Crime in GTO, posted today on SMA "bulletin board"

[Doyle Phillips]

"The Embassy personnel refused to speculate if the rising tide of serious
crime in San Miguel and Guanajuato would cause an official warning by the
State Department about traveling in this part of Mexico, as it has in parts of
Michoacan."

4a Visit by U.S. Embassy Security Detail Wed Mar 26, 2014 12:32 pm (PDT) . Posted by: gerie.bledsoe Yesterday security personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City visited
SMA to meet privately with individuals who have been victims of a crime and
to meet in open session with a group of U.S. citizens at the Biblioteca.
They also met with the local "district attorney" at the Ministerio Publico,
the state agency in town that investigates crimes and brings suspects
before the judicial system for prosecution.

The security detail, which included two men who are responsible for the
safety of U.S. diplomats in Mexico and for preparing information for the State
Department´s travel advisories strongly recommended that U.S. citizens
take all steps necessary to protect their persons and their property.


They stressed that victims of robbery or home invasions should NOT resist,
but to be passive. To resist, they said, may well result in a serious
beating or shooting. They ask, are your things really worth it, no matter how
invaded you feel? When asked, they strongly advised against using a firearm
for defense.


In a private session they heard the details of several serious cases of
muggings, beatings, and home invasions. They were especially appalled by the
severe beating of several senior citizens.


The security detail was emphatic about one thing. All crimes should be
reported to the Ministerio Publico within 72 hours and then to the U.S.
Consular agent in SMA, Ed Clancy.


--victims should report crimes to the Ministerio Publico, even if they
doubt the efficacy of the process.

--the crime should be reported in great detail: everything that the
victim can remember, especially any violence or threats, identifying marks on
the bad guys, times, places, stolen goods. The more detail the better,
because it gives the investigators more leads and makes it more difficult for
them to drop a case.

In some case, the Ministerio can send out a mobile unit, where the victims
can make the report, and the investigation can begin immediately at the
crime scene.


--individuals who are reporting a crime should specifically ask for an
investigation of the crime

--victims must also ask for a copy of the complaint (denuncia), the
statement they made and signed

[doncoulter]

There's some good information here, but about half of Gerie Bledsoe's report is missing. Here's the whole thing:

Yesterday security personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City visited SMA to meet privately with individuals who have been victims of a crime and to meet in open session with a group of U.S. citizens at the Biblioteca. They also met with the local "district attorney" at the Ministerio Publico, the state agency in town that investigates crimes and brings suspects before the judicial system for prosecution.

The security detail, which included two men who are responsible for thesafety of U.S. diplomats in Mexico and for preparing information for the State Department´s travel advisories strongly recommended that U.S. citizens take all steps necessary to protect their persons and their property.

They stressed that victims of robbery or home invasions should NOT resist, but to be passive. To resist, they said, may well result in a serious beating or shooting. They ask, are your things really worth it, no matter how invaded you feel? When asked, they strongly advised against using a firearm for defense.

In a private session they heard the details of several serious cases of muggings, beatings, and home invasions. They were especially appalled by the severe beating of several senior citizens.

The security detail was emphatic about one thing. All crimes should be reported to the Ministerio Publico within 72 hours and then to the U.S. Consular agent in SMA, Ed Clancy.

--victims should report crimes to the Ministerio Publico, even if they doubt the efficacy of the process.
--the crime should be reported in great detail: everything that the victim can remember, especially any violence or threats, identifying marks on the bad guys, times, places, stolen goods. The more detail the better, because it gives the investigators more leads and makes it more difficult for them to drop a case.

In some case, the Ministerio can send out a mobile unit, where the victims can make the report, and the investigation can begin immediately at the crime scene.

--individuals who are reporting a crime should specifically ask for an investigation of the crime
--victims must also ask for a copy of the complaint (denuncia), the statement they made and signed
--victims will also be given a case number (report this number to Ed Clancy--see below)
--victims must stay in touch with the Ministerio, to show that they are serious after obtaining justice (do not wait for them to call you)
--after filing the complaint with the Ministerio, the crime should also be reported to Ed Clancy, the U.S. Consular agent, who will relay the report to the U.S. Embassy. Give him a copy of your complaint and the case number, plus your basic ID info, that shows you are a U.S. citizen.

--the Embassy will contact the Ministerio Publico periodically to follow up on unsolved or unresolved cases, and in really bad cases, they may even offer support to the local police. This is one of the main reasons to file a complaint. One serial rapist in SMA was sentenced to a long term in prison because the victims did not give up and the Embassy followed up on the case.
--the Embassy will respond quickly to serious crimes, especially when Members of Congress or other VIPS inquire.

Note: If the crime has already taken place, like a burglary discovered after returning from a trip, do not call 066. Call the Ministerio Publico directly or go down to their office on the salida de Queretaro to fill out a report.

The security detail said that everyone in SMA, no matter their language skill, needs to know how to call 066 in am emergency and ask in Spanish for help, with your name, address, and the nature of emergency (crime, fire, health crisis). Yes, they are supposed to have English speaking operators on duty, but we have found that is often not the case.

We all must remember, there are two police forces involved here:
--the Policia Preventiva, who are called when a crime is in progress to stop it, to apprehend the bad guys.
--the police of the Ministerio Publico, who are called to investigate crimes no longer in progress.

The Embassy personnel stressed the importance of circulating this information on all public outlets, like the Civil List, and to continue to encourage residents to take prudent steps to protect their person and property.

The Embassy personnel refused to speculate if the rising tide of serious crime in San Miguel and Guanajuato would cause an official warning by the State Department about traveling in this part of Mexico, as it has in parts of Michoacan.