This website is no longer being updated. If you would like to take it over
and have the requisite webmaster skills,
contact us at": info@lakechapalacrime.com
NEWS
Do to lack of community interest, the website is now closed. I had previously decided that if no reports were received in a one month period, that would be the tipping point for closing the website; and that one month period was reached on March 18. The website will be online until September - but no new reports will be added.
As many of you know, I closed before - but this time I am also returning NOB and see no reason to try to continue the website from there with the existing lack of interest.
Many thanks to those that have helped throughout the years - it has been appreciated.
Bentley Main, 66, American stabbed in Chapala, succumbs to his wounds in Guadalajara hospital wwww.lapoliticaeslapolitica.com (note - the age varies in different articles - correct age is 66)
March 1 - 2013 two bodies found in the municipality of Jocotepec on road to Tizapán Alto www.lapoliticaeslapolitica.com
More WalMart Complaints: February 18, 2013 - I bought an item for 37 pesos and gave 200 pesos. I just received change for only 100 pesos. When checking my receipt the cashier had punched in 2000 pesos, not 200 pesos. I went to the head cashier and told her that I was short changed and the specific cashier who had short changed me. She went over to that cashier's till and took out 100 pesos, not even batting an eyelid. Sounds like both are in cahouts with each other. PS on March 1 I was short changed 10 centavos by someone training another person. And I know, 10 centavos is not a big deal. But when I owe them 10 centavos, WalMart collects. So when they owe me 10 centavos, I too want to collect. And in this case, the change wasn't complicated - 4.30 pesos was due. Where does all this extra money go?
Feb 12 2013 Checkout clerk short changing 100pesos. Change was to be 366 for a 500p given. Gave 266 back. I made the clerk put down on counter and count it out.
November 23, 2012 I bought about 250 pesos worth of goods at Walmart. I gave the cashier a 500 peso note - the receipt said change is 250 pesos and the cashier gave me 50 pesos - a shortfall of 200 pesos.. I showed her the receipt and money in my hand (the 50 pesos that she gave me) and said another 200 pesos please. She took the next customer and the line was getting crowded because I didn't move. When she opened the drawer for the next customer she gave me the 200 pesos she had shorted. Didn't bat an eyelash or say sorry.
February 27, 2013 Teenager who killed brother in Chapala on February 9 is arrested. Article in Spanish: www.jalisco.milenio.com
February 26, 2013 - An elderly U.S. citizen was gravely injured and his Mexican companion murdered in their Riberas del Pilar residence during a violent encounter with unknown suspects. This past weekend, responding to a call from concerned neighbors, Chapala police arrived at the scene at Avenida de la Ribera 204 shortly before noon Sunday and found Ronald Bentley Main, age 76, lying on the kitchen floor. He was breathing and semi-conscious, with signs of multiple stab wounds apparently inflicted with an ice pick. While awaiting arrival of Red Cross paramedics, officers inspected the premises, finding the lifeless body of Martin Orozco Gutierrez, 48, sprawled face down in a pool of blood in the hallway of the home’s bedroom wing. Click here to read more www.theguadalajarareporter.com
-Written by Dale Hoyt Palfrey (Great and timely reporting by the Guadalajara Reporter!)
Other reports: Article in English www.lapoliticaeslapolitica.com
February 11, 2013 From www.lapoliticaeslapolitica.com Jalisco police put out alert on phone extortions for communities south of Chapala: Given a recent increase in phone extortions, the South Regional Delegation of the Attorney General of the State of Jalisco (Delegación Regional Sur de la Procuraduría General de Justicia del Estado de Jalisco) has put out a new warning to the public for communities to the south and west of Chapala.
Active areas, according to authorities, are Ciudad Guzmán, Sayula, Zacoalco de Torres, Zapotiltic (directly outside of Ciudad Guzmán), Tapalpa (south west of Chapala), among others in southern Jalisco. The ruse involves cold calls to people telling them that family members have been kidnapped, and then an attempt to extort money for their “release”. It is an old trick, but carries weight in Mexico, which has the highest kidnapping rate in the world.
Authorities advise that the easiest way to avoid the problem is simply not to answer calls from unknown numbers. If a call is received, remain calm, hang up, and report the matter to the authorities. Showing any sign that you are being swayed by the trick could only lead to more harassment.
Specific recommendations offered by the authorities are:
- Do not give out personal information over the phone to anyone, even if you think you recognize the voice.
- Beware that some tricksters claim you have won an “award”, but that it requires that you buy them phone cards. Note that Interior Ministry (Secretaría de Gobernación) does not involve itself in sweepstakes or gambling.
- Do not leave your name or surname on voicemail, and do not answer with your name.
- Make sure you know the school/work addresses and phone numbers of your family.
- Request that your family not to turn off their phones.
