So, the saga continues........... First off, please read my original post "THEIVES ABOUND ON BAHIA CONCEPCION" to this whole blog.

I'd posted my epistle about the fact that SOMEBODY KNOWS WHO, and lo! and behold, once the dust settled a little, the truth is even stranger than fiction, and the story right out of a Michael Chrighton novel.

My buddy had his motorcycle ripped off at our beach; he went directly to La Policia Municipal in Mulege and reported it on the day of the robbery, did all the necessary things to get wheels turning. He spent many hours the next few days delivering and posting fliers offering a fairly substantial reward (recompensa) for the return of his bike, including in Loreto and AT the Loreto Municpal Police station. No Officer or Detective came to the beach to investigate or take any evidence whatsoever.

After several days of interfacing with locals and friends (La Gente Mexicanos) of the area, we found out some fascinating facts. The theif is not only well-known, but the WHOLE DAMNED TOWN KNOWS WHO IT IS !! The day after his robbery, he apparently crashed the stolen bike into a cow, and broke an arm, (oh, sorry, not his neck... not enough for me) but his family spread the story he fell off a horse. Now the plot thickens. Through friends WE found out he was in a hospital in La Paz with injuries from "the horse" accident. He is well-known for car theft and theft of all kinds, it's his way of making his living, probably the single most notorious theif of the ENTIRE AREA, been in jail and released several times. Even busted for stealing a motorcycle in Sta. Rosalia earier this year. All the local people I talked to confirmed this guy is just a BAD GUY and probably the one that has hit everything lately, including stealing my outboard and another outboard this last Spring, and probably the theft at Playa Coyote this summer, as well as several others recently. And THE WHOLE TOWN knows, EVERYBODY knows INCLUDING THE LOCAL POLICIA knows 'Koki' (I know his real name, but will withhold it for reasons of possible libel). Heaven forbid there were any kick-backs to allow the theiving to continue.
"So, how much you sell it for?"
"Ten thousand pesos."
''Good, you give me half and I don't arrest you!"
Naw, that would NEVER HAPPEN IN MULEGE. Or Loreto for that matter.

The local Policia Municipal didn't make ANY EFFORT WHATSOEVER to notify my friend that the bike was in CUSTODY IN LORETO and the crime was apparently solved, the bike found and impounded on the 12th, just two days after the robbery... once my friend learned that his bike was found TEN DAYS LATER, and he reported it to the Mulege Policia, they CONFIRMED the bike was in custody, and told him they had photos of the bike but couldn't show them to him for security reasons... we find out the perpetrator's pic is in the local NEWSPAPER (periodico) and the story of the thief 'falling off a horse AT ONE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING is there too !! However, NO ARREST OR CHARGES ARE FILED ! So yes, crime is solved. Yes, the exact motorcycle is in Loreto, the U.S. registration confirms it IS the motorcyle that was stolen. The person that crashed the bike is known to be a convicted theif, jailed for the exact same crimes, and multiple ones. Now the same person is free and roaming about Mulege as if nothing has happened.

Once my friend started the recovery process for his bike the red-tape, the 'paperwork' snafu and run-around with appointments with officials showing up late and fees for re-registering the motorcycle onto Mexican registration, and fees for certified translators and multiple trips into town (although the Policia can't afford gas out to our Playa to at least notify that the bike was indeed found) are right out of the Twilight Zone. Three trips into town just to start the paperwork and recovery process only to find there's two trips to Sta. Rosalia to get the Federale's approval and 'rubber stamp', because they also were involved, before a trip to Loreto can be made to recover the stolen property IF all the neccessary paperwork is done, and IF the proper person is there in Loreto to handle the forms and process the paperwork, because he just so happens to be out of town on vacation until the middle of next week, and couldn't be reached by phone or email. On top of all that, there is a citation issued on the bike for being crashed and left on the side of the road which my friend is responsible for and must pay before the bike can be released, even though it was reported stolen two days before the crash.

Then comes a trip to Loreto on the 31st, 3 full weeks after the robbery. We track down and locate the bike at the local impound lot, and after talking with the Policia Municipales in two different stations, everyone knows about it, and we're run around all afternoon with what turns out to be 'clandestine' meetings with two local M.P. officers at 6:00 p.m. that evening to 'view the bike', and at that time were asked to pay the 'recompensa' (reward) we'd offered for the return of the bike. 'Mordida' I believe it's called down here. My friend had personally posted reward posters AT THE POLICE STATION in Loreto only two days after the theft, the Policia had done absolutely NOTHING to notify him of their posession of the bike; the Mulege Policia had promised on the first day of reporting the theft the report would go out on the internet to Loreto, Cd. Constitution, both to Municipalities, and the Federales as well. We find EVERYONE knows about it, NOBODY lifts a finger to notify the victim, the bike sits for THREE WEEKS, HE finds it HIMSELF by personal leg-work and inside information, and now THE POLICIA WANT THE REWARD for (not) doing what they're paid to do in the first place. I DON'T F-ING THINK SO !!


My GOD, Mulege !!! You want tourism? You want economical growth??? I have news for you, NOT WITH THIS KIND OF HORSE MANURE !! I hope this gets translated and sent on to those who are ''in the know" about how business works. The true business owners of Mulege need to band together and stand up to the local so-called Policia and Oficiales of El Gobierno and tell them they are defacating in their own nests. As I said before, the gringo community does in the most part fuel the economy of this area, and especially after the major hurricanes, 5 in 6 years, the aid from El Norte has been there, as have the rotarian clinic and private and public charities..... NO, we don't do this for any recompense, but damnit, TIT FOR TAT.

