# Robbed by GDL Police



## Namaste (Jul 28, 2008)

New here.

I was recently pulled over near ave. Patria and was robbed by a GDL Police driving a green and white truck. After being pulled over, he approached my car, and told me in no uncertain terms to "get out." All the while his female partner, stood behind him at the rear of my car. He walked me to the front of my car, told me to put my hands on the hood, and then he searched me. seconds later, he told me to "GO."

I stood there for a moment dazed, watching him drive off quickly, wandering to myself what had just happened? it wasn't till I got back in my car that I noticed he had taken my gold money clip out of my pocket, along with about 2300 pesos.

Is anyone else experiencing this? If so, what to do?


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

We have been driving here at Lakeside and in Guadalajara for years and have had no problems. However, we do hear stories of new folks getting hit for 'mordida' by the 'traficos'. Yours is the first I have heard of an outright robbery by a policeman, although there have been reports of similar occurrences, almost always at night, by impostors on motorcycles with a blue light. Yours may not have actually been a policeman. In future, don't stop immediately and continue to a well lit public place. Sorry to hear of your bad experience.


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

A few years ago there was an article about two guys in Cancun for spring break being robbed by police officers. They were taken to an ATM and each told to withdraw $500. The police were wearing badges and the victims memorized the numbers, then reported it to the American consulate. The consulate dealt with the police department. I don't think they got any money back, and I don't think there was any prosecution, but the officers were dismissed.

Report it to your consulate, at least, because they all keep track of crimes against their citizens. 

Were they in uniform? Did they show you badges? Did you get the license plate number? Since you didn't know anything was going on until it was all over, you probably didn't even think about such things. 

It will serve as a warning to me.


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## jlms (May 15, 2008)

*Report it.*



Namaste said:


> New here.
> 
> I was recently pulled over near ave. Patria and was robbed by a GDL Police driving a green and white truck. After being pulled over, he approached my car, and told me in no uncertain terms to "get out." All the while his female partner, stood behind him at the rear of my car. He walked me to the front of my car, told me to put my hands on the hood, and then he searched me. seconds later, he told me to "GO."
> 
> ...


I know it is a pain, but the only way for the police to clean up their act, or to catch people impersonating them, is to get as much information as possible of the "modus operandi" of theses individuals.

Describing the time and location of this robbery as well as the individuals involved may help to form a case, that hopefully would make any future punishment for those low lifes much harsher once they are caught.

Sorry to hear about your experience, I know there are good policeman everywhere in Mexico, but they need the support of the public so they can do their job.


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## bigmutt (Aug 5, 2008)

jlms said:


> I know there are good policeman everywhere in Mexico,


I'd love to know where these "good" policemen are; seriously. 

When I moved here eight years ago, I asked a knowledgeable, professional and responsible mexican neighbor a question: "what percentage of police here are corrupt?" and his serious answer was "100%". I didn't believe him of course, despite coming to know him as someone who didn't exaggerate. But after 8 years of personal experience and annecdotal evidence, I've realized my neighbor was right. Varying degrees of corruption, of course; but it's so ingrained in the society and that profession, it will be a long, long time before it's down to the level of first-world countries.

If your definition of "good" includes the trait "honesty", I'd love to hear about these good policemen.


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## Namaste (Jul 28, 2008)

*follow up*

OK, sorry for the delay bit I didn't have permission to post replies.

Yes, they were in fact official policemen in uniform, driving a marked police car with lights flashing. While I didn't get their badge numbers, I did however get the # on the side of their patrol car, and I reported this to the American Consulate.

Truth be told, I have now been here in GDL, on and off, for five years. This is the second incident I have endured with the GDL police that deeply concerned me. The first time, I was pulled over for supposedly speeding. The fact was, I had taken the wrong exit, and, was fiddling with a map trying to determine how to get back unto highway when a Police Truck, (Green, white and bluish markings) # Z334, came up behind me and honked, for me to pull over. These two Police-thugs, searched the inside of my car thoroughly, emptied my pockets, glove box, and trunk. Had me place my wallet, cash, and loose change in the front seat while they searched the car. I was told that this was a serious infraction, and that they were going to tow my car and take me in to see a judge (9:00 night)

Long story short, I finally caved in and paid what they said would be the infraction charge ($40.00) mainly because these two thugs in uniform scared me and I had my three year old with me and I could tell he was scared. When I got back in my car, and was picking up my belongings from the front seat, I noticed that 500 pesos more, was missing from the 1500 pesos I had set on the front seat.

