This will be one of those posting where my friend will say, "Anyone reading your blog will never visit Mexico" So let me start by saying that in over five years here, nothing like this has ever happened to me before. Yes, I do know other people who were robbed, but I always suspected that it might have been someone that had (at some point) been invited into their home. One friend of mine was even murdered. He had told me of three robberies,(Three?) before he told me that his car was stolen. How did they get his keys? I also knew from a scuffle one night at Apaches that he knew some pretty rough people. A few weeks after he told me of his car being stolen, he disappeared! He was very well known and very well liked in Vallarta. He was head of the Writers Club. It was less than a week later that a Mexican "acquaintance" of his had been stopped driving his car.. A search of the guys home turned up several items taken from Collin's home. (they do not bother with search warrants here) After some interrogation (No, I do not know if torture is involved), the guy showed them where the body was. At first the guy was released as the police said, "they had no real proof that the guy murdered Collin". The public outcry was so loud that the Mexican was rearrested. Beyond that I do not know what happened to him
Now to my day. In another blog you have already heard about my problem with Ciel Water Co. The drivers either are transferred or quit every few weeks, so you never get the same guy again. The previous time I had called my last driver and he did politely tell me that he no longer worked for Ciel and to call the company. I did, and again, and again the following day. As it happened I was on the balcony and spotted the Ciel truck in front of my place. I yelled down at them. They gave a confused look so I ran down stairs. They were delivering next door, so I told them I wanted two bottles. He asked (in English) had I called the office. (Yes, three times!!) Anyway he gave me his name and telephone number so the next time when I needed more water I called him. He said he would be there in five minutes (I knew that was not happening) After four hours, I had errands to run, so I told the taco people next door to watch for Ciel and tell them to return in one hour. First I went to pay my rent, then stopped at Guadalajara Pharmacy (the only grocery store this side of the river). because the day before they were out of bread and eggs. They were still out, Next I went by the clinic to get a shot for a cold/flu that would not go away. There were six people waiting so I left and went to the framer who was framing the art work done for my invitations. It had been over a week and I hoped it was ready. There was a sign in the window stating that would be closed from Dec. 31st to Jan. 3rd (it was the 4th). So I went home and the taco people told me that Ciel had shown up and would return.
I opened both the doors on the street to make it easier for him to carry in the large bottles. When he did not show up I decided to lie down and read a little. Of course I fell asleep. A noise woke me, so I jumped up and ran into the living room. The Ciel guy was at the bottom of the stair case. I told him to bring up two bottles. When he did I turned to give him the money I had laid out and it was gone! I left money for the water and had also left the money I had for the framer. Both were gone! Still a little groggy and confused from having just been waken, I merely went to a draw where I knew I had a stack of 50 peso notes. Then I dug into my change jar to make sure he got a tip. After he left I continued to look around for the money. Then I thought about my money clip. It was gone with another 1,000 pesos. Now I cannot believe I was stupid enough to leave it on the dinning table. I had changed from my cargo shorts to more comfortable sleeping shorts. My phone and the rest of the stuff in my pockets was on the dresser in my bedroom. I had been lying on the bed in the guest bedroom which had a clear view across the dinning table to the staircase. The photo through the door frame shows what I would have seen had my eyes been open.
Anyone seeing the open door and climbing the stairs would also have seen me lying on the bed. Would a total stranger risk that? Who would guess that money was right next to the staircase on the dining table? Of course there is a new door mat that says "Bienvenido" in gold letters at the entrance. Oh Wait!! This was not my first robbery. A week prior having mopped the staircase, I left my old door mat out side until the stairs dried. When I went down stairs, it was gone. My best guess is that the Ciel guy walked up the stairs before announcing himself, saw the money, took it and then went back down the stairs . Of course I have no proof and I am still at a loss to explain the missing money clip. Before I had left the house I had set aside the money for the water and for the frame, so there was no need for me to get into the money in my clip. We will never know. Now in real money the total of all three piles totals less than $70.00. (I think the money clip cost me more than that)
The next morning I realized that my camera was also gone. Now we are talking about some real money. But more than the money, the memory chip had photos going back to my aunt's 100th birthday as well of my most favorite shots.. It was then that I realized some of the invitations to my party were also missing. Had he taken some planning on crashing my party to steal more stuff? During my patty I always have both doors open so I do not have to run up and down the stairs for each guest arrival. As I told you before I never know all of the people who show up, but this year I will stand guard at the top of the stairs and question any Mexican stranger that walks up. I am still really bummed out. It isn't just the loss of the money, or the camera, or photos; you feel violated and vulnerable. Of course I will be much more careful about the door, but what do I do when I need new water? The alternative to calling Ciel is to stop the guy who drives around in a pick up with bottled water and shouting, "Agua, Agua" But the bottles are old and scarred and not sealed. Where does the water come from? But the more I think about it, I believe it was a professional thief because who ever it was they had to pass right by me to get into the bedroom.
