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Riberas future break-in?


d-d

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I had lunch with a friend today. She lives in Riberas in the area behind Mirasol. A year and a half ago, just before her home was burglarized and the bulk of her jewelry stolen, she heard whistles in the street. She said she'd hear two short blasts behind her house and a response in the front, then they'd move around the neighborhood. The afternoon of her break-in she returned home at 4 pm and they were crawling over the back wall. She said several of her neighbors were robbed at the same.

Last night she started hearing the whistles again and she's concerned that there will be another break-in. She's asking what she can do to alert authorities and neighbors before a crime occurs.

ps: She hasn't replaced her jewelry and would like to save them the bother of breaking in.

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Bennie: I've called the police, explained a strange activity to them and upon occasion I have seen them kind of sort of soon thereafter in my neighborhood. And when they drive by I often thank them for driving by, and try in person to explain what didn't seem right

And you would have died laughing listening to me trying to explain what was going on several years back when my Spanish was worse than it is now. (I've still got a lot to learn).

Maybe it's my imagination, but it seems that the better the Spanish I speak, the greater the support I get.

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get furniture with hidden places, in case of break in, at least nothing important will be stolen....it did work for us, when we had a break in....

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Call the police and when they come by treat them to something so they will like being in the area.

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peter, the problem is that if she calls every time she hears a whistle, it will be crying wolf. IF they see someone walking around (w/ or w/out the whistle) they cant arrest, just maybe tell them to "move on". (if that much). so the whistle thing maybe could be nipped in the bud in a frac. but even in a frac, the most they can do is say " time to move on" -i have called the frac police about cars parked & someone sitting there for an hour. the person may say "i was waiting for a friend". then the frac guards say ok, but its "time to go". no one will search & frisk. this is not the USA, where they do that in better areas. i mean they have have a suggested quota there, they look for guns etc. this is not the same. (ps i read spensers comment, if you do call have some beers in the house. they still wont arrest someone for blowing a whistle, they may just send him elsewhere).

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Whistling is also a form of communication among Mexican men. A friend of mine has a Mexican worker every day and when he is headed toward his home he hears the whistles and that's a signal for the worker to get to the friends house where he is supposed to be working. So it may not be a set up for burglary but something else. I hope so anyway.

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It's also a way that families communicate, especially in large crowds. It's actually kind of neat, because no matter how big the crowd and how loud, if dad whistles his special whistle, the kids/family hear it!

Maybe keep an eye on what time of day or night this is occurring. Is it around meal times? Is it around time when workers are getting off of work? Continue being watchful, and I also suggest what Intercasa suggests. If you have to call for something like this, and it isn't an emergency, etc. then maybe see if they want a coke or some cookies, food, etc. Remember, they are working 24 hour shifts, so they do appreciate snacks, etc. and they do remember the people that provide them.

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saege007 is correct about the family whistles. I heard them many times in the states as I taught at schools that were mostly Hispanic immigrants and we heard them at dismissal time and during events where a lot of the community turned out. I even heard them at Disneyland.

They were also used by gang members to call others out of class for a meeting. We put a stop to that!

Do you speak enough Spanish to ask your Mexican neighbors about the whistles? They are a wealth of knowledge and usually wiling to share if they don't have to name names.

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saege007 is correct about the family whistles. I heard them many times in the states as I taught at schools that were mostly Hispanic immigrants and we heard them at dismissal time and during events where a lot of the community turned out. I even heard them at Disneyland.

They were also used by gang members to call others out of class for a meeting. We put a stop to that!

Do you speak enough Spanish to ask your Mexican neighbors about the whistles? They are a wealth of knowledge and usually wiling to share if they don't have to name names.

In LA I heard many gang whistles and I have to rebuke the notion it is a normal family thing to do here. In Mexico it is considered rude [very low class] to whistle at/for anyone.

In LA there are gang members of all shapes and sizes, about 3 generations or more sometimes and is much more common to hear, not here except in gang territory, even the albañiles don´t do it here. Alan

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I have had workers here in the Ajijic area who would whistle to signal each other, for example, when stringing wire or cable. They generally whistle the sound that the words would make, but the whistle carries farther so it is a good way to communicate longer distances. I think whistling is common here, but I would trust my instincts as to what the whistle sounds like--if it is construction workers, it would be obvious as they are going to make other noise also!

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In LA I heard many gang whistles and I have to rebuke the notion it is a normal family thing to do here. In Mexico it is considered rude [very low class] to whistle at/for anyone.