While I cannot believe that the entire GDL Police Force operates like this, I nonetheless do not go out at night now, and cringe at the sight of these State Sanctioned Thugs... I will not ever invest in property here, or, any other business venture in Mexico till this is cleaned up. These cops at best were street-thugs that happen to have badges, side arms and hand cuffs that robbed me with all the arrogance and impunity one can have, while in uniform and carrying a side arm.

I know that there most be honest and legitimate GDL Police out there, my only question is, how do they tolerate these thugs polluting the reputation, image, and duty of a Police Officer?


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## bigmutt (Aug 5, 2008)

Namaste said:


> I know that there most be honest and legitimate GDL Police out there, my only question is, how do they tolerate these thugs polluting the reputation, image, and duty of a Police Officer?


How do they tolerate them?? 
You know the phrase "If you can't beat them, join them." Well, *that's how* they tolerate them. I've been told as much, by policemen here in D.F., when they were a bit drunk and loosened up. 

So when you talk about the reputation, image and duty of a police officer here in Mexico, it's totally inconsistent with concepts like honest and legitimate. You're getting them mixed up with the profession *you think of* when you think police officer. The only similarity is the uniform, gun and badge.

They are completely in a world unto their own, believe me. Their superiors love the most crooked ones the best, because they're their best "earners". 

And believe me, earn they do!! I have had two D.F. policemen show me their paystubs (really!!) and on top of the $14,000 pesos monthly that they get from paychecks, their spending money and "tucked away for a rainy day" money (i.e. from mordidas) can get pretty substantial. None however have confided exactly how much that is for them; but they tell some darn good urban legends about what they've seen their colleagues rake in.

I've made acquaintances with a number of them, and a few are actually nice guys when you get them in a social situation. But "nice guys" doesn't mean they're honest, by any means. They feel they deserve the little extras they can take from the public, because they feel they work in a difficult and dangerous profession. And besides, their superiors demand kick-backs from all of them, no matter how dishonest or "semi-honest" they may be.
That's why I *know* there are absolutely no honest cops out there: their job definition makes it impossible.


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

There are a lot of US cops 'on the pad'. We just don't have to deal with it on a daily basis.

It is possible to turn the police around, or at least improve. Singapore would be a good example, but as a tiny country with one-party (well, one-family) rule, it was a whole lot easier.


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## Namaste (Jul 28, 2008)

*Mexican Police Checkpoint - Kidnapping - CNN Headlines*

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) -- Mexican President Felipe Calderon met with the country's 32 governors Thursday to create a plan to combat the nation's staggering rise in crime and kidnappings.
Mexican President Felipe Calderon has noted that kidnappings have reached an alarming level.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon has noted that kidnappings have reached an alarming level.

In a heavily guarded meeting at Mexico's National Palace, the leaders devised a plan that detailed 65 specific actions to could be taken in the next several months.

Those actions are aimed at helping families like that of prominent businessman Alejandro Marti. He told the group that the new focus on kidnapping has come too late for his 14-year-old son, Fernando.

Fernando was grabbed from a car on a busy street at a fake police checkpoint this year. The next day, his chauffeur and bodyguard were found bound and strangled in the trunk of a car.

Next to their bodies, police found a yellow chrysanthemum, a calling card from a gang that calls itself the Band of Flowers.

Some investigators believed the flower was a coded message to police telling them not to investigate too closely, that the kidnappers were police, also.

In July, Fernando's decomposed and bullet-ridden body was found stuffed in the trunk of a car.

At least one police officer and one civilian have been taken into custody, accused of involvement in the kidnapping and killing, police and Alejandro Marti said.

Marti told the group of leaders to do a better job to protect other children like his son.

"There are university students who could do their jobs better than you can," Marti scolded the group.

