Please be careful in Chapala Haciendas - home invasion

Just saw this on TOB - happened in Chapala Haciendas Jan. 12 around 10am:

Happened in Chapala Haciendas to neighbors at 10AM yesterday. 4 young 20-40 year old adult Mexican men, one outside the property functioning as a look-out, three others with pistols entered the property through the unlocked closed front metal gate, tied up the eight people face down on the floor. They spent approximately one hour searching throughly the main residence and the two building casita. They loaded jewelry, TV's, computers, everyone's cellphones, camera, electronic equipment & appliances, suitcases, clothing, shoes in the three cars they stole and drove off in. Fortunately no one was physically harmed. The Mexican gardener was man-handled, kicked and punched before being tied up with the others. Property had five dogs present. Owner was instructed to lock dogs securely inside screened terraza before he was tied up. Traumatizing for everyone involved. Police and Ministerio Publcio reports have been filed. This Incidents circumstances of the breakin gun point robbery event is similar to the one that took place in Fracc Brisas de Chapala within the last ten days.

Why were 8 people at a house and why that one? If I have 8 people I'm having a party!

the "big one" is due. this is the filler, like the others. give it another 4-7 weeks. whats up w/leaving gates open? whats up w/linda fossi? maybe thats not her district.

I posted it here because I have friends who live in Chapala Haciendas and want them to be safe. My worker likes to leave my gate door slightly open so his son can come in and I've told him absolutely not - gate is shut and locked at all times. Many people leave the door open to bring in groceries - which is how Chris Kahr was killed. I used to do the same but no more. These days you have to change your way of operating to be safe.

My point is only to warn and hopefully help some friends protect themselves. This was a particularly nasty crime.

I just read that the family was 3 people NOB living in one house and a gardener - they had friends visiting when they were assulted.

simpsca, sounds like these invasions are well planned. they know what they are after. even if the gate was locked, they could have waited untill someone was leaving & then made them go back into the house @ gunpoint. BUT, maybe if the wait was too long, they may have given up & left. it is all about the odds. good you posted this, but there is a criminal section here. will this get the same attention as the other invasions had? are they investigating? who did it? are they looking for them?

If they had security cameras, they could tell if someone is waiting outside, which is a pretty good point. Lock the doors, with the key. We have a security lock connected to a security camera. It's a very expensive lock but hopefully a deterrent. You could get in, with a lot of effort but how are you going to get out? Not too easily. One report said they have 5 dogs. The bad guys wanted the dogs secured in a screened room. How big are their dogs & why didn't they attack or warn them someone was coming in? I think we should get a good dog trainer to move to the Chapala area to raise & sell security dogs. People should have 2 outside. That's my opinion. Security cameras & well trained security dogs.

I also don't think people are necessarily targeted anymore because the maid said too much. Let's blame it on the gardener's 10X removed cousin. Not that it doesn't happen but lets face it. It appears it was completely random. Some bad guys decided they're going to the rich area to rob some good houses. They don't care if some people are home or not. Or maybe they targeted the house by scouting out ahead of time and returned after deciding which one they wanted.

And what can we do? I've seen a suspicious man walking around our neighborhood w/a Rottweiler. The man is hard looking but how do I know he doesn't live here? I don't and I'm not planning on asking him about anything. He could be scouting things out w/his dog. He wants to know who has a dog, what kind of dog. How easy is it to get in and out. Then just this afternoon, someone I know, saw a suspicious Uhaul type vehicle pulling out of a dead end street and not head out of the fracc. They memorized the plate number & when they saw the cops pull in, gave the info to the cops. Hopefully, it was just a lost delivery guy. Otherwise, maybe a hot tip! And hopefully the cops won't lose the information!

Not in the too distant past, a newbie posted on TOB a topic asking where is it safe? People in Brisas de Chapala said it was very safe there. However, just as they were hit in the past two weeks, they've been hit before. I had hoped the crime wave was over but apparently not yet. By the time there's another uproar or people tighten up, the bad guys will head out until everyone gets comfy again. Then they'll come back. UGH! I don't like it but that's how it is. In Guadalajara, we were taught to NEVER leave the door unlocked, ever! Not safe. Use a steering wheel bar that needs a key & don't leave anything in your car.

having to live w/dogs cameras etc does not sound like "paradise" to me. make up your minds. which is it? #1)"paradise" #2)"semi paradise"? #3)"was paradise" #4)"high crime nightmare": vote anyone? it does seem like the home invasions are a trend. ok now, pick one of the 4 candidates. we can start a new thread if you wish. come foward & cast your vote.

The weather is paradise. The real paradise is much further up, lol You wouldn't want to know my honest opinion. I didn't move here to retire but I do live here now and love it! The crime does get on my nerves and I felt safer in Guadalajara in the popular area, where no one wants to live. The graffiti, trash & topes are hard to get past there mentally. I feel like you can be a sitting duck here sometimes. It's a 50/50 chance. Probably and most likely nothing will happen to the majority that lives here. But there's no telling who it will or will not happen to. That's the risk you take. On the positive note, risk takers go far in life. Go ahead, live on the edge!

The most recent reported burglary in the Haciendas, occurred on Thursday.....
Apparently, they are targeting homes, while residents are there. That way they can load vehicles with desired theft items. This happened on Cardenal.....near the Haciendas office.

The fracc members there don't want to hire security at the gates?