In LA there are gang members of all shapes and sizes, about 3 generations or more sometimes and is much more common to hear, not here except in gang territory, even the albañiles don´t do it here. Alan

Saege007 is 100% correct that whistles are an everyday use by Mexican families. No it isn't considered rude to the Mexican families.

After almost 12 years with my Mexican husband, I have witnessed the unique whistle by my father-in-law countless times...and all the kids know it is their dad's whistle. My husband uses whistles to communicate with co-workers, friends, family, etc... I finally learned the whistle that meant my brother-in-law really liked the meal I served him.

I'm sure the whistle can be both innocent communication, and it could be used by theives or gang members. Previous posters are correct that the police can not take action when they don't see a crime taking place. However, the suggestion to talk with the police patrolling your area - and offer them Cokes - is probably your best bet d&d.

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My friend used to live in six corners and is well aware that Mexican men whistle. In her current location she rarely hears whistles and this particular whistle she hasn't heard since the break-in.

I should mention that her jewelry was recovered by the police shortly after the break-in, but she wasn't able to recover it from the police. I understand why she's reluctant to engage them.

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alan mexacali is corrrect. whistling is not used by all classes of people. its not nice to put everyone in the same group. since it is used by workers, families, burgulars, it is difficult to know who is doing the whistling & why. if the police do patrol the area, they are not going to arrest someone for walking around even @ 3am. if they tell him to leave, he will return later, maybe not whistle as he knows it may get in the way.

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alan mexacali is corrrect. whistling is not used by all classes of people. its not nice to put everyone in the same group. since it is used by workers, families, burgulars, it is difficult to know who is doing the whistling & why. if the police do patrol the area, they are not going to arrest someone for walking around even @ 3am. if they tell him to leave, he will return later, maybe not whistle as he knows it may get in the way.

I don't think anyone put everyone in the same group. I simply stated that it is ALSO used my families. I didn't say ALL families, either. I *have* heard it used in all classes, but I'm not saying every family does it and you may not hear it in the upper classes unless you are close to the family.

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Often workers would whistle on the job site when the boss or owner was getting close.

I live a the head of a trail into the hills where often the younger folks go to smoke, hang out etc. Often a later comer when looking for his friends would whistle hoping to locate is friends. What were they smoking? Don't ask :)

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Funnily enough I was totally unaware of whistles/whistling down here until I read this post a day or two ago. Now, I seem to hear whistles frequently. (I did just turn 65 but discount that as a reason) For example, I was in the Chapala market this morning and the place was a veritable bird house with all the chirps and whistles. Obviously people were communicating and it was really kind of fun. One fellow came in and burst into song. This was quickly followed by a real outburst of whistles and calls presumably from his friends/fans. Not sure if this adds much to the original discussion but thought it worth passing on. I have certainly learned something.

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Sounds to me is that the best thing to do is to call the Police.

okay - I'll bite - you call the police and tell them you heard someone whistle. What do you expect them to do/say in response to your call? And I am not asking for your opinion on what you think they should do - but wondering what you think they WILL do.

The police actually do patrol this area - see them in their truck frequently - and we do have people that whistle on the streets - one mentioned the knife sharpener -

And i have stopped the police truck and told them that I saw a guy on a roof shooting a rifle the previous night. I pointed out the house. They said thank you, and drove past the house without giving it a glance. And I am guessing I am a block away from the person that is concerned about the whistles.

And I also understand the person's concern - this area seems to be prime for the bad guys - and it seems that as soon as they have a break in, up goes the razor wire or electric fence. Not too many homes in this area that they have missed.

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mad max you are 100% correct. people dont "get" the police or understand mexico. after several whistle calls these police wont bother ever coming back. if you have cocktails waiting, they may enjoy a drink & say we'll check it out, bye. get electric fences, dogs, light timers, leave radio left on. the only whistle ive ever heard in floresta was the knife man. in ajijic nothing. if you hear the whistle if see someone hanging out, go back home. i have returned to my house 50% of the time before 2pm. thats when i feel im being watched.

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for examples of family whistling, go to a movie theatre in Guadalajara

Just sit and listen to all the different whistling........that's how we find our

family if we arrive late...class has nothing to do with it

It's part of the culture

It is not considered rude by any Mexican

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it is lower class. now those people are middle class, but they still whistle in movie theatres. point being this is about avoiding a breakin. guess if you hear a whistle you dont like, & are leaving the house, or driving away, just turn back. you are taking precautions.

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