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nothing180 · Joined: 05 Jan 2005 Posts: 55

Hey

I'm a little worried about moving to mexico because I've heard a lot about break ins. Have any of you had the experience of your place being broken into and your stuff stolen? I'm thinking about bringing a digital camera, a cd player, cd's and a laptop... that adds up to a lot, I'm worried about bringing that stuff! Should I be?

aisha · Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 12:17 am Post subject:

it depends a lot on where you live. my friend's apartment was broken into twice but he didn't have his apartment very secure, so it was kind of his fault. you just have to be smart.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Others might not agree with me here, but I think exercising the same caution in Mexico as you would back home will keep you free from break-ins. A good lock and a little vigilance go a long way. Try not to tell too many people as what electronic goodies you have in your apartment to eliminate temptation.

Never been broken into in Mexico. Happened to me twice in Ottawa, Canada.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

Someone picked the (admittedly cheap) lock of my apartment just three nights after I arrived in Mexico. They ripped off my digital camera, old laptop, CDs, etc. I've always suspected it was not a local, but another teacher who lived a couple of doors down and just happened to be leaving the school a few days later.

I have a much better deadbolt and locks on the windows now; no problems yet after 9 months.

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Michael Moore has lied to me!

Small town Canada is like that too, but not in the larger cities. Mind you, there's no razor wire aboot, eh? Break-ins and car theft are the top two crimes in Canada. Police have given up on them to let insurance companies handle it. Not nice when you don't have insurance.

nothing180 · Joined: 05 Jan 2005 Posts: 55

I live in downtown Toronto and my car is parked on the street right in front of my townhouse and it's been broken into 3 times since I moved in in September. I've come to expect it so I empty it and leave the glove compartment open so it looks like it's already been broken into, or at least they can see there is nothing there to take. However, I can't just empty my house every time I leave it and take everything with me! hahaha. I'm really worried about the break-in factor in moving to Mexico. I know you don't make much as a teacher there and I wouldn't have the money to replace anything that got stolen. Even locks can be picked. Is there a better way of staying secure?

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

skratchmer · Joined: 04 Jan 2005 Posts: 10 Location: Canada

Hey, here's my thoughts..... I am leaving to go to Mexico next month and am currently deciding what I am going to pack. It would be nice to bring my laptop, it would be great as a dvd plaver alone. But I know that if I bring it, it will make me more of a target. Same thing if I bring my nice new digital camera. I have decided to just bring my waterproof 35mm point and shoot. It takes great pictures, and I can't imagine anyone trying too hard to swipe it from me. And if so, I'll let it go and only be out $200.00.

I also do not think I would be to excited about travelling abroad if I was that concerned about my personal safety. I am a 21 year old female, and will be travelling on my own. I am aware of the usual safety precautions that should be taken for a traveller like myself in Mexico. I feel that if I "play it safe," I will not be a target. So bottom line, I will not bring anything that would be devestating to part with, but then again, to me, parting with a material good would never ruin a trip.

Flo · Joined: 29 Mar 2004 Posts: 112

I drove to Mexico last summer with a car full of goodies such as a laptop, MP3 player, stereo, etc. and I have never had any problems. My car hasn�t been broken into, nor has my house. I don�t go around advertizing that I have these things in my house. I keep my car locked in the cochera with "the club" on it, and there have been no problems. People can walk by my house, see my foreign plated car, and assume I have some expensive stuff in the house, but I guess they don�t. Some of my students have told me stories about being robbed. They are yuppie kids, they live in nice neighborhoods and drive new, expensive cars. I, on the other hand, live in a not-so-nice working class neighborhood. My TV is at the back of the house, so if someone really wants to look in the front window, all they see is plastic furniture and an old couch. It looks like poor people who own nothing live there.

Like the others have said, be careful who you talk to and who knows what you have in the house. Live some place that has bars on the windows and at least 2 or 3 GOOD locks to get into the house. Yeah, it is a hastle carrying around all those keys, but its worth it.

Having your laptop will make life easier for you here. I would bring it, but be careful!

richtx1 · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 115 Location: Ciudad de M�xico

If you're worried about being a "target", you will be. I said in another forum that in 4 years in Mexico City, the only robbery I've experienced when I had someone in a hotel room (I was here as a tourist then) and they felt they were underpaid for a personal service... and helped themselves. In Houston, my house -- on a busy street -- was broken into in the middle of the day. The #$%&s stole my air conditioner (along with CDs of Beethoven's complete symphonies and the collected works of Elvis Presley)... in August!

I've noticed that Mexicans (and foreigners) tend to feel every other neighborhood is dangerous, and their own is questionable. Better to not worry about it, make friends with the neighbors and local business owners. People watch in Mexico, and if they know you're a local, they'll watch out for you. The foreigers who get robbed here are generally those the neighbors ignore, or annoy the neighbors.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Well put Rich...I completely agree. You can't forsee the unforeseeable, but constantly worrying about it is more likely to make you trip up.

Here's my checklist for things that will keep you safe in Mexico (City anyway)

1. Don't sporting flashy electronics. Why tempt people? Mind you, I've been running around DF with my laptop for awhile now and no trouble. But I just broke rule #2

2. Don't brag about the goodies you have and where you have them.

3. Watch the locals. Do people not go to certain places at certain times, or engage in risky behaviour? 3 AM, alone, walking home drunk, in a bad area of town. When in Rome...

4. Be aware of your patterns. Vary your walking routines from time to time to avoid being cased.

5. Be positive. Probably some Darwinian law that says victims look like victims. Confidence is a shield.

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Sex and the local culture? You mean he's not talking about in-room pedicures? I'm aghast! Wink

You certainly do rise early Tim...it's like 5:45 there ain't it?

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946