25 replies to this topic

[thaddeus zebrowski]

:x I'm a beginner with posting on this site, so please bare with me as I unfold a horrorfying experience of home invasions, robberies, rape, subterfuge, police brutality, and deportation that happened to me and my family within a three month period in Rosarito, Mexico. Take 5 minutes of your time and review something that you need to be aware of:

DON’T GO 2 MEXICO
By the Genesis Association
docthaddeus@yahoo.com

(Revised and updated on 12/11/06)


Make no mistake about it. Mexico is a lawless land that shields itself from the true reality of who and what it is by promoting beautiful vacation spots and low priced housing properties to lure unsuspecting Americans while sponsoring many United States newspapers, television and radio stations with their unlimited financial resources supported by the drug cartels, and the backbone of the country which is the Mexican mafia. All of which is enforced by the unscrupulous police and political officials who work for them by prowling the streets targeting unaware Americans, known as Gringo’s to them or walking wallets of cash.

Make no mistake about it. They can take what ever you own, or have, at anytime they want to. And that, my dear reader, includes your life, as well. In short, terrorism is everywhere, even at your back door, at your very border, and is beckoning and begging you each day to visit it through false ads of relaxation, beauty, and safety at bargain prices.

“It doesn’t take Halloween to promote a Horror story”

The following was a labor of love that turned into a nightmare. After we contributed (17) months of our labor, time and total life savings; including an entire settlement I received from a prior work injury, we, with good intentions, (foolishly) refurbished a (23) room run down mansion in Rosarito, Mexico. Our intentions were to create a free clinic for drugs/alcohol & cancer treatments through our California non-profit, “Genesis Association.” However, all of this came to a horrifying end, one day, when we were arrested, handcuffed, robbed, thrown into the bed of a police pick-up truck, and deported, with machine guns aimed at our heads by fully armed Mexican police at 3:PM in the afternoon on October 3, 2006.

All of our possessions, both personal and business, consisting of all of our life’s belongings including our cash, personal medical records, birth certificates, diploma’s, life long family picture albums, medications, eyeglasses, dentures, clothes, shoes, food, dishes, pots & pans, televisions, stereo’s, satellite systems, extensive sets of mechanical tools, complete sets of construction tools, exercise/health equipment, banking accounts, (17) years of personally written manuscripts including; screenplays, commercials, television program formats, and songs, an expanded library of books, tapes and CD’s, oil paintings, (4) computer systems containing pertinent information of our present and past businesses and contacts, (23) rooms of furniture, (2) automobiles, a Mazda MPV and a Ford 350 crew-cab dually, that we purchased for transporting patients, as well as, moving furniture and equipment, (5) automobiles, a Ford Mustang Convertible, a Jaguar XJ6, a Dodge Ram 250, a Porsche 944, and a 1975, (collectors piece), Rolls Royce-Silver Shadow, that we purchased for major repairing by our part-time mechanic and for resale to help pay the expenses of the building, etc., … you name it. It was a calculated gamble we took to turn metal into cash. What took us a lifetime to achieve and acquire was gone in a few hours of horror. Our life’s assets were confiscated. There was constant snickering and laughing by the intruders as we sat handcuffed in the back of their police truck watching them remove everything they could possibly carry from the house and spitefully load our own pick-up trucks that were parked on the road in front of the building. On one occasion, as they passed by the truck that we were handcuffed to, they uttered in broken English, “if we can not stay in your country, you gringo’s can not stay in ours,” as they began to laugh again. Within just a few hours we were whisked through their diabolical legal system removed from everything that we owned and created with our blood, sweat, and tears, and were left standing on the street in San Ysidro, California, with just the clothes on our back, no place to live, and a driver’s license; which we were told that we needed for the deportation process. The only thing they didn’t get, luckily, was a few bucks that I hid in my shoe earlier that day to pick up an old motor home. This is what we’ve been living on.

