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On Christmas Day, a 16 year old Mexican friend of mine and his 11 year old companion were heading home through La Floresta when they were accosted by one of La Floresta's security guards. The guard asked them for money. The older boy had 100 pesos but the guard said that was not enough. He told the boy to go and get 300 pesos more and he was going to hold the younger boy hostage until he returned. The guard then handcuffed the boy to the steering wheel of his truck. This crime started around 1700 hrs that day.

The older boy obtained the 300 pesos from an account at Walmart which had been set up for his education and returned to La Floresta and gave the money to the guard.

Sometime during this period, a second security guard arrived on the scene in his vehicle and took the young lad into his truck. After some argument between the two guards, the first guard returned the boy to his truck and secured him to the steering wheel. The second guard left the scene.

The two boys were then driven around the área of La Floresta until after dark. When the guard decided to reléase the two boys, he threatened them with a pistol and warned them if they told anyone they would "disappear". He also assaulted the younger boy but was stopped by the older one before he could actually harm the boy. The guard told the boy that he had been drinking and was a little drunk.

Now comes the most upsetting part of the incident.

The next morning, 26 December, the two parents went to lodge a complaint with the Ministereo Publico in Chapala. They were summarily dismissed being told that the office was too busy to deal with minor complaints despite the evidence of the bruises on the boys wrists from the handcuffs.

According to as statement from a woman who works in La Floresta, the guard has intimidated residents of La Floresta and demanded money from them but the victims are too frightened to complain publicly.

I do not yet know what can be done but I will speak with a lawyer to try and obtain some justice in this matter.

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Have the fracc fire them and complain to derechos humanos about the lack of action at the MP.

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I had an incident a couple weeks ago on a tiangus Wednesday, with one of those guys who spoke English, I was walking my dog near the horses, he told my it was illegal for non residents to walk dog on those streets, but if I gave him 500 pesos I could continue, I turned around and walked down the boulivard until, I got to tiangus street I had the crowd protection..I figured Christmas was coming and they will do anything to get money from us..

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I live in La floresta and have NEVER heard of the Guards intimidating Residents for money or anyone else. Analyze the story.

It just has too may holes in it. Why didn't the older boy go for some help rather than Walmart? He didn't go to parents, relatives, friends, anyone for help?

Handcuffing a kid to the steering wheel? Wouldn't that be considered a kidnapping offense? Asking kids for money? Really?

No response from the Ministereo? Do they have a name , badge number or ID the person who refused to help them?

Also, Guards do not carry guns on them. Etc. etc….

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Get use to this, I have heard so many stories of inaction or inappropriate action by the local police. As a member of the local business community I have heard other business owners say they will not turn to the local police for anything and are wondering how they can get adequate police protection for themselves and their businesses.

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Why doesn't the OP request a meeting with the La Floresta board including the boys and their parents so they can tell their story? He/She seems to know the boys well enough to help facilitate this. Then the board can investigate to find out where the truth lies. If, indeed, the guard(s) did this, they should definitely be fired and perhaps charges brought against him/them for illegal imprisonment and extortion. Hairsilver says he was told by one of the La Floresta guards that he could not walk in La Floresta without paying 500 pesos. Seems to me that both of these stories would be worth having the La Floresta Homeowners Association board investigate. No fracc needs guards known for extorting people, whether residents of that fracc or not.

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Why doesn't the OP request a meeting with the La Floresta board including the boys and their parents so they can tell their story? He/She seems to know the boys well enough to help facilitate this. Then the board can investigate to find out where the truth lies. If, indeed, the guard(s) did this, they should definitely be fired and perhaps charges brought against him/them for illegal imprisonment and extortion. Hairsilver says he was told by one of the La Floresta guards that he could not walk in La Floresta without paying 500 pesos. Seems to me that both of these stories would be worth having the La Floresta Homeowners Association board investigate. No fracc needs guards known for extorting people, whether residents of that fracc or not.

Sounds a very reasonable procedure..do it and report back

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Why doesn't the OP request a meeting with the La Floresta board including the boys and their parents so they can tell their story? He/She seems to know the boys well enough to help facilitate this. Then the board can investigate to find out where the truth lies. If, indeed, the guard(s) did this, they should definitely be fired and perhaps charges brought against him/them for illegal imprisonment and extortion. Hairsilver says he was told by one of the La Floresta guards that he could not walk in La Floresta without paying 500 pesos. Seems to me that both of these stories would be worth having the La Floresta Homeowners Association board investigate. No fracc needs guards known for extorting people, whether residents of that fracc or not.