THIS IS INSULTING IN A BROAD HUMANITARIAN SENSE.

Bottom line.... happy endings, he got his bike back albeit a little worse for wear (there are serious damages, and need of extensive repair from the accident and from breaking into the ignition set). In order to recover his bike he had to pay a Federal citation for the wrecked bike left on the side of the road, and three weeks of storage charges incurred while EVERYONE SAT ON THEIR THUMBS BUT HIM, and all on 'Mexican Standard Time'. Yes, it's how it's always been down here. I'm personally not surprised in the least; however I'm totally appalled at the audacity of the municipal cops and their lack of action WHEN IT WAS TOTALLY APPARENT THE CRIME WAS SOLVED, THE PROPERTY RECOVERED AND THE THIEF NOT IN CUSTODY. Bad enough when it is any gray area, this is open and shut case. C'mon, MULEGE !! I used to complain when I would hear a long-time Gringo resident disrespect local people and customs. I still do. The longer I spend down here the more I understand where these rooted feelings emanate from.

WOW!

Bajabuddha has an epiphany. What took you so long?

Hahaha, Senor Fulano, your empathy and thoughtful insight is whelming.

quote:

Bajabuddha has an epiphany. What took you so long?

That's what I was tempted to say too, just didn't want to hurt any feelings. Bajabudha, they (locals and police) don't like us, don't trust us, don't care about fixing our problems. Darn, they don't care about fixing their own problems either, this is still Mexico. Just a little less people and less incidents of any kind than on the mainland.

Hey Fulano and alo9,
With attitudes like both of yours, no wonder things never change. If more people were like buddha maybe something WOULD change. Maybe people (locals) would start to wake up a little. But not unless we ALL stick together and let those that matter (the local businees owners) know we're not happy and may not be coming back. They (the locals)don't have to like us, but I guarantee you they LOVE our money, and once they realize it may dry up, I can guarantee you again, THINGS WILL CHANGE. BUT WE ALL HAVE TO SPEAK UP AND QUIT THIS CRAP OF THINKING IT'S OKAY FOR THIS TO HAPPEN "BECAUSE IT'S BAJA".... That's a piss-poor excuse for shirking your responsibility.

quote:

Originally posted by vmxracer:
Hey Fulano and alo9,
With attitudes like both of yours, no wonder things never change. If more people were like buddha maybe something WOULD change. Maybe people (locals) would start to wake up a little. But not unless we ALL stick together and let those that matter (the local businees owners) know we're not happy and may not be coming back. They (the locals)don't have to like us, but I guarantee you they LOVE our money, and once they realize it may dry up, I can guarantee you again, THINGS WILL CHANGE. BUT WE ALL HAVE TO SPEAK UP AND QUIT THIS CRAP OF THINKING IT'S OKAY FOR THIS TO HAPPEN "BECAUSE IT'S BAJA".... That's a piss-poor excuse for shirking your responsibility.

Yeah, right. Now that you've had your clock cleaned out by Mexico and just sold your last assets to live, you'll be dragging your burro back north very soon. Neither you nor any other Gringo has any chance of ever changing Mexico. The Mexicans can't even change it.

Those Mexicans don't care spit about how unhappy you are or who is not coming back. Speaking up about it to a Mexican only pisses them off even more. They just assume there will be another dumb guero just like you to come along to skin and flick.

You are totally clueless.

Fulano is spot on about trying to change things in Mulege. When you cross the border you are no longer in the U.S.The first thing to do when you arrive is to learn how things work down there and then adapt to it. Trying to change the system is absolutly a waste of time. Once you learn this you will have a great time.

I appreciate the thoughts and responses from all parties, and in your own rights, you are all totally correct in your arguments. Ain't no changing it, always has been always will be, and that's that.

I didn't have an 'epiphany', was born in the night but not last night... I've known and FELT the resentment for many years, and this isn't my first rodeo on the circuit. However, my initial point in a nutshell is that when they (the local police and feds) had the bike in custody and the crime solved TWO DAYS after the initial robbery as in CASE CLOSED there was no attempt whatsoever to contact the owner/victim, almost three weeks of run-around to collect it, and the mordida part was to be expected. I didn't expect any investigating work whatsoever and was surprised his (the owner's) legwork paid off for him. However, when the dove of peace is in one's hand it's just a flat pisser that it's neck was broken. Yeah yeah, they don't care spit about how unhappy...blah-blah-blah, guess I just had to vent frustrations of the total LACK of ANYTHING done on this. Just ask a few of the hotel owners in Mulege how the economy is, or the shop owners, or the restaurant owners. And how do you change something (a system) that doesn't even exist? Once you've been hit you DON'T have a great time. Reminds me of Utah's motto: "If you close one eye it only looks half as bad..."

Once again, crime solved, bike in custody, serial numbers match, crook identified, and NADA. Guess they want to just skin and flick the Rotario also, and the bush pilot's clubs....... and we bitch when America gets the influx of illegals who do all the work we won't..... thank heaven for beer, sunsets and fishing poles.

Peace all.

Some where I heard a quote "give me strength to change what I can and accept what I can't". Mexico, can't change a thing, never will, so just accept or don't go. Sad maybe but simple truth. I accept.