MORE BAD NEWS

Three months prior to all of this, on June 29, 2006, we had a “home invasion” at approximately 4AM while my son, daughter, and her boy friend were visiting to help us in preparing for the inspections that we needed prior to applying for our licenses and permits to open as a hospice/clinic. My daughter was robbed of everything, including her 2002 Rave 4 car, which she just purchased for her transportation from the East Coast to the West Coast and, unfortunately, was not insured in Mexico and never found thereafter, and….. she was raped during the robbery with a gun to her head. My son was beaten and robbed of everything he had. He was bound and gagged and made to stay in his bedroom or he would be killed. My daughter’s boyfriend was beaten and robbed of all he had including his guitar and told to stay in his room or they would kill him. My lady friend and associate, Kalen Davis, was beaten and robbed of her money, family heirlooms, multi-generations of hand me down jewelry, and decades of invaluable and irreplaceable collections. And me, the writer of this story, Thaddeus Zebrowski, was robbed of all my jewelry, personal money, a coin collection, a 1997 Mazda MPV van which, approximately, (2) weeks later was confiscated by the border patrol as they were trying to smuggle aliens into the U.S., a cash amount of $9,500 which had been set aside in our filing box for future lease payments on the property. Also, at that time, a Mexican doctor, who we believe was part of the robbery, was residing in one of our bedrooms, but his room was never entered. It was the only room in the entire building that was never entered. We filed a report with the Rosarito detectives but nothing ever came from it. They told my daughter that if she ever mentioned the rape that she would be arrested and never seen again. Later, we were told by the investigating detectives that the case was too hard to solve. Needless to say, my daughter, son, and their friend departed for the East Coast immediately after acquiring their plane tickets, carrying with them the scars of the ordeal that they endured while in Rosarito and said they would never return again and are now, and always will be, true advocates of cursing Mexico for destroying their lives.

On August 25, 2006, shortly after we were told by the Rosarito detectives that the case was too hard to solve, we had another “home invasion” around 12 midnight. We were asleep when we heard the main door kicked in and the internal alarm systems became active. There were too many plain clothes young men to count. They, eventually, broke through a steel door that protected our master bedroom. I managed to keep them at bay with a crossbow, which fortunately for me, they couldn’t exactly figure out what it was due to the poor lighting in the room. Through tense negotiations with one of the perpetrators who appeared to be the leader and was able to speak broken English; he had said that they were informed that our basement was a storage area for large amounts of drugs and they had to search it. I didn’t believe his story and he knew it. Seeing that this was not true, they proceeded to crash through the doors on their way out, scaled the (8’) security wall that surrounds the mansion and left in numerous vehicles resembling chevy suburbans. The next morning we reported the incident to the Rosarito detectives, but nothing ever came about from it, nor could anyone explain who they were. The detectives told me that if I wanted to know, I would have to find out for myself.

On October 2, 2006 we had another “home invasion” at approximately 10PM, just after we had retired to our bedroom. This time they crashed through a large window located on one of our balconies. The building had (7) balconies. We heard the noise and the interior alarm system went off. I, immediately, ran to the balcony off of our bedroom and began shouting through a megaphone to the neighbors. Someone must have heard me and got through to the police because we couldn’t. Every time we tried to explain who we were and where we were to the dispatcher, he would play dumb and ask us to repeat ourselves. The perpetrators, seeing that the neighbors were awakened, and curious, made their exit, but very slowly and defiantly. There didn’t appear to be more than about 3 or 4 of them in plain clothes. The uniformed police showed up around a half hour later and advised us that the perpetrators purpose was to get us. Now how they would know this, made us think. Nothing was taken from the house. We stayed up all night and waited until 8AM that morning knowing that we beat death one more time. On October 3, 2006 we made another report to the Rosarito detectives. The detectives were very reluctant, at this time, to take our complaint and would not give us a copy of it. I demanded a copy of the picture and name of the person who was driving my van, from the first robbery, when it was confiscated at the San Ysidro/Tijuana border while smuggling aliens, but I was refused and was told that they did not keep records of complaints. It was ironic how the same Mazda MPV van was stolen from me twice in (3) months. I explained to them that through my investigations that I had found out that all of these incidences involved the police. I had also taken pictures of their shoe and finger prints and had them stored on my computer at my house. That was a mistake, because that afternoon at 3:PM we were arrested, robbed, and deported by the uniformed police of Rosarito & Tijuana, and the same men who were there on August 25, 2006 in plain clothes supposedly searching for drugs.

