'Crime in TJ and BC' Tijuana

Bryan from CB CA (Contact Member) -

Up here near San Diego we now seem to be innunidated with stories of a major crime wave hitting Baja Californi Norte and Tijuana, Rosorito, Ensanada, etc.

What's the deal? real story?

Comment #1 Lee (1) from Montevideo, Uruguay (Contact Member) -

I've run into Americans down here that are looking to "flee" Mexico... they've gotten tired of living there and are looking for something better.

One of the complaints is crime and a fear that as the U.S. cracks down on illegals (ie: illegal Mexicans) they will start with the "criminal element" and therefore in the near future be sending many thousands of "criminal" Mexicans back to Mexico, thus increases these crime waves.

Any thoughts?

Comment #2 Bryan from CB CA (Contact Member) -

That is interesting. I've also heard that Americans were fleeing to countrie like Belize and Costa Rica as well.

Comment #3 George from El Paso, Texas (Contact Member) -

Lots currently living in Costa Rica and Panama are looking to more further south. Haven't see any from Belize yet.

Comment #4 ken Watkins from Ohio (Contact Member) -

I have heard and read the same thing. Many people are going further south as a haven to get away from different things.

Comment #5 Bryan from CB CA (Contact Member) -

If they go far enough south, they'll end up in Anartica - maybe then they'll find what they are looking for... PENGUINS!

Comment #6 eyes4 from The Beach (Contact Member) -

American and 3 Others Found Dead in Mexico

May 20, 2008

NewYorkTimes.com

More violence south of the border linked to the ongoing drug war.

ROSARITO, Mexico (Reuters) — Four people, including an American woman, were shot in the head, and their bodies were dumped in a part of northern Mexico known for drug smuggling, the Mexican police said Monday.

eyes4

Comment #7 Steven (63.176.159.227) -

this is crazy, I would not have any idea as to why the crime there is up, unless like said in the previous responses that its because of others moving here illegaly. Have you tried looking up what crimes are being done, and to see which ones have the highest rate, and maybe see what could be done to help lower the crime rate?

Comment #8 Wolf (63.176.159.251) -

Wow the post that eyes4 from the beach wrote is pretty scary. I wonder if these people were innocent by standards or if they had something to do with the drug smuggling. If they were involved with the drug they should have known that a lot of bad things happen with drugs are involved.

Comment #9 caboflipper (68.104.105.141) -

it is 01/09. I have been back to TJ, Rosarito and Ensenada tremendous amounts of times...last was 3 weeks ago. TJ is slow, lots of police, rosarito has lots of military and ensenada is slow. crime the same it seems, still go alone to all three and no problems, more safer than before as there are more police...random shootings are going on but not near the toursit zones much at all. all killings are between the cartels, TJ on Revolution is safe, had dental work done and got 3k for 550 bucks, same stuff as the states, computer x-rays, everything was great. went to La Zona Rosa at night, slow and no probelms...stay on the main corridor and no porblems, the locals are hungry for the tourist dollar...on a side note i did get my ass severly beat up robbeed and knocked out for an hour by at the pool area around midnight three african americans, however it was at a casino at Stateline Nevada known as the Primm and it was after a snoop dogg concert with extra police and sureveiilance cameras, so you tell me how safe it is here in Amercia., ...and to boot the police and the security could not find or identify any of them! yeah its war zone in Noithern Baja but i have been there a lot the last 4 months, sometimes 2 weeks in a row I have gone alone ands it is dead slow, but saw no shoot outs, all this cartel stuff is away from the main drags and between the cartels...tourists in any country need to be wary....funny how i get my ass beat and robbed in a casino with tons of security and no one saw a thing.i go to the war zone of mexico and nothing happens. Oh and i got my leather jacket stolen at a local vegas strip cl;ub called the Spearmint Rhino and had to call the cops and at the last minute Management "found" my stoled jacket after 2 hours of aying it was not thjere....go to a mexican strip club and never had a problem.....go figure...i dont know...dont be an , and treat everyone with respect. i have had mnore happen to me here in the states than when i lived in Cabo or been to TJ....so crime is everywhere however i wont go to South Central or Compton alone, lived in Long Beach ten years and know this white ass would not make it out alive.... it is probably moresafe to go and eat the lobster at Puerto Nuevo than ever....sure there is a chance somethiong might happen, ..jusrt ask the Security at the Casino or at the Rhino strip club ...I got my ass beat and robbed in vegas but nada in three years in Mexico...

Comment #10 Dave Rose (132.239.149.95) -

I am the local director of a charitable organization that operates free medical clinics in Tijuana on a regular basis. Volunteers are becoming increasingly afraid to travel into Mexico, and I need a reliable source of REAL information regarding involvement of Americans in crimes in Tijuana.

