# Heads Up - Theft



## grammaz (Nov 6, 2010)

Just a heads up for all the ladies. This morning my wallet was stolen out of my purse at the Mega in Nuevo Vallarta. Yes, it was my fault, I had an open purse in the child seat and undoubtedly turned my back away as I was shopping. Within an hour, before I could cancel them, they had racked up over $1,000 at WalMart. With all the traffic on 200 they did pretty good getting to Walmart and doing that in such a short period of time. We travelled down here with money belts and no cards on us other than necessary but I let stupidty let this happen. Other than the inconvenience of no credit cards until we have them couriered to us and undoubedly the threat of identity theft as my FM3, copy of my passport and driver's licence where also there, to have this happen on the last day of the year really sucks. Just a heads up to all the ladies, keep your purses around your body or at least zipped up. We have travelled here numerous years and this is our first encounter. Definitely a wake up call. Having said all this does anyone know how easy it will be to get a new FM3? I've only had it two weeks and have all the paperwork.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

I am sorry to hear this happened to you. I see women in grocery stores leaving their purse in the cart all the time in both the US and in Mexico. I have always thought it was a bad idea. I was almost run over by a guy in a Target store one time as he ran out with a woman's purse. I still regret that if I didn't think a little faster and trip him. I hope there are no further consequences and you can replace the lost id easily.

Memo


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## grammaz (Nov 6, 2010)

TundraGreen said:


> I am sorry to hear this happened to you. I see women in grocery stores leaving their purse in the cart all the time in both the US and in Mexico. I have always thought it was a bad idea. I was almost run over by a guy in a Target store one time as he ran out with a woman's purse. I still regret that if I didn't think a little faster and trip him. I hope there are no further consequences and you can replace the lost id easily.
> 
> Memo


Thanks Tundra Green for your condolences. At the moment I am downing my sorrows in a margarita but hopefully it will make someone think before they do it again. I know I will change my habits. As my husband was just saying, we are so trusting and nine times out of ten it doesn't happen, but it's just the world we are living in. If WalMart even looked at the ID (which I guess may not be an impossibility) it would be very hard for a Mexican to pass for me. I'm a 60 year old red haired Canadian. So my guess it was a ****** that stole from me.


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## kcowan (Jul 24, 2010)

We had visitors in PV who lost a handheld purse by dropping in an over-the-shoulder open sack. Next time they reached for it, it was gone. They were able to cancel their credit and debit cards before anything was stolen. Thanks to VOIP. Fortunately their passports and FMTs were in our condo.

It was right on Olas Altas outside La Playa.

BTW what you experienced also happened to MIL in a Safeway in Richmond BC. And another time, a cyclist tried to rip it off her arm in the parking lot without success. There are thieves everywhere!


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## TamiJ (Apr 8, 2010)

I am so sorry to hear this. I don't know anything about getting another FM3 (I just picked up my new one today), but I would guess there would be a fee involved, but other than that, it shouldn't be terribly difficult (having said that, I am only assuming and have no real idea). In any case, I hope it all works out well for you.


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## grammaz (Nov 6, 2010)

I was there today as well and I have to file a stolen report with the Ministerio Publico. There apparently is no fee involved just the time for the replacement to be processed and of course the waiting time. The problem I had this morning was no one at the Ministerio Publico office speaks English so I have to go back with a Spanish speaking friend and get the report and then go back and visit the INM office with my printed online request for a replacement. Same form we had to print off to originally apply for the FM3 but for a "resposcion", replacement.


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## grammaz (Nov 6, 2010)

Just to let you know the latest on getting a stolen FM3 replaced. My Spanish speaking friend accompanied me on Tuesday morning to the Ministerio Publico. He first asked me for three copies of my passport. I only had one so he said that would have to do. He then returned it to me at the end so I've no idea why he wanted three.

It took an hour and a half to file the report, it was three pages long, we both were fingerprinted, they wanted to know in detail my history, everything that was stolen etc. Very, very detailed. The report is on the computer from the last person and they just change the names and add new details. Fluent Spanish is absolutely required at the office in Bucerias. 

We then went back to the INM office where once my number was called it took about 20 minutes. Next week I will check on line and see if it is ready for pickup. Hopefully that is the end of the story. No additional cost, just my time and a good friend who helped me out. Fortunately I had extra pictures from the first application so didn't have to get new ones done.


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