Forums > General > Living, Working, Retiring

Mexberry

Jun 29, 2011, 4:18 PM

Post #1 of 19 (3710 views)

Shortcut

Razor Wire around a casa

Can't Post | Private Reply

We live in Nayarit in an urban community. Our neighbour has decided, because of several seemingly targeted attempted break ins, to surround the perimeter of his property with razor wire, including the front and the federal canal zone to which he has access at the rear. The appearance previously was of a quiet residential street in a family neighbourhood. Now with the razor wire it looks like a penitentiary. The fence with the razor wire facing the canal is 18 feet or so tall. He does need a permit to erect this, which he has not obtained. We would like it all removed - there are alternative ways of securing property without ugly razor wire ,that can be easily cut anyway.We have tried to reason with him, however his lady friend has moved out ( scared) and he is in panic mode.
Does anyone out there have any experience with a similar type of incident?
The wire is on his property although very visible from the street and from our garden. It seems that the Nayarit urban building guidelines are silent on razor wire. Any suggestions are welcome.
Mexberry.

tashby

Jun 29, 2011, 9:57 PM

Post #2 of 19 (3640 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Mexberry] Razor Wire around a casa

Can't Post | Private Reply

I suggest bougainvillea.

hunteradvisor

Jun 30, 2011, 5:28 AM

Post #3 of 19 (3609 views)

Shortcut

Re: [tashby] Razor Wire around a casa

Can't Post | Private Reply

We use agave cactus and so do many of our neighbors, not sure it grows in your area of Nayarit, where are you located?
Isabel
www.RanchoSolyMar.com

Gringal

Jun 30, 2011, 7:41 AM

Post #4 of 19 (3561 views)

Shortcut

Re: [tashby] Razor Wire around a casa

Can't Post | Private Reply

Ditto on the bougainvilla, and there is a very fast growing vine with light purple flowers that will reach the top of the wall in no time. We planted one when the neighbors insisted on putting up a three storey structure that is truly the neighborhood visual blight. The advantage of bougainvilla is that it's full of thorns.

In general....this is you-know-where, and getting into a beef with your neighbor is just not worth it. He's scared, so he's doing what he believes will protect him. Look at the positive side: he's not running a auto painting shop or a iron works. I hope.

(This post was edited by Gringal on Jun 30, 2011, 7:42 AM)

dongringo_catemaco

Jun 30, 2011, 5:05 PM

Post #5 of 19 (3448 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Gringal] Razor Wire around a casa

Can't Post | Private Reply

MOVE!
More than most anywhere else, a Mexican home is a castle. Figuratively in many cases and legally in most.
Even if you are are lucky enough to live in a burg with zoning and building codes, enforcement will be politically motivated. And your political power as a presumable newcomer - foreigner, will probably be zilch.
Visit Catemaco News

surebought

Jun 30, 2011, 7:07 PM

Post #6 of 19 (3407 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Mexberry] Razor Wire around a casa

Can't Post | Private Reply

With some things you just have to accept rather than be conflictive. In Mexico it is not a good idea to have unpleasantness with your neighbors. Another thing. If you are going on a trip never tell your neighbors that you will be away and please watch our house like you would in the US. Its better to load suitcases in the car the night before and sneak away without anyone knowing that you're gone. It is not that they will do anything themselves. Its just that they can be very gossipy and pretty soon the word gets passed to somebodies cousins brother in law, that the Norte Americanos are away and their house is empty.

robt65

Jun 30, 2011, 10:34 PM

Post #7 of 19 (3377 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Mexberry] Razor Wire around a casa

Can't Post | Private Reply

Hey Mexberry,

I have to agree with you about the razor wire. I have a doctor friend here that has a beautiful home, and also has the razor wire on a tall concrete wall. It sure does add a "pen" look to the area.

I am going to use a very stout solar cattle electric fence (2500 pound "bull") capacity steel wire grade, with a 24 volt battery backup. When and if any part of the wire gets cut, that automatically sets a perimeter of three inferred lights, as well as all (14) the post lights start flickering and a siren starts up. Day or night that should get their attention. All controls are radio beam controlled and sets off a hidden video day / night cam for recording purposes. The steel wire is tough and pretty non descript to the eye, but can be cut with some good stout wire cutters. I have learned that most robbers in Mexico dislike electric shock, as much as the dogs that will have free run of the yard.

robt65

(This post was edited by robt65 on Jun 30, 2011, 10:37 PM)

hunteradvisor

Jul 1, 2011, 5:45 AM

Post #8 of 19 (3351 views)

Shortcut

Re: [surebought] Razor Wire around a casa

Can't Post | Private Reply

(Guanajuato City) Yep, we did that! Put our car with a couple of duffle bags and 2 great saddles we had just gotten into a friends's locked garage in his gated locked yard. Less than one week later we got the call that punks busted out the rear window and stole everything inside of the car. (Replacing the window is the real hassle). His house is in a somewhat remote area. Our friend has workers doing some finish work around his house, oddly when I asked if any of their tools which they stored in the garage were missing I got no response. Best guess the workers tipped off the thiefs. In general most of my "stuff" gets stolen when I'm not careful, but we've been broken into 4 times, twice into our house in a small village of less than 150 people, when they knew we were gone, once our guests in Guanajuto were robbed at the house (when neighbors knew they were gone) and now the car. I feel fortunate that we have not been physically acosted and try to remind myself this is only stuff, which I am constantly trying not to accumulate and rid myself of.........perhaps these guys are helping me along in my goal to own less.
Isabel
www.RanchoSolyMar.com

Mexberry

Jul 1, 2011, 6:33 AM

Post #9 of 19 (3331 views)

Shortcut

Re: [dongringo_catemaco] Razor Wire around a casa

Can't Post | Private Reply

Regretfully, moving is the option that we have decided upon. It will probably take some time to sell, especially as it is a buyers market and the slow time of the year for real estate sales. For the first time in our many real estate deals we have bought next to someone whose lifestyle is so very different from ours.