Yes, I know. I can almost hear the "Tsk, tsk, tsk" all the way down here. What do you want me to say? I have already told you that I am stupid (and too trusting). Who in their right mind would leave doors open on the street while taking a nap? Not even the U.S. let alone Mexico where a third of the population is unemployed or under paid. The minimum wage here is 68 pesos a day (Not an hour!) That is a little over $4.00 a day. So yes I will be more careful in the future and watch who tries to crash my party. Stay tuned .......
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I opened both the doors on the street to make it easier for him to carry in the large bottles. When he did not show up I decided to lie down and read a little. Of course I fell asleep. A noise woke me, so I jumped up and ran into the living room. The Ciel guy was at the bottom of the stair case. I told him to bring up two bottles. When he did I turned to give him the money I had laid out and it was gone! I left money for the water and had also left the money I had for the framer. Both were gone! Still a little groggy and confused from having just been waken, I merely went to a draw where I knew I had a stack of 50 peso notes. Then I dug into my change jar to make sure he got a tip. After he left I continued to look around for the money. Then I thought about my money clip. It was gone with another 1,000 pesos. Now I cannot believe I was stupid enough to leave it on the dinning table. I had changed from my cargo shorts to more comfortable sleeping shorts. My phone and the rest of the stuff in my pockets was on the dresser in my bedroom. I had been lying on the bed in the guest bedroom which had a clear view across the dinning table to the staircase. The photo through the door frame shows what I would have seen had my eyes been open.
Anyone seeing the open door and climbing the stairs would also have seen me lying on the bed. Would a total stranger risk that? Who would guess that money was right next to the staircase on the dining table? Of course there is a new door mat that says "Bienvenido" in gold letters at the entrance. Oh Wait!! This was not my first robbery. A week prior having mopped the staircase, I left my old door mat out side until the stairs dried. When I went down stairs, it was gone. My best guess is that the Ciel guy walked up the stairs before announcing himself, saw the money, took it and then went back down the stairs . Of course I have no proof and I am still at a loss to explain the missing money clip. Before I had left the house I had set aside the money for the water and for the frame, so there was no need for me to get into the money in my clip. We will never know. Now in real money the total of all three piles totals less than $70.00. (I think the money clip cost me more than that)
The next morning I realized that my camera was also gone. Now we are talking about some real money. But more than the money, the memory chip had photos going back to my aunt's 100th birthday as well of my most favorite shots.. It was then that I realized some of the invitations to my party were also missing. Had he taken some planning on crashing my party to steal more stuff? During my patty I always have both doors open so I do not have to run up and down the stairs for each guest arrival. As I told you before I never know all of the people who show up, but this year I will stand guard at the top of the stairs and question any Mexican stranger that walks up. I am still really bummed out. It isn't just the loss of the money, or the camera, or photos; you feel violated and vulnerable. Of course I will be much more careful about the door, but what do I do when I need new water? The alternative to calling Ciel is to stop the guy who drives around in a pick up with bottled water and shouting, "Agua, Agua" But the bottles are old and scarred and not sealed. Where does the water come from? But the more I think about it, I believe it was a professional thief because who ever it was they had to pass right by me to get into the bedroom.
Yes, I know. I can almost hear the "Tsk, tsk, tsk" all the way down here. What do you want me to say? I have already told you that I am stupid (and too trusting). Who in their right mind would leave doors open on the street while taking a nap? Not even the U.S. let alone Mexico where a third of the population is unemployed or under paid. The minimum wage here is 68 pesos a day (Not an hour!) That is a little over $4.00 a day. So yes I will be more careful in the future and watch who tries to crash my party. Stay tuned .......
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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