Friend's bill fold stolen on Chapala Malecon yesterday

A friend of mine was walking on the Chapala Malecon yesterday when this happened: I had my billfold stolen yesterday on the malecon in Chapala, they surrounded me and cut me off from Tom, all pretty scarey,,,actually I was so pissed

During holidays like Mardi Gras we get lots of out of towners especially on a Sunday. So be careful everyone. She was walking with her man friend, just be a group effort.

While we are in San Cristóbal de Las Casas for the winter/spring season, we have the same problem here that folks in Chapala are experiencing on the malecon. Here it is the pedestrian jammed Andador and Calle Real de Guadalupe where one must be ever vigilant and carry any wallet or purse with great care. One must be especially careful during the "carnaval" season which is a huge celebration in the Chiapas Highlands as thieves and pickpockets are all about mingling with locals in a celebratory mood. To make matters worse, in densely populated Chiapas, it is not unusual to have other pedestrians constantly brushing into one without so much as a mumbled expression of regret so inadvertent contact with others strolling the streets is commonplace and that is a favorite technique of pickpockets, especially if they spot an obvious "extranjero". These days, I make it a point to carry only the amount of cash and any documents I may need on the spot in my wallet while strolling the crowded streets here or along the Chapala malecon. It´s too easy to have one´s attention temporarily diverted and those guys are good at their trade.

Since we achieved "inmigrado" status after ten years of hassle in Chapala and Guadalajara, I make it a point to never have my inmigrado card or passport with me when I walk the streets unless they are needed for that particular errand. I also long ago made it a point to have three bank accounts so two debit cards remain hidden and not on my person in the event of theft. That way we are not in a jam if any one debit card is stolen. It is also a good idea to have driver´s licenses from two separate Mexican states if possible only one of which is on your person at any given time so you can continue to drive even if your wallet is stolen.

Good advice Dawg. She is so new here I hope she didn't have anything in her wallet except money.

I have a Mexican God-daughter and was going to take her to the last day of Mardi Gras in Chapala Tuesday. But that is out now.

The best place to carry your important stuff is in a money belt under your outer garments when you go to a crowded event. Short of that, a shoulder strap purse crossing your chest. I always wonder what people are thinking when they wear a "fanny pack" on their fannies, or even a backpack.

I ran into the couple, they asked me where the police station was, said they has slit a hole in her bag to steal her billfold or something like that.

And yes, she had her bank cards and DIF card with her. I have been trying to teach her the ropes - where to pay electric and what kind of phone plan to have, but she has been very busy moving into her new house. So she learned this lesson the hard way.

There should be a seminar called "Newbies 101".

Don't realy need to call it newbies 101, just common sence 101

martygraw wrote:Don't realy need to call it newbies 101, just common sence 101

common sense

simpsca wrote:

martygraw wrote:Don't realy need to call it newbies 101, just common sence 101

common sense

It really is not all that common.

Just FYI,

When she calmed down and told me the whole story, she said it was a group of women (originally she said a bunch of people and I assumed guys). Any way I'm posting these details so you know what to look out for, "there was one woman in front of me that cut me off from my friend then would not let me pass, two other women behind me kept shoving and pushing into me then another woman with a baby stroller cut off the path also, I knew something was happening but did not know what"