- Ask members of your family for the numbers of their friends, and where they are located.
- And whatever you do: do not pay or deposit any funds into accounts held by the criminals!
If you don't subscribe to lapolitica it is easy to do so: http://www.lapoliticaeslapolitica.com/
February 10, 2013- New type of ATM Scam? Couple arrested in El Salto - The device called " trap ", is placed in the slot where the ATM delivers the cash to the user, and when a person has the money, just time to leave it, is" trapped. " At that point, the person gets upset and reports to bank, the teller did not hand over the money, however, the thieves go to the ATM to remove the trap and take the money. Article in Spanish: www.informador.com.mx
February 9 = Bernardo García Zetina, the police chief of Poncitlán, a town on Highway 35 northeast of Chapala and southeast of Guadalajara (see map, bottom), was gunned down just before 8pm February 8 at his home near Guadalajara. Poncitlan is between NE of Mezcala and San Pedro Itzican and east of Ocotlan. www.lapoliticaeslapolitica.blogspot.mx
February 9, 2013 Whatever happened to CSI? http://www.theguadalajarareporter.com/index.php/news/news/lake-chapala/41545-what-ever-happened-to-csi
February 9, 2013 Rancho del Oro-Las Salvias Break in's - from Chapala.com: Police chief Ramon del Arco says he has personnel trained to draw up sketches of crime suspects. It would be interesting if everyone who has been victimized by this mystery man would cooperate in putting together a sketch which presumably could be publicized as well as given to police patrols.. Seems like this individual is working the Rancho del Oro-Las Salvias area. Let's help our police get him off the streets!
Also - it would be nice if people also sent us reports of breakins. We have read many nonspecific posts on Chapala.com and are really confused as to how many breakins or break in attempts have not been reported to us.
February 2 www.borderlandbeat.com Invasion of Los Templarios and the Violent War With CJNG! So you read that heading and decide to pass - not interested, right? Or, you could decide to scan the article; and if you did, you would see: The cities of Jalisco most affected by this war are; Jilotlán de los Dolores, Pihuamo, Tecalitlán, Quitupan, Mazamitla, San José de Gracia, Santa María del Oro, La Barca, Atotonilco, Ayotlán, Tizapán El Alto y Degollado, Tuxcueca, Jocotepec and Chapala. So I guess we do care - Sorry to see Chapala and Jocotepec back in the news this way.
ALERT
It appears that we have a rash of breakins, where entry has been gained by pushing open garage doors - in the Ajijic and La Floresta area. So garage door openers are great convenience items - BUT - best to padlock the garage doors or lock some other way - as without a lock, some are easy to force open.
From Chapala.com, Anthonio Leal has installed some preventative measures such as metal welded to to the bottom of one of the doors so that they cannot be pried apart and an automatic lock on another person's garage doors. He is also on John's list of recommended contractors.
GARAGE DOOR SERVICE ANTONIO LEAL (Speaks English) - Guarantees Work Tel: 766 4973 Cell ph: 045 333 157 6536
Older News
November 20 - Updated Travel Warning for Mexico http://travel.state.gov- Here is the Jalisco part - Jalisco: Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta are major cities/travel destinations in Jalisco -see attached map to identify their exact locations: You should defer non-essential travel to areas of the state that border the states of Michoacán and Zacatecas. You should also exercise caution when traveling at night outside of cities in the remaining portions of this state. There is no recommendation against travel to Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta. There is also no recommendation against travel on principal highways in Jalisco between Guadalajara including the portions that cross in to the southern portions of the state of Nayarit. The security situation along the Michoacán and Zacatecas borders continues to be unstable and gun battles between criminal groups and authorities occur. Concerns include roadblocks placed by individuals posing as police or military personnel and recent gun battles between rival TCOs involving automatic weapons.
November 27 - Posted on Facebook by a respected local Mexican activist - Be advised all citizens to not be intimidated by those who are making phone calls saying they have kidnapped his family and to deposit some amount. These crooks are using fear in order to achieve their ends, if you. receive any calls of this type listen, hang up, call your family and immediately call the police and report the incident.
This warning is that today many people received this call threatening Chapala. Updated November 29 by a reader: My cleaning lady lives in Jocotopec and speaks English. Her mother received a call two days ago that they were going to kidnap her daughter and my cleaning lady - used her name. My cleaning lady is terrified.
For archived news, click here
Earlier this year, www.lakesidecrimetracker.com assume responsiblity for crime reporting and www.lakesidecrime.com was retired. However, on the morning of September 11, 2012, they closed the site and the following information was later posted:
Due to a lack of community support, and constant attacks in local Blogs, the LakesideCrime Tracker web site has been closed. We have put considerable time and money into the LakesideCrime Tracker web site, receiving only criticism and a total of $5 usd in donations for our efforts. Our offer to do Senior Self Defense Seminars, Neighborhood Watch assistance, and other community services have been completely ignored.
