Some of These Guys Are Really Good

My darlin´wife and a local Ajijic friend, each of whom have lived in Ajijic for over ten years, were strolling the Ajijic tianguis this morning as they have on countless occasions for many years. Some guy right in front of them dropped a pocket knife and stopped to retrieve it so rapidly they were unable to help bumping into him. They stood there as he groped around for the knife which he found and was off. There was no one else near them. After this guy had disappeared into the crowd, my wife´s friend discovered that he had lifted her purse from her shopping bag which she was carrying in front of herself as seems prudent in a crowded market. As we used to like to say back in Alabama, this guy was as slick as owl sh*t.

Two things:

* Because these women have lived here for so many years and are familiar with the handiwork of these expert purse snatchers and pickpockets and have deep respect for their almost magical skills, my wife´s friend knew better than to take anything in her purse to the tianguis that was of real value so all she had in her purse was a little money sufficient to shop the tianguis and a house key. Nothing else and certainly no identification or sensitive documents or credit/debit cards. As a result,her losses were insignificant and she learned a valuable lesson at a discounted tuition. Now, if you think you are too smart to fall victim to this sort of adeptly managed crime, that´s fine, but these women are street wise and have spent countless hours in crowded tianguis and crowded urban municipal markets from San Cristóbal de Las Casas to the massive Toluca market to you name it all over Mexico and this fellow still got away with that purse.

* Unless you are a screaming masochist and actually enjoy the torture of spending grueling hours being treated rudely at the ministerio Publico in Chapala all for naught since there is virtually no chance they will ever apprehend these guys and will almost certainly never recover your property, carry in your purse or wallet only the absolute minimum of cash and documents you will need to accomplish the task you have set out to accomplish on the particular errand you are undertaking. That way, you lose as little as possible and have to replace a minimum of lost paperwork if any at all.

You can´t beat these guys. Perhaps, if you are sufficiently alert you can prevent a successful attempt to lift your belongings but if you live long enough and venture into public encounters often enough, they will keep trying and may very well eventually succeed.

When we moved here in 2001, I asked my contractor performing some needed home improvements if he thought I should raise the rock wall surrounding our new house above the incremental addition we had already planned raising the wall from four feet to eight feet. He responded, "Do what suits you amigo but this is Mexico, if we want to get into your house we will." He went on to tell me that it was better to have household appliances too heavy to hoist over a wall than no appliances at all.

That was not cool of that fool! No chance he'd follow them home and later try the key? I'd be wanting to change the locks but that's just me. So sorry this happened to her and glad she didn't lose much. There were allot of vacationers today in the tianguis. Mexican families visiting from the states I noticed.

My first shopping experience in Mexico was a goodin'. I couldn't speak Spanish and my new friend couldn't speak English. We met at our designated time and location to walk to the mercado. I showed her I brought a $200 peso bill and she shook her finger no then motioned to stuff it in my pocket. That was lesson number one and as I said, it was a goodin'! My Mexican girlfriends showed me that shopping, we don't carry purses. I stuff my cell phone, keys & $ in my front pockets(be sure they aren't too shallow to fall out) and my wedding ring rolls diamond(not huge) palm side/fisted or no ring depending where I am. Many times I've put my wedding ring in my jeans pocket as well. Especially if walking somewhere I didn't feel comfortable. I use a purse in the malls and chain grocery stores and seriously clutch my purse if I must walk in the street with it.

A friend was mugged walking in Ajijic last fall. Her biggest mistake was carry her purse street side. A vehicle drove by, yanked her to the ground and drove off with her purse. She was glad she'd cleaned it out before leaving and didn't have much in it.

He went on to tell me that it was better to have household appliances too heavy to hoist over a wall than no appliances at all.

Priceless!!! Boy do I here that! You won't find any money in my house b/c I don't have any anymore and if you want to rob me, you'd have to rip out the counters!!

I regret to hear that women tend to be the victims, as, so often they are . Remember ladies, those boots are made for walking, Especially Lakeside. Observing these posts, it seems obvious - lose the purse.
As a guy, I travel with a Murse ( that's a large, over the shoulder, avec strap, leather carryall (approx. 16" w by 10" deep). I can see it in their eyes. They want my Murse. They can see it in my eyes. Over my cold, dead body, you SOBS. They also seem to recognize the fact that I'm doing Biz with my Murse. A guy with a Murse makes me someone to deal with. Hey, F*k with him and he Might make my life a misery. So, all you wonderful ladies, take your shopping bags, shop, and keep your jewels ($) where you can feel them/it. And please lunch in the markets. There's a stall, two thirds of of the way down on the right at the Ajijic market. Great tacos. The cops eat there. Their attention to "food safe" is superior to anything I've seen NNOB. Just watch their act. Really, just stand across the lane and watch what each, and everyone does for 5 min. I was really, impressed. You will never get sick there. Blows my mind. Safe food. No running water. The only person touching the food is Momma. Your order goes onto a fresh plastic wrapped plate to you. She constantly rinses her hands in a bucket of water with bleach added. I witnessed that. Blew my mind. Common sense, of course. She, and her family make decent money off that gig and there is no way they are going to screw it up. Great salsas to boot. I so need to learn some Espagnol.

We eat at Rafa's tacos and it is great at the Wed. Tianguis, just look for the red Coca Cola chairs against the back wall next to the cheese lady. Never been sick, even in the afternoons.

I never carry a purse. If I do it is for looks and has nothing in it.

Dawg, thanks for the warning. I have a friend who is new here and after she discovered the Ajijic tianguis shops there every week. I have warned her about this now. If you know what the scam artist is going to do, it's easier to protect yourself.

Good information Dawg, haven't been here too long and wife will now change her approach to carrying a purse wherever she goes.

As this tended toward the be careful, I wanted to say there are some good people here also. I was just at Centro Laguna and bought my wife a Cinnabon. (she loves them) When I got back home I found I no longer had my wallet. So, I ran down to the Cinnabon store, and asked the clerk if I had left my wallet there. He replied "yes" and reached up on a shelf and handed it to me with a big smile. Credit cards, drivers license and a bunch of pesos all still intact. Went back in and gave him 100 p for his honesty. Probably would never have seen the wallet if this had happened up NOB.

Not everyone is a thief! I absentmindedly left my purse in a shopping cart at WalMart - in a primary aisle - while I went off to look for pencils. I am guessing I was gone 2 to 3 minutes. Then an OMG moment - I didn't have my purse! Practically ran back to the cart - and there it was. As obvious as could be. Everything intact. (except my brain, obviously)