Burglaries

Tony_In_Mexico wrote:  God knows, the last thing we need here is more dogs that do nothing but yap all day.  A dog that barks at everything is just as useless as a dog that barks at nothing.

AMEN to that!

artesialulu wrote:

natbug wrote:7 dogs, a machete, 2 bats and pepper spray, nuff said.

Maybe a hot shot cattle prod.

I would suggest a personal Taser/Stun gun; it will make dogs immediately back off and most if not all men won't come near anyone w/one if it is "snapped" for them to see.

Mot to sound sexist, but I think this is the perfect thing for women to carry, and especially if they are out after dark alone.

I have 2 for sale on my personal site of. http://www.stopslack.com

Tasers may be illegal in Mexico, stun guns not so dont get into trouble bringing things into the country that are problematic

There were two houses robbed over there near the school in Las Redes either last night or sometime very recently. Another house on Privado Degollado around the corner from my house was also broken into.
They are breaking locks, latches and such to get in.

A client told me a neighbor found a teenage kid in his home hiding. They usually enter unlocked doors but also jump fences and get in locked places, call the police if you see suspicious people.

I am not going to have a taser, stun gun or a regular gun. I do not trust my trigger finger, as I am excitable. I prefer a solid defense of the perimeter with heavy bougainvillea on the walls, iron condo gate, ironwork locked over doors, windows and roof, a bedroom door lock and the police and neighbors phones programmed on the big button phone by the bed, next to my shrill alarm which activates when I pull the cord and would wake the dead. In my early days here, I was advised by a security expert to think in layers of defense. I also maintain lights at the end of my front walk, which automatically stay on all night. Lights provide a psychological advantage. In another house I had motion sensor lights, but that just resulted in possums and cats setting off the lights and making me wonder if I had larger intruders, so I have nixed those. I no longer have a dog, and am unconvinced of their usefulness for security unless you wish to have trained Dobermans, altho I have considered having a recorder that would play great growling sounds along with a deep voice saying, "Ir a por ellos, Colmillo! Morderlos! Atacarlos!" Not sure that means what I hope it means. Must check Spanish. What are attack dogs commonly named in this fair town??? I do seem to recall that one can get recordings of large growling barking dogs if one orders from the US. Must check into this. I am big on maintaining the psychological advantage. I am also grateful, somewhat, for our shabby condo entrance, which does not attract attention. Do beware of advertising wealth here. And if you have a high wall, get an outside camera so you can check before opening the gate or garage door. Take care of yourselves!

Spencer, on his website Clueless says the tasers he is selling are "Legal in Mexico." You say tasers "may be" illegal in Mexico. Is it that certain types of tasers are not legal and others are? If so, how do we know the taser we might buy is legal -- before we get arrested for having it. Thank you for taking the time to answer.

Intercasa wrote:Tasers may be illegal in Mexico, stun guns not so dont get into trouble bringing things into the country that are problematic

I did my due diligence before bringing them into Mexico.

What I have is not a "gun," it's the sixe of a pack of cards. The name "Taser" is actually a registered Trademark but it hasto some degree become generic just as have Jacuzzi and Xerox.

For a woman, I say: "Don't leave home without it; better safe than sorry."

So, are you selling Tasers or an off-brand conducted electrical weapon?

Google SAT armas and you will see the file on what is legal and what is not

3. Artículos de uso restringido: no se autoriza su importación o exportación salvo a corporaciones de seguridad pública.

Inmovilizadores eléctricos tipo taser.

Artefactos eléctricos que inmovilizan a una persona o animal por medio de una descarga de alto voltaje.

Looks to my limited Spanish comprehension that electric taser type immobilizers which immobilize a person or animal by means of a high voltage discharge are not legal in Mexico. The guy selling them disagrees and says they are.
Thank you for the link, Spencer.

I can't verify or attest to the validity of it  but a reliable source told me that someone was caught while robbing a house in the middle of town this afternoon. The story is that he has been caught robbing houses several times before but he is somehow "connected" and hasn't had to spend much time in jail. I'm told he isn't exactly a kid but a young person maybe 20-30 y/0.

These robbers that go sashaying around town robbing houses in a high risk fashion are the ones that worry me the most. Makes me think they are either high or stupid or both and that makes a particularly dangerous combination. I have come face face with an intruder like that and don't care to repeat the experience.  
Hopefully if someone was caught he is "the guy".

Tasers are sold on Mercadolibre, btw. ML has a policy of not selling anything Illegal on there but looks like maybe that rule isn't carved in stone. Personally,  I don't think I would bother with one because it sure as hell wouldn't be where I needed it when I needed it and with my luck I I would be the one who got tazed. I'll stick with just trying to make sure they can't get inside in the first place.

Intercasa wrote:Tasers may be illegal in Mexico, stun guns not so dont get into trouble bringing things into the country that are problematic

A stun gun is a taser. A stun gun propels a cable with hooks that go into the skin and zap at a distance. A hot shot is a cattle prod and certainly legal in Mexico. It gives the advantage of distance between you and the stunee.

Yes, the guy was caught today. Here's the news story.

Enjaulan al Pichón
El 60% de los robos en Chapala eran cometidos por este bandido
http://semanariolaguna.com/?p=6419

Thanks, Alex!