To address the crime increase, Mexican leaders called Thursday for building special prisons exclusively for kidnappers, bolstering the justice system, cleaning up corrupt police forces, clamping down on kidnapping tools such as prepaid cell phones and money laundering.

Calderon noted at the meeting that kidnappings had reached an alarming level.

"The truth is we are all responsible," Calderon told the group. "We must recognize the traditional way of combating crime has not been sufficient. We must act in a more coordinated and vigorous manner."

According to official figures, there have been 314 kidnapping in Mexico this year. The numbers topped 700 in 2007. Authorities say the real figures may be even greater because victims often don't report crimes to a police force they don't trust. Experts say the rise is also a result of a perception sense that crimes go unpunished.

Non-governmental groups estimate that there have been more than 1,500 killings in Mexico this year linked to organized crime.


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

The US State Departmetn maintains a sobering list of Americans murdered in Mexico every year. It's pretty long, but it also lists the motive for the murder. Drugs, drugs, drugs.


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## joco69 (Dec 27, 2007)

My rule if asked to stop by Police is drive as close as possible to the next Traffic Light, that way other people will be able to see whats going on.
Never get out of the car and never hand over your drivers licence. Never pay a mordida, request to be fined and then contest it at your local Licence Office. I have contested a fine given in Pto.Vallarta here in Chapala, the fine was pure fiction. After explaining what happened I was asked if I would agree to pay one minimum daily salary to have no problems in case of another arrest, I willingly agreed.
Also as a rule you are much better off with a local plated car, foreign plated cars are a prefered target by the bad guys.


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

What's with the attitude, Pedro? Please can it.


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## jennysmityh748 (Mar 16, 2008)

Namaste said:


> This was not intended to offend you, nor, to be read as "crap" as you wrote. Let me assure you, that when I was being robbed by these GDL Police with my five year old sitting in the car watching this happen - it was a sobering and frightening incident - they stole my money, with all the arrogance and impunity that comes with wearing a badge and carrying a gun.
> 
> There was nothing “mananna” about it!


i thought the child was 3?


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

My apologies. I should have deleted the newspaper article for using copyrighted material, and definitely dumped Pedro's reply. Better late than never, I hope.


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## Namaste (Jul 28, 2008)

Actually 5, typo mistake...


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

Namaste said:


> Actually 5, typo mistake...


If you want to reference an article without breaking copyright laws, limit your quote to a few relevant sentences to highlight your argument, then give a link to the article so readers can read it in full if they wish. This is perfectly acceptable. But you can't go and cut and paste the whole article.


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## bigmutt (Aug 5, 2008)

*Kidnapping in mexico*

Okay, if this thread has turned into one about kidnapping, this is an area in which my family and I became experts, last year.
A family member was kidnapped, abused, held for ransom for four months, then finally released, thank God. Happened in Tijuana, while driving alone to the airport to catch a flight back home to Guadalajara. 
Lots of details I could go into, but the main one is that this event will never show up in the statistics (same as so many other kidnappings here) because everything was done without official police involvement. But the kidnapping and subsequent holding?? it was done with total police involvement. Unofficial of course. 

It was a nightmare for the whole family, especially their three young children. The victim was also changed forever: partly for the good I might add, considering how taking liberty for granted has now changed dramatically.

It was yet one more lesson that the police here should certainly never be seen as being there to protect the citizens. Avoid involvement with law "enforcement" authorities in Mexico as much as possible.

Read an interesting statistic in the news a few days ago: the average tenure of an urban Mexican police officer is a little less than three years. I guess they quit, get fired or simply leave for more lucrative endeavors with the skills they've acquired . Oh, and maybe these days attrition is also due to getting whacked by competing cartel members.


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## Namaste (Jul 28, 2008)

Thank You for sharing that story BigMutt, I cannot imagine how unbearable that incident must have been.

Is it just me, or is this world totally insane? Police robbing the very citizens they are sworn to protect; others prowling the streets in search of our children, to abduct, and hold at ransom. How corrupt and mentally deranged does a person have to become, to even contemplate abducting an innocent and helpless child, in hopes that he will gain financially? Is there nothing sacred anymore?

At what point, do we, the masses, say enough is enough and demand better?


