on the scene, but the one time I had to call them after my house got broken into, there were 3 cop cars at my house within 5 minutes.

That being said, in general I try to avoid them because of some of the stories I've heard.

[matkirk]

That's pretty cool that 3 showed up in 5 minutes!!

Did they catch the people who broke into your house and get your stuff back, and keep you updated as to what was happening with the crime report in a professional manner?

Or did you never hear anything from them again?

[Gringation]

Originally Posted by matkirk

Did they catch the people who broke into your house and get your stuff back, and keep you updated as to what was happening with the crime report in a professional manner?

No.

Originally Posted by matkirk

Or did you never hear anything from them again?

No.

[V]

In the two burglaries of my cars that occurred in the U.S., I didn´t even bother to call the police: why waste their time, and mine, with a report that just goes in the file cabinet?

Here, I´ve had just one occasion to request police assistance- this with twenty something young men making noise in the park outside my condo, with a marshall arts practice, at around 12:30 at night, and disturbing our sleep.

The police took note, warned the young men, and they haven´t been back, since.

Same park, woman robbed of her purse at night, just as a police patrol was passing by: I observed as she pointed out which way the robber had run and the police immediately gave chase, on foot. I don´t know how it turned out, but they showed a willingness on this occasion to give it a shot, just as they had with my situation.
________________________

[rawkus]

V: There are quite a few stories from the dear old park, yet, I miss it like mad, mostly for walking the dogs.

Back home cops are "decent" enough, but same thing goes there: You can report something, but unless its something "huge", it pretty much gets stacked in a pile...

The best cops Ive experienced so far? In former Yugoslavia, believe it or not. Helpful, calm and a genuine interest to help people out.

The worst? Greece, Mexico, Italy and Chicago, haha.


*Obviously not judging the entire police force of a country by a few cops, but personally speaking, thats my "pro/con list".