Comment #11 Tammie (74.248.207.229) -

My kids are scheduled to go to TJ with our church this summer. They will serve at an orphanage on the outskirts of TJ and at a dump. I would like to know the true nature of the risks. I don't want to call it off if they are truly in no danger, but I don't want to risk sending them into a situation that probably won't, but might, go terribly wrong. Any advice from someone who can give me the facts?

Comment #12 David Aleman from Tijuana (Contact Member) -

I do the same when I go to San Diego, I lock my car doors, window always up, and go to places that are safe, well ilumminated, no bank ATM machine at nigth,

Thanks for helping the Orphanage at my city, Im here too, to help others, if you need my hand, please will love to help you.

Yours truly

David Aleman

(664)680 1934

Comment #13 Donna Walton (69.42.3.44) -

Our church group went to Tijuana after Easter to build homes. Our group had fallen from 125 to 35 because of the fear of violence. What you need to know is 1): How are you travelling? We kept all travel to a minimum--just in on Sunday, out on Friday, and travelled no more than 1 mile to our worksites from our camp compound on a church site. 2) What are the Mexicans doing to help you with safety? We had 2 night watchmen, a person who accompanied our cooks on shopping expeditions and a person who rode in a pickup with our "go-fer", riding between worksites and buying and delivering extra materials. 3)How safe is the place where you are staying? 4) We camped inside a church compound with a cyclone fence with barbed wire on the top and locked gates. We felt very safe because we were prudent and because the church community was determined to watch out for us. 5) Also, what is the training for the youth going on the mission? Do they know the dangers? Our youth were not allowed to go outside the church compound in the evening or go away from the work site during the day. 6) Talk to the people in Mexico where the youth will be staying. They have better information than the media or the internet.7) What is the communication system? We used Nextel walkie talkies and had one at each site and at the church.

All in all, it seemed to many of us that the threats of violence were "Much ado about nothing". However, that might have been because we took safety very seriously and did everything within our power to guarantee a safe trip for you youth. Good luck! The need is still very great in Tijuana! Donna

Comment #14 Jack (63.176.159.37) -

Drug people are fierce customers, but I get one idea from reading about their crimes, basically they go after each other. They have a regular war on over there. Unless you get shot by a stray bullet, if you arenīt into trafficking you donīt have too much to worry about. Right?

Comment #15 moy (63.176.159.88) -

Both scary and nice posts to go over a couple of times in order to get the nitty gritties. Crime is all over. It is only that people get all freaked out when there hear of it from another nation's perspective. Visiting an orphanage is a noble cause so I would say, do not restrain your kids from going. As Donna has mentioned, if you factor in all he has talked about, the trip down south might be an experience of a lifetime. Get the people on the ground involved in updating you day in day out

Comment #16 Enrico Rod (63.176.159.215) -

Whether I stumbled upon this forum or not, I would never go to Mexico. If you love your life dearly then you wouldn't put Mexico in your travel list. The news is bad enough to even shake you off your chair. Bodies after bodies of innocent people getting messed up in a deep-rooted conflict of corruption and illegal drug dealership. I am afraid and saddened that there are people who still thinks of it as paradise and is continuously promoting it eventhough realizing the facts of war and violence.

Comment #17 Jackson (63.176.159.194) - 11/25/09 09:17

I know whatīs in the papers and it doesnīt sound good. I hear that thereīs a regular war going on in Mexico. Of course, thatīs true all over. The "narcs" make big money and pay protection from police and government officials. Itīs just about taken over in Mexico, then they bring out the army and it becomes a war. In my humble opinion, that is not going to stop it. Only one thing will, I think, legalization!

Comment #18 Eve (63.176.159.198) - 12/21/09 10:37

Legalization is just a way to make the 'good' people of the world, turn against the government. There will be many questions to be answered and many a great occurrence, simply due to such an effort. Though a company, i.e. the government, would want to make the most profit from their business as they can, i.e. narcotics, they will try to pinch from people, i.e. drug dealers and citizens, until they are satisfied with what they have accomplished. Evidently, their golden cups are not yet to the brim, so they seek as much as they can, up to this very day, while trying to keep the public blinded.

Comment #19 adam (63.176.159.219) - 01/07/10 00:33

Give the lord praises for such insight my friend. Nice stuff.

Comment #20 Carol (63.176.159.37) - 01/31/10 23:54

Is the crime rate in Tijuana that serious? I mean, I am interested in visiting the said place because my brother works there but if that is the case maybe I shall change my mind and probably ask my brother to just go back home here with us. Please update us here with the latest in this place, those advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks a lot and have a nice day.

Comment #21 Tanisen (193.218.114.228) - 02/19/10 23:04

I have tried searching (in Google) for terms such as "crime in Tijuana" and similar ones but it always ends up in the same outdated pages. Every posts dates way back on 2007 and 2008, what I want to know is the latest update on the security of going to Tijuana or the news regarding violence there.

Isn't Mexico doing some damage control by releasing some information to argue with their tarnishing image? Hope someone can share a website regarding this.

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