When we try to explain to anyone and everyone that we lost everything, people just don’t understand what everything means because they’ve never suffered that kind of loss. They think that maybe we misplaced it somewhere. They can’t understand that because of this….we haven’t a home, haven’t a job, haven’t any credit, haven’t any bank accounts, haven’t proper clothing, haven’t an automobile, or any of the other things that I have mentioned in the beginning of this synopsis. Luckily, I’m a Navy Veteran of the United States and can obtain medical attention. Together, we’re senior citizens with a shattered future, if we have one at all! Not to mention that we have absolutely nothing left in our lives that proves we had existed for the past 51 and 61 years, nor do we have any historical remnants of our families and that they existed. I, personally, can’t even call my children, friends, or associates, or anyone else, because they have all of my contact phone numbers and business identification numbers. Our lives and the means to make a living have been ripped away from us. All we have left is our age, which isn’t much to brag about, as we now exist in our little motel room, sitting here in awe, knowing that in just a few more weeks we are going to have the privilege of being the next poster children, and prime candidates for California’s welfare system.

It appears to us that more emphasis and concern is placed on trivial news that is entertaining to the public and has a sense of novelty to it, and above all, increases ratings, such as: who stole the pumpkins off of someone’s lawn during Halloween, or someone adopting a child in some other country, or what movie star is getting married and what kind of clothes the invited are wearing, or a President flubbing a few words in a sentence, or a promiscuous politician, etc., etc., etc., rather than the perils that unknown, and nameless people suffer while trying to survive through life in this world, or in their quests to help or make changes within humanity and within their means. There are millions of situations and complexities in this world, but we feel that this ONE deserves to be heard because it is, after all, at our back door and concerns the welfare of ALL Americans, especially, those who are interested in investing or traveling into another country, or harms way, such as Mexico?

Our Mexican Newspaper Allies

We shared all of our invasions/robberies and complaints with Nancy Conroy, a very brave lady, indeed, of the “Gringo Gazette” which is an English written newspaper in Mexico. (nancy@gringogazettenorth.com) Nancy, the editor, was sympathetic to our ordeals and had heard and written numerous other horror stories about Americans being kidnapped and murdered. She, in so many words, said that our encounters were very bizarre because of the nature of how we were being attacked, so consecutively, and had warned us of the danger we were in because the mansion that we had refurbished to be a clinic was at one time a large meth factory built by families of the cartel and that other murders had taken place there. And, that someone must want it back. We would like to thank Nancy for keeping the gringo’s in the Rosarito/Tijuana area abreast of the truth and what’s going on and advising her readers of our perils each time they occurred.

We, who had represented the Genesis Association of California, doing charitable work in Mexico, by helping people in need, regardless of nationality, are asking what is it that we can do? We are looking for, and need, resolution to this injustice. We want to know who is willing to exercise that responsibility, in the United States, for people and organizations that need help? Is there an (actual) official office in our government that protects the citizens of the United States of injustices and terrorism from rogue authorities in other countries such as Mexico? We would like to know. We need some answers, at the very least! This was an International Crime orchestrated by Mexican authorities. And, should be solved!


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

(To be updated weekly for public information)


.
The following is a partial list of the influential entities, corporations, companies and organizations that have been notified by regular mail, e-mail, and faxes that have or not had the courtesy to respond to us, either judicially or informatively, concerning which is obviously a very serious matter, not just for us, but for the safety of all Americans.

George W. Bush, President of the U.S. (never got an answer)
State Dept. Offices of the U.S. (claimed the official in charge was deceased)
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (suggested Diane Feinstein, Senator)
F.B.I. (investigating)
William & Hilary Clinton (no answer)
Diane Feinstein (awaiting correspondence)
Barbara Boxer of United States Senate (definitely involved and cares) thank you
60 Minutes (awaiting response)
The Today Show (no answer)
Good Morning America (no answer)
Geraldo Rivera (no answer)
Brit Hume (no answer)
New York Times (awaiting answer)
Associated Press (no answer)
KOXM TV (no answer)
XETV (no answer)
KOGO (no answer)
KSWB (no answer)
KGTV (10 NEWS) Rett Lawrence (put us on the map) thank you
KFMB (no answer)
KUSI (promotes Mexican vacations, but we are awaiting their response)
KBNT (no answer)
AMERICAN EMBASSY in MEXICO (just a lawyer referral system)
MEXICAN EMBASSY in SAN DIEGO (will not get involved for gringos)
Chicano Federation (will only give you phone numbers for lawyers)
Oprah (no answer yet)
Los Angeles Times (does not want to get involved)
Presidente Vincente Fox of Mexico (has no comment)
Atty. General of Mexico (pretends to investigate and not understand me)
American Society of International Law (claims this is not what they do)
CNN Lou Dobbs (has never answered our calls)
International Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (Russell Hartsaw) are doing a
full investigation in Mexico. thank you
ACLU (I am a card carrying member but they never got back to me)
Prime Time (awaiting answer)
San Diego Union Tribune (promotes Mexico and has not responded)
Lawyers: Mexican or American (want to see money before they get involved)
CROSSROADS ASSOC. (for giving us food to live on)
JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE OF S.D. (for giving us food to live on)



