Recent Baja Trip Robbery

[Jason]

Date: 2007-10-04 17:38:29
Name: Jesse Ferris
Message:


I was told by a friend that this would be a site that may be interested in a baja incident that happened last week.


3 am Saturday September 29

Don’t drive in Baja at night.

Yes, this is another not so good Baja story but please read on. The point of this is not to scare people but to make people aware. We need to make a stink about the recent events so hopefully we can attract media attention to the situation in Baja. The basic bottom line to the situation is that there is a kind of guerilla war between the federally’s and local policia. The hijacking and robbings that are occurring are from certain corrupt cops and banditos who are friends with them. They want to control areas so they can hold up people, make money and steal. The fedarally’s want to take over the checkpoints so they can look for obvious drugs and weapons, and send people on their way, people that are going to sped money. The fedarally’s are our friends, they are the ones who keep the law and order, not take bribes. Our media needs to put pressure on Mexico so they see that they are loosing gringo’s money. Hopefully with or without our help the federally’s can again take over the law and order of Mexico so again it will be a pleasure to go there.






We were Leaving for scorpion bay at about 1 am from North County caravanning in two pickups. We get to the border close to two or two thirty. The border agents are cool as can be as normal and we go on our way. As we approach the second and last hill as you head onto the toll road we get to the first checkpoint. Once we got nearer to the front of the line we realized there could be trouble as we saw flashing blue lights indicating that it was a policia checkpoint rather than a federally checkpoint.
The “policia” had a well-orchestrated system going. It was set up well as organized crime. They all had uniforms on which tells me that I can be very sure that it was a mix of policia and banditos. They were all caring pistols although they never did draw them.
Sure as shit the first truck, which Andrew Kelso, (Rich Kelso’s son) was driving pulled off to the side. As we approached the officer took asked and took my friends license and told us to pull over. There were so many cars we had to drive about 75 yards to pull over. We pulled up behind Kelso’s truck and saw both of them get thrown in handcuffs as soon as they got out of their car. I looked at my friend and knew it wasn’t going to be good. We got out of our truck and sure enough they out us in handcuffs too. This was before they even looked through our trucks.
They dug around in our trucks and found two camping pocketknives, one in each truck. They had a field day with those findings. There were five cops in a semicircle around my friend and me as we stood against his truck. A few of them were calm; a couple were high on either coke or meth. They kept telling us we were going to see a judge and he would decide our fate, that we were probably facing 4 to 8 years in a federal prison.
It was not fun being in handcuffs looking at a wall across the street knowing that you were powerless. For a few scattered scary moments not knowing if you were going to ever see your home again. But remaining calm is always a virtue.
During the time we were standing there from what I could see there were probably 15 plus cars pulled over, although from what I could see, we were the only ones in handcuffs.
Oddly enough I was relatively calm during the ordeal, believe me or not. We were there for probably 30 to 45 minutes. I had been pulled over many times before in Mexico and was waiting for the words that finally came.
“You can follow us to the station or pay your fine here.”
We all felt relieved except for the fact that they got all four of us for about 1300 dollars. We gave them the cash that we had, luckily my cash except for 65 was hidden and Kelso was lucky that his wasn’t found. They unlooked the cuffs and we got into our trucks and drove off.
We drove to Ensenada then made a circle and came back home. We came back to the place where the checkpoint was and it being an hour and a half later, it was no longer there. When we got to the borderline about five hours after our departure the agent handed us our passports and said, “ next time you should hide you money better.” I wanted to reply to that but we drove off instead.
Looking back we all feel very fortunate to come out how we did. It’s something that we will remember for the rest of our lives. It is also going to make a great campfire story next time were sitting around a fire above a perfect Baja point break. For the time being don’t drive at night, but enjoy. I hope our experiences can enlighten and also help the situation.

[johnnylite]

First glad you are all o.k. Second if you look through like ten posts on this site they all have one thing in common. Don't be near the border after dark. maybe it adds an extra day to your trip or means you don't get as far as you wanted but better safe than sorry. I have been going to baja since I was a kid with dad and later my aunt and uncle. I never had a problem in thirty years. The last ten years I can;t bring myself to go. I thought like you did maybe a caravan or something but even that doesn.t help at night or near the border. Again glad you are o.k.

[Josh D]

Thanks for the heads up, glad it worked out OK.

[MikeyLikesIt]

3 strikes and youre out. I think Im done driving in Mex. Kills me, but thats my gut feeling right now.


Glad you got out of there with only money missing.

and thanks for contacting BD with your experience.



Those cork-suckers better hope I never get a terminal illness..............