It would perhaps work in US but not here. Security guards, local police, federales, you name it ,have just too much power and will abuse it to their advantage. When I see any of these characters I want to hide.. I admire OP for wanting to get involved. Please be careful how you go about it and good luck.

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It would perhaps work in US but not here. Security guards, local police, federales, you name it ,have just too much power and will abuse it to their advantage. When I see any of these characters I want to hide.. I admire OP for wanting to get involved. Please be careful how you go about it and good luck.

It seems to me that private security guards only have as much power as their employer gives them. If they are abusing that power they will continue to do so if the employer does not know. If the employer is informed of possible abuse of power it can be investigated and a decision made as to how to proceed, which may include firing of that employee. Local, state, and federal police answer to a different employer but security guards hired by La Floresta or any fraccionamiento or business answer to their employer. If I were a La Floresta resident I would certainly want my Homeowners Association board to investigate these two cases to determine where the truth lies and to act accordingly. I would not want my money going to pay for security guards who resort to extortion and kidnapping, which is what the OP's story essentially amounts to. As a resident of Lakeside who passes through La Floresta occasionally I would hope that the board would investigate so that the residents of that fracc or others do not face such a situation in the future. If nothing is done then that amounts to complicity with these actions. I have no sway with the La Floresta fracc board but hopefully there are La Floresta residents on this forum who will ask the board to investigate these situations.

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Is this story to warn us of the police lethargy or to be careful with the guards? Where did this go down, what did the guard look like, age?

Why no photo of the guard here for us to take note?

I am sure that the Fracc has photos of the guards that work in La Floresta, and they could be identified. Also, the lady that was told she could not walk her dog unless she paid money to do so.

Things like this, if they are not reported will keep on going on.

My 2 pesos worth.

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It seems to me that private security guards only have as much power as their employer gives them. If they are abusing that power they will continue to do so if the employer does not know. If the employer is informed of possible abuse of power it can be investigated and a decision made as to how to proceed, which may include firing of that employee. Local, state, and federal police answer to a different employer but security guards hired by La Floresta or any fraccionamiento or business answer to their employer. If I were a La Floresta resident I would certainly want my Homeowners Association board to investigate these two cases to determine where the truth lies and to act accordingly. I would not want my money going to pay for security guards who resort to extortion and kidnapping, which is what the OP's story essentially amounts to. As a resident of Lakeside who passes through La Floresta occasionally I would hope that the board would investigate so that the residents of that fracc or others do not face such a situation in the future. If nothing is done then that amounts to complicity with these actions. I have no sway with the La Floresta fracc board but hopefully there are La Floresta residents on this forum who will ask the board to investigate these situations.

Tell the truth, I personally would not mess with la Floresta association board.

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Some of these suggestions could escalate the situation and cause real harm, even fatalities. What the ladies think or feel have no bearing on the reality. Yes, the fraccionamiento should be informed, but expat involvement could backfire. If the story is factual, I am sure the parents of the teens will do what is appropriate. The solution will probably not involve the police or the ministerio. The former do not investigate such things and are prohibited from doing so. The ministerio may investigate if the complainant makes a formal report and it is found serious enough to warrant action. Otherwise, the community may handle the matter ...... quietly.

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One of the most difficult truths for expats to absorb is that the "authorities" are not on our side, no matter what. Sad, but true and certainly scary. Have an accident and discover that everybody, even those remotely involved, find themselves the poorer in trying to extract themselves from a Mexican jail. If you lack the dinero............you're s.o.l.

Back in the states and Canada, things were very different and it takes time to get over it. Yes, it's wrong and there is rampant injustice. That does not mean we foreigners can do a thing to change it.

In my neighborhood, the locals "take care of" the worst offenders. We don't ask and they don't tell. That's Mexico.

If we can't handle that, it's time to pack up the wagon and head north across the border. Just my opinion.

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One of the most difficult truths for expats to absorb is that the "authorities" are not on our side, no matter what. Sad, but true and certainly scary. Have an accident and discover that everybody, even those remotely involved, find themselves the poorer in trying to extract themselves from a Mexican jail. If you lack the dinero............you're s.o.l.

Back in the states and Canada, things were very different and it takes time to get over it. Yes, it's wrong and there is rampant injustice. That does not mean we foreigners can do a thing to change it.

In my neighborhood, the locals "take care of" the worst offenders. We don't ask and they don't tell. That's Mexico.

If we can't handle that, it's time to pack up the wagon and head north across the border. Just my opinion.

Unfortunately, so very true and even worse in other parts of Mexico.

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