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## AdrianR (Sep 19, 2008)

Namaste said:


> At what point, do we, the masses, say enough is enough and demand better?


There was an incident in Panuco a few years ago where two uniformed cops and their buddies were hanging out under a shade tree with a few cold beers. Some local urchin kids started throwing stones at them and calling them names. One cop, seeing a threat to his AUTHORITAH, pulls out his sidearm and wings one of the kids.

8 year with a .38 round in his shoulder, is carried off screaming. Large crowd of very p1ssed off adults gathers with rope, and have themselves a lil' old necktie party right there with the cops.

An ugly end to an ugly incident and yet, one senses, justice was properly done.


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## Chali Chan (Sep 12, 2010)

Namaste said:


> OK, sorry for the delay bit I didn't have permission to post replies.
> 
> Yes, they were in fact official policemen in uniform, driving a marked police car with lights flashing. While I didn't get their badge numbers, I did however get the # on the side of their patrol car, and I reported this to the American Consulate.
> 
> ...


In any event ask them to write the ticket. A majority of the time they are too lazy to do this and will let you go. It is illegal for any police to relieve you of your drivers license or passport for any traffic reason and is a serious offense. 
They however can take your registration/tarjeta de circualtion and or your license plates from your vehicle. Considering they write you a ticket.

I know of many many people around the D.F. and those who have tried to circumvent the D.F. via Toluca and have been relieved of over 500 dollars and mostly 200 per pop. IF you are travelling heavy, with items strapped above your car it makes you a primary target.
They will do this in the forest line where cell phones do not work. I have invested in a satellite phone and also have several attorneys in my family. Once they see you have communication in an area they do not they will let you by very quickly.

Being in the media I also wear tshirts from various agencies. They see this, say hello and wave you on your way.

How to out fool the bad police. In my early jaunts to Mexico (just ten eleven years ago) I came up with the idea after being extorted by bad police for about the fifteenth time a good trick. 1.) just carry a copy of your documents along with you. 2.) before leaving the states ( not legal but in the end stops a crime from happening) apply for a lost licence. In Acapulco its almost a given you will be hit up for a mordida within the first hour. Let them take your license. They will do that out of rage for not paying the bribe...continue driving on your way. Oh and when you leave Acapulco expect them to ask for "another" tip.

Never raise your voice, no matter how right you are.:ranger:


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## American_Woman (Mar 31, 2010)

Seems this is an old thread but since it's been bumped I will tell you that a few months ago a family friend was murdered near Acapulco in a similar "staged" incident. He and his wife realized they were being robbed and tried to run but he was shot and killed. Luckily his wife was able to get away to safety. It's unclear weather they were real police officers or just a gang pretending.


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## Chali Chan (Sep 12, 2010)

synthia said:


> The US State Departmetn maintains a sobering list of Americans murdered in Mexico every year. It's pretty long, but it also lists the motive for the murder. Drugs, drugs, drugs.



Yes I have had situations.....many where the very minute after problems arise I have made reports with the Deparment of State in D.C. (for some reason criminals like to work weekends) or during the week the consulate, if they ar enot open ask the operator for the Officer of the Day for Mexico. In several events the criminals like to flaunt their powers and protection from the police and will tell you that they are going to do something if you do not pay their demands.
I have been lucky when problems had arisen and a white house representative was in my presence at 7:30in the morning on two occasions. It all depends upon who you know, but again it is only a witness to events. The Embassy is pretty much powerless to do anything in any situation no matter how serious.

Well in more than a few very serious incidents this report has without doubt identified on record the intentions of known individuals just before they had tried to do their criminal act. This is a very profound and unquestionable tool if you should attempt to defend yourself against criminals... which by the way is almost impossible.

This is a very good point you have brought attention to the board and very useful. Many things happen to good people and had they made one of these reports the U.S. Embassy or State Department would know what actually happened to them.
Because of these reports their is an extremely large database of people who are known to be involved in unlawful actions in Mexico. With a visit and proper protocol you can find out a whole lot about who is doing what in Mexico in any business or situation that you may be involved in. 
Also remember that 75% of crime is never reported or willfully investigated.


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