29 replies to this topic

[ChrisB]

How do you feel since the security meeting? Are we better or worse off? What exactly has been done?

[Atlas]

Why not ask CSI? The Hotline is in place, the Guardian Angels are being trained, the Policia have some new gear, ...................

[Shira]

I think there are fewer attacks on the foreign population but the local population is at much higher risk than previously.
I find it rather questionable that it is rare that anyone is caught when there are so few places of entrance and exit from Jocotopec to Chapala.
Until there are checkpoints by the army on either end nothing will change and the local population will continue to be terrorized.

[manny]

the security meeting was not about personal disputes between mexicans. dont mix the 2 issues.

[simpsca]

I feel things are much worse since the security meeting. Know friends where had a home invasion in the Raquet Club despite heavy security and security cameras. Just my impression - things are getting worse fast.

[manny]

i was going to mention RC. apparently they need the angels there. (that location is remote & has several entry ways). there was only one good result from the security meeting. the 2 criminals were put in jail. (the ones who murdered chris kahr). the rest was nonsense. why would more police presence stop crime? & why do 1500 old folks think they are so important here? the town is not dependent on their dollars, that was a delusion. & what is going on w/the RC attempted murder case? if they have the fingerprints, & videos, where is the update? those criminals are out & about.

[Ajijic]

I think there are fewer attacks on the foreign population but the local population is at much higher risk than previously.
I find it rather questionable that it is rare that anyone is caught when there are so few places of entrance and exit from Jocotopec to Chapala.
Until there are checkpoints by the army on either end nothing will change and the local population will continue to be terrorized.

Shira what you state is so true re: few places of entrance to the area. When one drives from Barra de Navidad to Manzanillo there is a constant check point.

Between San Juan and the outskirts of Chapala there are only 2 major roads out and three if you count the one headed east along the lake but not an easy road for part of the way. You would think two check points would be a good start as you imply. It won't solve all the problems but worth a try.

[manny]

re: "CRIME WAVE"?? topic mar. 29th 2009, johanson (pete) 8:51pm, backtracked to 3 years ago. i wanted to continue the thread but it had been locked. it was exactly that time which was the turning point for me. it marked some kind of a drastic change. during may 2009, near my street alone there were 2 burgularies, one kidnapping w/fed police. later that summer- 2 car jacks-one in parking lot front of "superlake" -crowded- in broad day light), thru the year several muggings beatings of expats etc etc. we know the rest from 2010 to 2012 as it has escalated. as you see from johansons thread, there was a security meeting @ that time (there had been many over the yrs, old news). i had no idea there were forums like this one (this board was accused of censorship, boy that was off base). i was happy to see lakesidecrime come to the scene. it may be a good idea for people to go over the old thread, the fundamental ideas are important. so we dont have to rehash the maid, gardener worker conversation. also its interesting how things dont change, people have the same resistance.

[LaChula]

i was going to mention RC. apparently they need the angels there. (that location is remote & has several entry ways). there was only one good result from the security meeting. the 2 criminals were put in jail. (the ones who murdered chris kahr). the rest was nonsense. why would more police presence stop crime? & why do 1500 old folks think they are so important here? the town is not dependent on their dollars, that was a delusion. & what is going on w/the RC attempted murder case? if they have the fingerprints, & videos, where is the update? those criminals are out & about.

i wonder if this area is not dependent on our dollars. Before the onslaught of construction, townspeople made their living by farming, fishing. Now those families are dependent on services for the foreigners. If many leave, what will the construction workers, household workers, restauranteurs. spa services. storekeepers, etc. do to eat? The former fields, orchards, farms are fraccs and malls.

[slainte39]

For every new house being built by foreigners, there are probably at least 10 being built for Mexicans (or more), along the north shore.
Just check out all the restaurants in Piedra Barrenada...empty during the week...packed on the weekends.
What the Tapatios spend here (as well as the local Mexican population) dwarfs the economic input of foreigners. The foreign contribution to the economy is significant but not the end all some people think it is.
A good question for any amateur economist out there is...What percentage of the GDP from Mezcala to Jocotepec is generated by Mexican contribution vs. that of foreign contribution?
Or a more simple question...what percentage of sales at Walmart (our largest business in terms of gross revenue) is generated by Mexicans vs. foreigners?
At some art galleries, hamburger eateries, and Panino type restaurants...the foreign sales would dominate. Even real estate companies, which Mexicans avoid like the plague, it's probably a 50/50 split.
There are many vibrant areas in Mexico, such as here or say Querétaro. that can survive without the foreign infusion of money.
IMO, the foreign community sometimes gets a little overwrougt with their importance to the economy.

[manny]

slainete39 thankyou for answering, well stated, i myself lack patience tonight. i am a trend forecaster, yes you are 100% correct. i forecasted this violence in 2005, that was when 2 major ecomonic events took place. ajijic started the big change, the crime was progressive. but it was also in 2005 that more people moved down here. seems in '09, the crime blew up. expats are part to blame for many of the "inside burglary" crimes. they made themselves easy guilty targets. always did. so there is an entire generation of entitled workers. ok thats it for now.

[cedros]

I don't see why the security meeting would make any difference. It was just a PR exercise.

[kb9gzg]

Is the incidence of crime worse than where you lived in the States?

[luisa]

Is the incidence of crime worse than where you lived in the States?

yes

[lakeheron]

Holy cow, YES. And we lived in a latino barrio while we were converting our bus to travel to Mexico in. This is exponentially worse.

[angela04101]

Having grown up in Texas, I learned to have a "watch-my-back" awareness of the persistent crime surrounding me wherever I lived there, yet was able to keep fear (and paranoia) at bay. My tipping point came when I experienced actual violence, 3 incidents in one year, relatively benign, but they could have been much worse. I moved to Maine, beautiful and extremely safe, but ah those winters and the high cost of living.

Moving to Lakeside almost a year ago, I felt my former protective hackles rise again, but still, I'm not fearful. I am very glad that CSI happened, at least as a message that we as a community will "fight back." Did we achieve any results? Couple of alleged murderers in jail, maybe more, and I see that police patrol my streets daily, and even if it's a delusion of safety, I feel better. In the end, all our security measures are delusional - if someone really wants to hurt me or rob me, they will. If I were to experience a personal assault here, that would be my tipping point again. A robbery, not so much: the things I chose to have and love don't have much intrinsic value. The problem is, I'm running out of beautiful safe places to live. For now, I choose to continue to support community safety efforts like CSI and enjoy the hell out of my life here, pre-tipping point.

[Malaya]

Is the incidence of crime worse than where you lived in the States?

Absolutely!!!!!!

As for CS I,the last time I saw their Facebook page they were advertising some restaurant.

I don't know of anything they are doing other than Guardian Angels and I'm not so sure that's a good idea.

[Atlas]

They got the Anonymous Tip Line up and working. IMHO that's a big accomplishment.

[lakeside101]

I heard from a Mexican friend that Ajijic was instituting a 10pm curfew, closing stores etc. Anyone heard this? She indicated they had tried this in Chapala in the past.

[Mad_Max]

They got the Anonymous Tip Line up and working. IMHO that's a big accomplishment.

Lets hope that it stays in place.................