REQUESTED LEGAL RESOLVEMENT




LEGAL & CIVIL ACTIONS
For 3041 C PARRAL, SANTA LUCIA, ROSARITO, BC

1. The Genesis Association and its Volunteers are asking for: the names of all the police officers involved in our illegal arrest and deportation on October 3, 2006. And, also, criminal charges, with law suites, filed against each and everyone involved including their agencies.
2. The return of all vehicles that were stolen, taken, or used, and their titles, registrations, insurances, and payment of any damages incurred or parts lost for any of the vehicles. (approximate value for all vehicles $50,000)
3. The return of all personal & business files. Including all written manuscripts, screenplays, novels, TV shows, commercials, and songs. And all non-fiction, fiction, technical and medical books, law books and business courses. (approximate value of books is $5,000) (approximate value of potential sale of written manuscripts as per SAG scale is over $3,000,000)
4. The retribution of all stolen & damaged goods including 300 VCR tapes, 200 CD’s, digital cameras, movie cameras, 35mm cameras, televisions, radio’s, tape players, satellite dishes and receivers, miscellaneous electronics, and all accessories. (approximate replacement value $20,000)
5. The return of all personal goods including clothing, linens, blankets, bedding. And all furniture, lamps, including fish tanks & accessories. All artificial plants, trees & natural plants & trees with pottery. (1) Pool table & accessories. (1) Air hockey table & accessories. Various large posters, oil paintings, plaques, mirrors, and antique collectables. All Universal gym equipment, weight sets, springs, jogging machines, rowing machines, and bicycle machines. (1) 4 man Jacuzzi. (4) Imported rugs.(approximate value $30,000)
6. The return of all (4) computers & programs & accessories, phone systems, copiers, fax machines, credit card machines, scanners, recorders, answering machines, hubs, filters, routers, modems, 2wire systems, monitors, wireless key boards, wireless mouse systems.(approximate replacement value $10,000)
7. The return of all auto/mechanical & construction tools & accessories, welding equipment, air compressors with tools & accessories, electronic equipment & accessories, plumbing tools & equipment, masonry tools & equipment, auto tune-up & repair equipment with computers. (approximate value $15,000)
8. The return of all money & jewelry. (Approximately $25,000 in cash.)
9. The re-imbursement of all expenses and loss of income incurred by the victims during exile including all expenses for legal representation.
10. The re-imbursement of all costs involved in the reconstruction of the Genesis Association Building known as 3041 C Parral, Santa Lucia, Rosarito, BC. (approximately $40,000)
11. To return all tangible items mentioned in 1 thru 9 to the United States at the cost of the Mexican government, agencies, and/or the police involved, and to supply warehousing for same. Or, replace same of equal value.
12. To file suite against all persons involved for un-returnable items.
13. To re-instate legal travel to the country of Mexico and rescind any deportation actions as a preventive measurement of further injustice by Mexican authorities.
14. To lease in the United States a building of the same size for the Genesis Association to continue its non-profit projections. A pre-paid lease of no less than (1) year with facilities to house patients and volunteers. And, to be funded by the Mexican government.
15. To restore a lifestyle for my daughter and son that was horrendously taken from them by means of terrorism, as well as, their automobile.
16. To prove to the United States that Mexico is willing to except responsibility for any injustices and crimes committed by their law enforcement personnel against American citizens, as well as, any other Nation.

Please be advised that the above might not appear to be a lot of money, with exception to the screenplays, to the average American, but it was everything that we had. And, we put it all on the line. We did it to help others. How many people would put everything they own on the line, unselfishly, like we did, to help others? If there are any, we would like to know who they are, because maybe, just maybe, they could help us. And, HELP is an understatement!

Make no mistake about it; Terrorism is at your back door.