Good catch, Alex!

Some of the highlights:

He was armed with a gun and other weapons...yikes!

Police fired at him as he tried to escape while running across the roofs.

He lives in the same barrio that he was robbing.

There may be another burglar out there so dont get too comfortable.

This article defines somewhat the difference between a stun gun and a tazer

http://www.examiner.com/article/is-it-really-a-taser-or-just-a-stun-gun

the virginian wrote:I'm moving to Chapala in six weeks and this is very disturbing to me.

I sent you a PM, check your inbox.

JayBear wrote:I am not going to have a taser, stun gun or a regular gun. I do not trust my trigger finger, as I am excitable. I prefer a solid defense of the perimeter with heavy bougainvillea on the walls, iron condo gate, ironwork locked over doors, windows and roof, a bedroom door lock and the police and neighbors phones programmed on the big button phone by the bed, next to my shrill alarm which activates when I pull the cord and would wake the dead. In my early days here, I was advised by a security expert to think in layers of defense. I also maintain lights at the end of my front walk, which automatically stay on all night. Lights provide a psychological advantage. In another house I had motion sensor lights, but that just resulted in possums and cats setting off the lights and making me wonder if I had larger intruders, so I have nixed those. I no longer have a dog, and am unconvinced of their usefulness for security unless you wish to have trained Dobermans, altho I have considered having a recorder that would play great growling sounds along with a deep voice saying, "Ir a por ellos, Colmillo! Morderlos! Atacarlos!" Not sure that means what I hope it means. Must check Spanish. What are attack dogs commonly named in this fair town??? I do seem to recall that one can get recordings of large growling barking dogs if one orders from the US. Must check into this. I am big on maintaining the psychological advantage. I am also grateful, somewhat, for our shabby condo entrance, which does not attract attention. Do beware of advertising wealth here. And if you have a high wall, get an outside camera so you can check before opening the gate or garage door. Take care of yourselves!

My God.  Did you have to live like this before you moved to paradise?

Clueless wrote:

artesialulu wrote:

natbug wrote:7 dogs, a machete, 2 bats and pepper spray, nuff said.

Maybe a hot shot cattle prod.

I would suggest a personal Taser/Stun gun; it will make dogs immediately back off and most if not all men won't come near anyone w/one if it is "snapped" for them to see.

Mot to sound sexist, but I think this is the perfect thing for women to carry, and especially if they are out after dark alone.

I have 2 for sale on my personal site of. http://www.stopslack.com

The 7 dogs are mine..no one wants to come near our house...including the gardener and the landlord. They do not like strangers and make that completely apparent. If out after dark alone I take my shepherd mix...he's VERY protective of me. And my pepper spray.

I moved here from cities, suburbs and country locations in CA. Burglaries were common. Many people, including me, had alarm systems.  I was burgled more than once; my truck seats were stolen, people were getting carjacked at the intersections, muggings were common.  In my ten years in Mexico, I haven't had an alarm system, I don't have the kind of property which would be suitable for dogs and I make a point of not flashing "bling" when out. So far, I haven't been burgled.  I do have good locks, nosy neighbors, and decorative bars on my windows.  No one else has keys to my doors.  If you're going to lose sleep over this issue, moving here probably isn't wise, but it really isn't a problem for most people if they use reasonable caution.  Also, choose your neighborhood with care. Same deal as in the states; more crimes in the slums.  Sad, but true.

No dogs, just a "watch" cat. :)

No cameras, no alarms, just very good iron work and very hard to crack locks. If I want to go out at night, I do so and feel no need for any kind of protection against muggers. I don't carry much money on my person and only the barest necessity of ID at these times.

Unlike Gringal, we lived in an area of Albuquerque, the North Valley, that was basically crime free. However that is not true of the entire town, quite the contrary.

Maybe we are dreaming but crime is just not much of an issue for us here. I can't imagine living like some of you are describing. I'd move for sure.

Mainecoons wrote:No dogs, just a "watch" cat. :)

No cameras, no alarms, just very good iron work and very hard to crack locks.  If I want to go out at night, I do so and feel no need for any kind of protection against muggers.  I don't carry much money on my person and only the barest necessity of ID at these times.

Unlike Gringal, we lived in an area of Albuquerque, the North Valley, that was basically crime free.  However that is not true of the entire town, quite the contrary.

Maybe we are dreaming but crime is just not much of an issue for us here.  I can't imagine living like some of you are describing.  I'd move for sure.

Going out at night for small women is a bit different than for big men; but otherwise, I agree with you.

Ecept for the man who was gun down coming back from grocery shipping a blaock or two from your house,,,no problems, until It happens to you I guess.

I used to walk all over this town even at night but no more.

brigitte wrote:Ecept for the man who was gun down  coming back from grocery shipping a blaock or two from your house,,,no problems, until It happens to you  I guess.

I used to walk all over this town even at night but no more.

I read about that tragedy, but I recall that the way it happened, his garage door was open; they demanded whatever and instead of handing it over, he decided to fight the guys with the gun.  Never a good idea.  That doesn't mean they wouldn't have shot him anyway.  Generally speaking, murders are rare among ordinary citizens.  Drug related crimes are another matter.  Best to avoid people providing the illegal stuff.