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Yucatanman

Mar 7, 2008, 8:33 AM

Post #1 of 13 (2278 views)

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California Kidnapping Mexico Boarder

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Today on CNN there is a story about Mexicans kidnapping Americans and Mexicans in California boarder towns, taking them to Mexico and torturing them and holding them for ransom. The FBI said they have had 18 incidents since the first of the year. I sure won't be crossing the boarder in any California town. They are even coming into California and taking them back across the boarder. Now thats very very scary. And the kidnappers are dressed just like the Federal Mexican Police, complete with vehicles and guns.

Bloviator

Mar 7, 2008, 10:25 AM

Post #2 of 13 (2244 views)

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Re: [Yucatanman] California Kidnapping Mexico Boarder

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Sure am glad I didn't read this posting before walking across the border at Otay Mesa (Tijuana area) Friday and my wife walking across alone yesterday.

It presents a real quandry. We can fly into TJ for about half of any other route and it only takes 3 hours to be in the US. Otherwise it is almost a day long journey with stops in a lot of places. I'm afraid, though, that the days of walking into or out of Mexico at least at TJ are coming to an end - or have already done so.

Yucatanman

Mar 7, 2008, 10:34 AM

Post #3 of 13 (2240 views)

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Re: [Yucatanman] California Kidnapping Mexico Boarder

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OMG....This is way worse than I expected. I have spent an hour on "Google" and have found many many reports in resent months of this problem not only in California but along the whole border, and even on both mainlands. This puts a whole differant take on my wife and I driving from Brownsville Tx. to Pregreso Yucatan in Sept. We will need transportation while in Mexico, now I don't know what to do. Anyone interested in a mass caraven, safety in numbers I am thinking, or would it be safer to fly in and aquire a vehicle while in Mexico? Not quite sure how I would do that. Any suggestions?

robrt8

Mar 7, 2008, 10:55 AM

Post #4 of 13 (2231 views)

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Re: [Yucatanman] California Kidnapping Mexico Boarder

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Do you have a link to this story? I couldn't find it on a google search.

Yucatanman

Mar 7, 2008, 11:06 AM

Post #5 of 13 (2227 views)

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Re: [robrt8] California Kidnapping Mexico Boarder

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Its currently on CNN,s front page with a video "Americans kidnapped to Mexico,tortured"

Brian

Mar 7, 2008, 2:55 PM

Post #6 of 13 (2191 views)

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Re: [Yucatanman] California Kidnapping Mexico Boarder

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Here it is. BTW, Eastlake is a somewhat upscale neighborhood in Chula Vista, CA. Lots of Tijuana businessmen and their families have fled there to avoid the mayhem: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/crime/2008/03/07/lawrence.us.mexico.kidnappings.cnn?iref=videosearch

Brian

robrt8

Mar 7, 2008, 6:42 PM

Post #7 of 13 (2164 views)

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Re: [Brian] California Kidnapping Mexico Boarder

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Link didn't work. I finally found it after diggin' deep. I don't have Brian's bad-news-Mexico magnet connected to my computer.
While I was digging I found a particularly gruesome kidnapping article, but it was four years old.
That was a good one, though, when they showed the two gringos on their way to Revolución, while the commentator was talking about "high-end shopping".
Yucatan Guy, does this really affect your travel plans, having seen this Lou Dobbs stuff?

Brian

Mar 8, 2008, 4:14 AM

Post #8 of 13 (2139 views)

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Re: [robrt8] California Kidnapping Mexico Boarder

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The link works fine and was posted because it was requested.

Yucatanman

Mar 8, 2008, 7:28 AM

Post #9 of 13 (2112 views)

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Re: [robrt8] California Kidnapping Mexico Boarder

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Yes, I wanted to experience a nice slow drive down through Mexico. Now we will be looking over our shoulder at every stop, even if we go. And the question has been asked buy my friends, "If a patrol car pulls in behind you and turns on the red lights will you stop, slow down, speed up?" I don't know what I'd do right now, probably have a heart attack. The current border kidnappings are killing the tourist trade in TJ. Two of my friends have canceled plans on driving to Loredo, another couple canceled plans to Cabo.

jreboll

Mar 8, 2008, 8:11 AM

Post #10 of 13 (2104 views)

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Re: [Yucatanman] California Kidnapping Mexico Boarder

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With all these college shootings going on I have decided to stop my kids' education and keep them at home. and since there are so many mothers going around drowning and killing their kids I have asked my kids have themselves sterilized.
I'm sure you have heard of the spike in Houston's crime rate after Katrina.
Well, I am never going to Houston again and I am sure never going to speak to my niece in New Orleans. She just might be one of those evil doers.

Tequisbob

Mar 8, 2008, 9:08 AM

Post #11 of 13 (2086 views)

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Re: [jreboll] California Kidnapping Mexico Boarder

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Great post jreboll !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I remember several years ago when my ex-wife(married to her back then) took students from Country Day School in Fort Worth to Cuernavaca each summer to live with families and study Español. Many of the parents were worried about the crime-rate in Mexico/Cuernavaca and the safety of their young girls. As I told them at a parents meeting one night. I am currently working on 7-unsolved homicides in the Southwest part of the city, on young women. Some of them occurred within three blocks of the school your daughters attend. I would be more concerned about their welfare,to and from school, than in Mexico.

By the way, we finally solved all seven. Not one guilty person from Mexico.

Yucatanman

Mar 8, 2008, 9:33 AM

Post #12 of 13 (2074 views)

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Re: [bobr76453] California Kidnapping Mexico Boarder

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http://www.cnn.com/...xico.kidnappings.cnn

OK, maybe I am a little paranoid but this news clip scared the crap out of me. I have traveled into Mexico for over 15 years and have never had any serious problems, however the new political climate and the drug power struggle is down right scary.

jreboll, Thanks for your insight!

bobr76453, The first five words of your post says it all.

(This post was edited by Yucatanman on Mar 8, 2008, 9:47 AM)

robrt8

Mar 8, 2008, 8:33 PM

Post #13 of 13 (2016 views)

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Re: [Brian] California Kidnapping Mexico Boarder

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Brian, no offense intended. I hope you can allow me my tongue-in-cheek comments.