_______________________________ _____________________________
Thaddeus C. Zebrowski Kalen Davis
(docthaddeus@yahoo.com (619) 723-6600

[thaddeus zebrowski]

i appreciate your comment, but you must realize that we never got a chance to even open the doors. there is no way that i would have ever brought innocent people into my place after the first robbery and rape on my daughter and put them in harms way. i would have never even contimplated this unless i found out who did the home invasion, and that they were arrested, prosecuted, and jailed for their crime. unfortunately, the police were involved and the investigators were part of the police organization. TED

[bluejeans]

While I feel bad for your pain and losses, there has to be a lot more to this story. All this wasn't something a bunch of corrupt cops put together to put some extra beans on the table. Something else had to be going on. If this was going to be a business that brought money to town (so to speak), they probably would want a cut but they wouldn't just grab your stuff and through you out. This had to come from somewhere high up in the state and probably federal government to seize the property.

[BajaGringo]

I have lived here in the Rosarito area for years and I followed this story in the Gringo Gazette. Talking to most of the Gringos here where I live most seem to believe it was a case of a Gringo at least wanting to appear having a lot of money with a remodeled "mansion" as you call it and high dollar cars. No matter what the age of the vehicles, a Porsche and a Rolls Royce always draw attention. Jorge Hank drives a vintage Silver Shadow around town at times. The general opinion is that those who broke in were looking for an easy hit on a high dollar mark.

Your long story probably makes a good case why it is smart to live "under the radar" and not try to draw attention to yourself here in Mexico. Crime is a problem in Mexico but you can definitely improve your odds with some common sense. I have lived here for many years in a nice home in an ocean front community and never had so much as a single problem.

As Chiquito said previously, I also have seen your story in other places, obviously in attempt to draw more attention to yourself and your plight. I wish you luck and my advice for the future would be to think about not trying to draw so much attention to yourself in Mexico. Not a good idea for anyone, foreigner or Mexican citizen.

[Ryu]

Baja, isn't this another case of you blaming the victim? I read in the Gringo Gazette another case of a gringo losing his business, the trailer guy in the same issue. Unless the Gringo Gazette is a gossip column like the Inquirer, this story has really opened my eyes to what is safe and what isn't in Mexico. If I poor like I am now, then it's ok but I think when I start to have some money, moving out might not be such a bad idea. I had a poor opinion of all those rich Mexican's that moved up North lately, I'm beginning to change my mind and think that they are right.

[BajaGringo]

I think you need to read the November 30th issue of the same Gringo Gazette you refer to. There is a letter to the editor from a gringo security expert who takes my side on this issue. It's not about blaming anybody - it's just being realistic as to what life is and not trying to make it into something it isn't. I would love to live in a society where I am free to walk down any street counting my wad of 100 dollar bills for all to see. It should be that way but realistically we know it isn't. Most gringos I know who have lived here for a number of years agree with my point of view. It is just accepting the reality of life and modeling your lifestyle accordingly to avoid such problems - not about blaming anyone.

[Ryu]

Baja, fair answer.

[stanthebajaman]

More kudos for you, BajaGringo. Once again you have demonstrated your ability to understand life the way it is, and accept it graciously. I'm sure that because you have lived here for many years, you know that there are many good things about living here. As with anyplace, it's a mixed bag. The bottom line (and we know this well) is that there is more to this story than what has been told so far. So, I hope the real truth surfaces soon. It should be really interesting. I wrote to Channel 10 news after they broke the story, asking them to continue to try to get more information. So far, they have not responded.

[bluejeans]

A PM >
From: thaddeus zebrowski
To: bluejeans
Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 1:30 pm
Subject: discrimination & abuse
i didn't own the property, i was leasing it. and there is a possibility that a doctor that had stayed at my place could be behind this along with others. he had ties with jorge hank because his son was killed by one of hanks' bodyguards. shot through the head in the middle of the street in front of a popular night club. the fact still remains; what they did was a criminal action.

_________________
additional information to be compiled soon.

[BajaGringo]

Many of us here in the Rosarito area refer to the "Gringo Gazette" as the "Gringo Inquirer". Nancy Conroy (editor) has a personal vendetta with Rosarito based on personal and business issues and jumps at the chance to print ANYTHING that reflects negative on Rosarito. At the same time she plays down or totally ignores printing anything negative about Ensenada, which is where she lives.