My point to mentioning a newbie asking on the TOB about where is it safe? Seems like a good way to target an area. People shouldn't respond to those types of inquires to strangers. If you can't take the heat, don't move here either. This is NOT an easy place to live unless you're an adventurer. We've lived in the city and it's harder there. Constant traffic, crowded, fumes and LOUD noises. I'm glad we live here. We learn how to drive defensively in the states, here you must learn to live defensively.

Jim, Do you know where the other break in earlier, trying to enter a casita and assaulted the owner, I guess, idk. I heard casita was in the far back of the property.

My son left today and asked me if I wanted his machete. No, I do not. I have other things & a big Someone to help me...I felt peaceful and I'm still here but I'm definitely on high alert. But it still goes back to, ok, someone could potentially get in, but how are they going to get out? They might as well go somewhere else. And that house, if I think I know which one it was, is not that secure. Terrible thing that happened to those people.

I think people want to know how secure a place is in reality that gets hit, at least I'm curious. Under our vines, it's a prison(razor wire)! If it can keep bad guys in, hopefully, it'll keep them out, lol I know it's a gamble but all I can say to encourage is that we have a Someone bigger than us looking out for us and I wouldn't be here otherwise. That's my honest opinion, there, I said it. And I know that that isn't a guarantee that something wouldn't happen to us. We've had our fair share of disappointments, but the positive things outweigh them.

Bob, there's a back entrance to Chapala, so what can they do?

Chapalagringa wrote:Bob, there's a back entrance to Chapala, so what can they do?

They can build a gate and post security there too. No? Both those fraccs are out of town and close to the highway for quick escape IMO. The perps know that things have heated up in the villages so perhaps they are sticking to the outskirts..........?

chapapagringa: you did not choose one of the above. this is not a meeting w/congress. please pick 1,2,3, or 4. (P, SEMI P, WAS P, NIGHTMARE). no songs & dances. lets make it simple, & tally the votes.

Bob, Chapala Haciendas is the oldest frac, as such Coderneces a federal/state highway....LMAO.....and hasn't been modified. Yes there are guard stations @ entrance 1 & 2....unmanned. The Haciendas has major problems financially, while they bill for water, over 50 % of property is Mexican owned. The majority of Mexican home / landowners refuse to pay for water, etc. Creating a shortage of cash. The frac installed water meters to homes last year, and at least 50% of those have been demolished....so rates for water are back to 2007 rates.....sorry for convoluded rsponse....and my susan grade spelling

susan wrote:chapapagringa: you did not choose one of the above. this is not a meeting w/congress. please pick 1,2,3, or 4. (P, SEMI P, WAS P, NIGHTMARE). no songs & dances. lets make it simple, & tally the votes.

Susan....Please take your meds

Chapalagringa wrote:... we have a Someone bigger than us looking out for us....

And if that don't work, see if Tebow can help with a good Word on your behalf!!!

Lehrer wrote:

Chapalagringa wrote:... we have a Someone bigger than us looking out for us....

And if that don't work, see if Tebow can help with a good Word on your behalf!!!

I can hold my own w/out bothering Tebow. If my connection isn't good enough, we ARE in big trouble! lol


@Bob, It really doesn't matter where you live, really, it doesn't. You take a chance anywhere. Anywhere period.

I vaguely remember someone posting (on TOB) that there were video cameras at the entrance to Chapala Haciendas to monitor who came and went? True? Not true? or just written in a wishful manner? Edited to add: cameras are at the entrance to Brisas de Chapala
http://www.chapala.com/webboard/index.php?showtopic=32667&st=0&p=253955&hl=+chapala%20+haciendas&fromsearch=1&#entry253955

Off topic...it irks me bigtime when people don't pay for water...yes, in Mexico, water is a God given right...but purified water delivered under pressure into your house is a SERVICE and should be paid for.

ferret wrote:I vaguely remember someone posting (on TOB) that there were video cameras at the entrance to Chapala Haciendas to monitor who came and went? True? Not true? or just written in a wishful manner?

Off topic...it irks me bigtime when people don't pay for water...yes, in Mexico, water is a God given right...but purified water delivered under pressure into your house is a SERVICE and should be paid for.

No Cameras here....Live in Haciendas....The fing Mexican land/home owners....refuse to pay....claim rite of passage Meanwhile the rest of us get fucked over by higher dues.....maybe, we should all quit paying?

Thanks Jim for the correction. I found the info I was remembering...cameras in Brisas de Chapala NOT Chapala Haciendas...I amended the post above yours IN RED to reflect this.

Susan...I vote #1

I am vigilant but I refuse to live my last years in fear. If people who live here are so afraid, then it is time for them to move. If people who are thinking about moving here are concerned about safety, then they should not move here.

mikey, thank you for your vote. & your honesty. paradise is in the mind of the beholder.

You are welcome Susan.

But I feel I must amend my earlier post just a bit.

I find Chapala Centro is a paradise......not the outlying areas that are more isolated. And, I certainly would not consider Ajijic a paradise because of all the crime and many people seem to live in fear there.

But I do agree with you in that "paradise is in the mind of the beholder." It is just sad to me that some people in the area don't always seem to be in their right mind.

I think if Ajijic had better lighting, more activity at night and a bigger police presence then people wouldn't be afraid to get out after dark. I recall staying in Lower West Ajijic a few years ago and we didn't feel safe walking the streets after dark. In fact, there was a shooting in 6 corners during our stay that year. Apparently some cholos playing with a gun..........