[Bajabil3]

Don't drive at night in Baja! Period.
Report these to me via e-mail, and I'll pass them on to the correct people. Also get any info that you can about the incident car type, color license plates, badge numbers, even a picture if you can.
Bil3

[fishforfun2]

A friend of mine was dirt bike riding 3 days last week so of Ensinada and on Sun they met some people at the Bajia Hotel in Ensinada for dinner before heading home.They have parking on the premises and they checked in as guests,came out and hour later to get something out of the truck and it was GONE!Had 3 bikes and all there gear,only had basic insurance on truck and my friends bike had about 11,000 in it plus gear.They stayed and tried to complain the next day but nobuddy wanted to listen.His friends truck was a 97 but still worth $.They have there own people working the parking during the day but contractors at nite.

[liprippn]

The federallys are not your friends. They searched my truck one time before crossing Otay border. I had 300 dollars not hidden good enough and they grabbed it. I know the difference between police feds afi judiciales etc. It's a business to take any cash they can find.

They took me out of the truck and put me behind it and started questioning me.They were very polite but while they were searching my truck they grabbed my cash. The first thing I did after the feds questioning me was look for missing items in my truck sure enough I found out they grabbed my cash. I was crossing sentry and was only 200 yards from the US line. I was pissed and new I couldn't do shit. Stupid as it sounds I walked back and very politely asked for the captain. I waited 15 minutes and he came up and I told him I thought you might want to know that one of the guys searching my car had stolen 300 dollars from me. I walked away with not even a reply from the captain. As I walked away got in my truck as I turned around to look what was happening he was questioning the 2 guys that had searched my truck. One of the guys walked away but one was put in one of those black and white fed cars. I want to think he got in trouble but I think the only punishment he got was to have to give the money to his captain.

I no the dangers going into Mexico. I work and live there....I hate when people say I'm not going to Mexico because of all this. THIS SHIT IS NOT NEW

The fact is the people who are suppose to protect you don't and have no problem stealing from you IT's business just like drug trafficing...

IF YOU DON"T LIKE MEXICO STAY HOME AND IF YOUR ONE OF THE MILLION AMERICANS LIKE ME WHO LOVE MEXICO HAVE FUN BE CAREFULL>>>DON"T DRIVE AT NIGHT BE CAREFUL..and know what can happen to you even if you are very well prepaired and are not causing problems.

[hatidua]

All incidents of theft suck. BUT, haven't we been reading the various "I crossed at 2am and got ripped off" threads long enough to have learned anything?

I've driven the entire length of Baja nearly three dozen times and have been fortunate enough not to have experienced some of the truly scary events that have been reported here. I certainly hope never to go through what many have recently endured. I do think the common thread in many of these posts is the midnight to 4am timeline between SD and Ensenada and would think by now that people intent on keeping their belongings (or life!) would avoid that stretch during those hours.

Personally, I'm opting for United Airlines to points much further South. Good luck to those still doing the road, I love Mexico but am well over the driving part.

[fishtaco1974]

In case this happens again, is there a number we can call or report this to immediatly. It will happen again and again and the odds are not in our favor. Thanks

[Bullshipper]

THE PROBLEM IS RECOGNIZING WHO IS REAL AND WHO IS NOT, AND WHO IS CROOKED AND WHO ISN'T.

9 TIMES OUT OF 10 IF A GUY IS ON THE TAKE, YOU CAN SCARE HIM OFF BY SAYING, OK, LETS GO TO THE STATION AND CLEAR THIS UP, INSTEAD OF PAYING THEM OFF AT THE WINDOW.

BUT THEY CAN PLANT WEOPONS AND DRUGS ON YOU
SAY YOU OFFERED THE BRIBE
AND DETAIN YOU FOR A DAY OR TWO RUINING YOUR VACATION

SO THE ONLY FRIEND YOU HAVE AND THE PEOPLE THEY FEAR ARE THE REAL COPS THAT ARE WORKING THESE SAME AREAS IN THE DAYLIGHT. BAD GUYS WORKING BETWEEN 1-7 AM IN THE DEAD SHIFT GIVES THEM THE ADVANTAGE AS NO HONEST OFFICERS ARE AROUND.

SO DO YOUR TRAVELING IN DANGEROUS AREAS DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS IF POSSIBLE.

[Tnt Beach]

Is anyone getting this information to the media here or to the tourism board in Mexico? Maybe they don't give a shit, but was wondering if it is worth trying. Seems that there is something else to do then just leave it here. I appreciate the information though. Glad you are safe.

[squirtis]

Can't blame the cops in Mexico for being crooked when thier own government pays them BS.........

It sucks, I have been stopped a couple of times, once I got stopped by the same cops going south and then coming back up north 3 hours later...there eyes lit up when I told them they already got $40 from us and walked away...

I had a friend that was shot in the head by shotgun at shipwrecks in his tent about 10 years ago...nothing changed....they supposodly got those guys that were causing problems....BS

I LOVE MEX..............just have to take our risks I guess??? Won't take the wife down on a road trip ever again though..