Mexberry

Jul 1, 2011, 6:46 AM

Post #10 of 19 (3320 views)

Shortcut

Re: [hunteradvisor] Razor Wire around a casa

Can't Post | Private Reply

There are several large casas that are far more attractive from a thief's point of view, without visible security. When we asked ourselves why our neighbour has been targeted we did not like the explanation we thought most likely.
Gotta go with our gut feelings, so we are moving on. Sad, but necessary.

sioux4noff

Jul 1, 2011, 9:52 PM

Post #11 of 19 (3180 views)

Shortcut

Re: [surebought] Razor Wire around a casa

Can't Post | Private Reply

Quote

never tell your neighbors that you will be away

On the other hand, we have Mexican next door neighbors here in Bucerias who usually tell us when they will be away and ask that we keep an eye on things, and we let them know when we'll be gone and who will be watching our house.
Knock on wood, so far that has worked out fine.
They also sometimes bring us back little souvenirs from their trip, and we bring them and their son little gifts. It's funny because we really don't socialize much except the usual chatting out in the yard and on the street.
If they put razor wire around their house, I'd figure they felt like that was a good securty precaution and it wouldn't bother me.

Mexberry

Jul 2, 2011, 3:57 PM

Post #12 of 19 (3111 views)

Shortcut

Re: [sioux4noff] Razor Wire around a casa

Can't Post | Private Reply

We too tell our friends down the street when we are going away, they in turn tell us. The problem we have is that we suspect that the goings on at our next door neighbours house are not those we would be associated with. He has been targeted 6 times in the past 2 months and is responding with razor wire right around his house. We feel that is could escalate and we do not want to live anywhere near a potentially violent neighbourhood.
Razor wire used to protect industrial property is ok , but not alright in a residential neighbourhood.
mexberry.

esperanza

Jul 2, 2011, 4:48 PM

Post #13 of 19 (3097 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Mexberry] Razor Wire around a casa

Can't Post | Private Reply

Mexberry, I agree that razor wire is definitely ugly, but sometimes it is definitely necessary. It's quite frequently used to protect private homes in Mexico.

The situation you are in sounds like something much more serious than just a neighbor protecting his property. Sounds like you have made a wise decision to move.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

sioux4noff

Jul 2, 2011, 6:08 PM

Post #14 of 19 (3083 views)

Shortcut

Re: [esperanza] Razor Wire around a casa

Can't Post | Private Reply

Esperanza, I agree. It sounds like more, and moving is probably a wise choice.

wendy devlin

Jul 3, 2011, 12:08 PM

Post #15 of 19 (2982 views)

Shortcut

Re: [sioux4noff] Razor Wire around a casa

Can't Post | Private Reply

One of my brother's rented a nice apartment in a brand new apartment in a certain Mexican state capital where 'no pasa nada' has long been the buzz word. He went away on business for two weeks. When he returned, he ran into his immediate, 'new' neighbours in the next apartment. He had already noticed a black HV parked by the apartment. The two men, were tattooed, with a gun each, obviously displayed on their person.

Since he couldn't avoid the face-to-face meeting, my brother introduced himself as best he could under the circumstances. Stayed a minimal amount of time in his apartment. However the two men were gone, after he returned from his next business trip. Up to this encounter, he hadn't really been that aware of the narco situation, surrounding him and his work.

That particular 'plaza' has since heated up dramatically in the last few months with large narcofosas discovered around the state.

cbviajero

Jul 4, 2011, 1:54 PM

Post #16 of 19 (2836 views)

Shortcut

Re: [robt65] Razor Wire around a casa

Can't Post | Private Reply

Wow that's quite a security system, all that's lacking are a few Clamore mines set up around the perimeter,sounds like you live in Mexganistan, what happens when you have to leave the compound,what then?
Chris

Guavagto

Jul 4, 2011, 4:00 PM

Post #17 of 19 (2813 views)

Shortcut

Re: [cbviajero] Razor Wire around a casa

Can't Post | Private Reply

We live in a gated community. Our builder ask me how high the walls should be I kept saying higher.

We have a security system which seems to walk.

In our last home we had electric wire on the walls. It is legal as long as there are signs indicating there is an electric fence. Also you must own the walls. Our fence was put into use one time when a cat hit it. The sound must have awaken the entire neighborhood. WOOP WOOP WOOP unti we saw the cat who had only been stunned.

If nessary we will install the wire again.

Norma

johanson

Jul 4, 2011, 5:58 PM

Post #18 of 19 (2783 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Mexberry] Razor Wire around a casa

Can't Post | Private Reply

Where I live in upper Ajijic, two sides of my property face the mountains which means the woods. Most all of my neighbors have high walls and on top of these walls we all have electric fencing, even facing the each other. I also have concertina razor wire on the two sides facing the woods, but not facing the neighbors or the street.

No one in my neighborhood, whom I know, finds using razor or concertina wire strange. .Sadly, they understand that it's necessary.

robt65

Jul 5, 2011, 6:01 AM

Post #19 of 19 (2725 views)

Shortcut

Re: [cbviajero] Razor Wire around a casa

Can't Post | Private Reply

Good Morning cbviajero,

Now if I told you all my plans that would be little like Target telling Wal Mart their new retail marketing plan . . . . . wouldn't it! Think about it over your morning coffee . . . .

robt65