Since the community response in local Blogs has been very negative, we can only assume the web site is not wanted by the community, and there is no reason for us to continue to put in 20 to 30 hours a week (posting crimes, reviewing crime reports, reviewing and posting other sources for crime and safety news, creating monthly newsletters, reading and responding to emails, creating promotion materials, ect.) to maintain the web site.
We felt the information on the original site (www.lakesidecrime.com) was important to the community, and we were able to get the original files from the site/owner - and have restored the information to this website: www.LakeChapalaCrime.com.
We encourge you to send in reports for the period of time the site was inactive, as well as reports for crimes as they occur in the future.
Best Regards - The new guys on the block
Click here to view crimes reported and any updates
What Else is Happening?
Feb 15 2013 - Man assasinated and daughter shot - taco stand in Ajijic - www.theguadalajarareporter.com
Feb 2013- Chapala Libramento - Kidnapping and escape of owner of tire store www.theguadalajarareporter.com
Wanted: Perp responsible for lots of breakins - is about 5' 10" tall, mid 30-s to 40's, stocky, light skinned, with brown, scruffy, shoulder length hair tucked into a cap, , not sure if he is Caucasian or Mexican, wearing a t shirt, shorts, tennis shoes, and a cap, also a backpack. He also appear to be driving a late model,silver, Jeep Patriot with Jalisco plates JNG 7774
He is a young, but not teenage gringo, about 5'9", dirty blond curly hair in a grey tee shirt and shorts with a backpack. He appeared to be under the influence of drugs and was not deterred by our 100lb. and 75lb. dogs and pepper sprayed them.
Male, mid twenties, wearing a back pack, sun glasses, ball cap, long sleeve sweatshirt, light complexion, about 5' 7" 150 lbs..is fit looking
Hot Topics!
Extortion Calls? Back in the news again Read More
ATM Fraud happens at Lakeside - We suggest you only use the machines that are physically in a bank. Read More
What if your car was stolen? What would YOU do?
What is in your car? Hiding a wallet under the seat doesn't always work.
I am from CFE (or TelMex) - please let me check out your house! Opps - no identification:
What's a Mustard Bandit? If you don't know, you could find out much too quickly.
Flat Tire? Of course I can help - after all, I made it go flat
Click here to read the lastest hot topics!
Privacy Policy - Click here - basically it is we keep everything private!
About LakeChapalaCrime.com
If you don't report it, others will think it never happened!
If you, expat or Mexican, have been a victim of a crime in the Lake Chapala area; or if you are a friend or neighbor of a victim, please let us know what happened so that we can publish the information so that others know what is occurring. This does not take the place of reporting the crime to Mexican Authorities - which we hope you will do.
What if someone tries to break into your house - and destroys your gate or breaks a window - but doesn't succeed. Do you consider that crime? We do. Would you report it to the police? Would the Ministerio Publico allow you to file a Denuncia? The answer in both cases is probably no unless you actually saw the person/s. Would your neighbors or Fracc want to know? The answer is probably yes. They would prefer that you not keep the problem a secret so that they can be more alert.
The police are here to catch people in the act of commiting crimes. At this time, the information they publish is the number of arrests they have made - which is different from the number of crimes reported to them; and they do not categorize by type of crime committed - for example: was the perp arrested because he was drunk or because he killed someone; nor do they care about the nationality of the victim or perp. All that information stays anonymous. The requirement to publish that type of information does not exist at that level.
This website tries to fill the gap - by providing detailed information about what crimes are being committed at Lakeside. Because the website is in English, the audience is expats - but this does not exclude Mexicans from reporting also - a crime at Lakeside is a crime at Lakeside. The one exception is Narco Violence - that is not within our scope and is usually well reported elsewhere. Note - we will not include information
The only way we can get that information is if you or a knowledgeable neighbor or friend reports the crime - be it an attempted breakin or the theft of personal property from your vehicle. A criminal act is a criminal act.
We recognize that when you are a victim of a crime, it is traumatic. And we thank you for taking the time to send us a report so that others may be more watchful.
Also, if you would like to contribute information about crime reporting or prevention - please contact us at info@LakeChapalaCrime.com .
We also recommend that you report the crime to Mexican authorities.
The question has come up - what news will we include or not include? Our primary purpose is to publish information about crimes against expats at Lakeside. Other news that we will sometimes publish will be from public sources such as the Informador and the Guadalajara Reporter.
We do recognize that a lot more happens to and in the community than is publicly published. Much of this falls into the category of rumors and speculation - but not all. We have decided that we will no longer publish rumors and speculation even if it is very apparent that something happened - unless the life or property of an expat is directly effected.