If you spend enough time down here and get to know what is really going on you learn to read the Gazette about the same way you read the Inquirer. Some truth mixed in with some exageration and fabrication. I do agree with Chiquito that she does seem to enjoy promoting the "us" vs. "them" attitude. I guess she thinks it creates more interest in reading. Having spent the time I have down here you will find that many of her "stories" turn out to have another side that, when later revealed will often change your opinion about the whole story to begin with. Whatever the truth is, I wouldn't suggest that anybody get their facts from that paper anymore than you would the National Inquirer...

[stanthebajaman]

From your post, BajaGringo, it seems like you may know some negative things about Ensenada. I have never heard any or read about any on this blog. A friend of mine just bought a house down there. She is a single lady in her 50's. I would like to let her know of anything she has to be on the lookout for.

[BajaGringo]

Nothing unusual in Ensenada that doesn't happen elsewhere. I enjoy the town and try to get away on early Saturday mornings for breakfast there or take day charters out of Sergio's Sport Fishing. My point was that things that might happen there as in any tourist town are rarely printed but if they happen in Rosarito they make front page news in the Gringo Gazette. Ensenada is just another one of the charming reasons why I love life here in Baja and didn't mean for my comment to be taken as anything negative about the city itself. I apologize for the misunderstanding...

[thaddeus zebrowski]

I noticed that "bluejeans" published an article that I had sent to "bluejeans" via "pm", is that forum ethical? And, what was the reasoning behind it? Furthermore, some people can't see the forest from the tree's, especially, when it comes to reading articles. I consider Nancy of the "Gringo Gazette" a person that is not afraid to print the truth. I, also, see where some blogers are proud of living in Mexico. Are you? Why would you want to live in a place where you have to hide all the time. A place where when you see a cop, you break out in a sweat because you don't know if he's going to shake you down or not. A place where they can come and take everything you have, anytime they want. What kind of a life is that. As for me, it was strickly for economical reasons that I found myself in Rosarito. Because, at the time, it was the only way that I could afford to start a clinic/hospice, which, incidentally, was encouraged by numerous doctors in the area that were looking for a larger place to practice. Personally, I love America. I'm a vet and proud of it. Nobody had to draft my ass when it came time to protect my country. I put my life on the line by my own choosing. And, I did it so that people could be free. Free to do things in pursuit of their own happiness. And, so that they didn't have to hide and keep a low profile to live, like in Mexico. Even though I've lost everything in Mexico, I look outside my motel room window, now, and I see America. And, it's one of the greatest feelings in the world. And, I will never stop until the wrong that was done me in Mexico is righted, regardless of any stupid derogatory remarks by people who have never walked in my shoes.

[bombero]

1. Dress like a homeless person.
2. Only take a car down there that you can leave behind if you have too.
3. Do not trust anybody.
4. Wear running shoes.
5. Take your expensive watch off.
6. Walk in the middle of the street.
7. Take extra money to get you out of a jam.
8. Do not get drunk.
9. Stay in touristy areas.

[the.ronin]

I don't know if I'd go that far, bombero ... no doubt as with any other developing country, you just have to be smart about things and err on the side of conservatism. Mistake me a modest but having a fleet of name brand vehicles without rubbing elboes with the Arellanos hardly qualifies.

I do sympathize with the OP ... nobody deserves to be robbed, beaten, and not least of which raped. Although I question whether posting your plight on various internet forums is the appropriate allocation of what little resources you have that wasn't stolen. Good luck to you and I hope you find the closure you are clearly looking for.

[BajaGringo]

It's easy to make inflammatory statements based on one individuals circumstances but reality always lies in the numbers. If all of those statements were true, you would see very few gringos attempting to travel to Mexico to visit or to live. We all know that quite the opposite is true. I do not "break into a sweat" when I see a Mexican cop. In fact I have always said that I prefer to be pulled over by a traffic cop in Mexico than in the US. My experience in living more than half a lifetime in Latin America tells me that generally:

1. Mexican cops are more polite
2. It is more likely that I will escape with just a warning
3. If I do pay it is much less than any ticket would cost me in the US
4. It doesn't affect my insurance

Of course you can have a bad experience with a Mexican cop. I have had a few over the years in Mexico, Venezuela and Argentina. But I have also had a very bad experience with police in the US. I have spent many years in Mexico without ever having my house broken into or my car stolen. Could it happen? Of course it could. The funny thing is that when I lived in the US, I had my home broken into, my business was broken into several times and vehicles stolen. Why? Bad luck was part of it and having my business in what was then a bad part of Long Beach another. I knew the risks and tried to manage them. My son-in-law is a deputy sheriff in a small central California town and he just shared with me a story of how a young girl was hit by a stray bullet from a guy shooting at a passing car. He missed the car and the bullet went through the wall into her home. Her mother found her bleeding on the living room floor. Crime can happen to you anywhere. What happened to her was just bad luck but she lived in a bad neighborhood. Bad Risk.

Here in Mexico I also know the risks and try to manage them as well. Having done so has allowed me to live a very peaceful, secure and enjoyable lifestyle in my adopted country of Mexico. My life is not perfect here - paradise will not be found anywhere on this planet. But I can tell you sincerely that I truly love my life here and would never consider ever moving back north of the border.

Life is always about choices and the factor of luck (good or bad) is something you cannot factor in. You learn to accept, adjust and manage to be able to move on. You cannot blame an entire country and its people for your bad luck you experienced. I am truly sorry for what you went through but there are people who suffer similar and worse injustices every day around this globe. It is extremely unfortunate and there is nobody here that doesn't wish it hadn't happened to you. Poor HMO care in the US robbed me of my precious 14 year old daughter Olivia two and a half years ago. It was very unjust, unfair and continues to rip at my heart each and every day I think about it. But I have learned that life must go on. No matter how much I try to yell, scream and blame somebody, nothing will ever bring my precious little girl back. I choose to go on with my life.

My advice to you is that you look within yourself, be glad that all you lost were "things". Your loved ones were not taken from you and you can eventually replace that which you lost. I cannot ever replace what was taken from me.

Good luck to you...

[jlm123]

BajaGringo, thank you for your post, and I'm trully sorry about your daughter. I agree with you and would like to add that down here in Mexico (or Latin America) it is a considerable help if you speak Spanish. I now live in Otay and after talking to one of my neighbors who speaks only English, I learned that he was bullied out of $800 dollars by the police a few months ago. However, like I said, speaking the language does help. To illustrate that, I'll mention that a couple of weeks ago, I was driving a little eratic because I was lost. A cop stopped me, was very polite, gave me a warning and explained how to get to the place I was going. I understand that there is still a risk involved and one might either encounter good or bad fortune. Thaddeus zebrowski, I'm sorry for your loss, and I also wish that it hadn't happened. Nonetheless, I agree with everybody else that in a developping country, one must take precautions that are not overwelming unless you are rich or upper middle class, which in that case I'd say move to San Diego County. The U.S. is not always a safe place. In fact, there are too many important cities (Baltimore, Detroit, Washington D.C., Kansas city, St. Louis, etc) that have a higher crime rate than Tijuana, Tijuana being one of the worst in Mexico. I heard that bribing authorities is a common practice in Mississippi, Louisiana and other southern states. If you would like a very low risk location, some of San Diego county offers that or if one becomes free to do so, Switzerland is one of the safest countries in the world but the price is a loss of a lot of adquisitive power. The real estate woman that represented my landlord said she lives down in Rosarito in a much bigger place than mine, has traveled the world, and was about to spend a week or two in Chamonix, a world famous sky resort in the French Alps.

[thaddeus zebrowski]

In answer to the last blog. There is someone killed in the TJ & Rosarito area everyday, not to mention, the robberies (to many to count).

[zunigan]

Its only 5 months and 11 days until my husband (mexican) and I move to Mexico. The more I read the more nervous I get. I have been working on this for the last 2 years and now that the time is getting closer I am wondering if I can do it.

[stanthebajaman]

Zunigan:
JUST DO IT!!! It will be the best experience of your life. Don't let one person's rantings and ravings prevent you from moving to a country where the main characteristic of the people is FAMILY ORIENTATION. Warmth and smiles prevail here. If you are of questionable character, then I suggest that you not move here. You will be spotted immediately and made to feel very uncomfortable. I also suggest that if you don't speak Spanish you should learn to speak it immediately. I also suggest that you move into a Mexican neighborhood and not some Gringo outpost. If your heart is good you will find so much love down here it will blow you away. I wish you the best. Obviously you took the first step in the right direction: you married a Mexican.