rrmendez
Feb 1, 2009, 6:06 PM
Post #1 of 12
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I would like to add a comment to all the great safety advice that has been written on MXC. We had a recent experience in San Miguel Allende
that has changed the way we will travel in the future. Our advice to make sure that you can secure your hotel room door, preferably with
a dead bolt or slider type lock.
We have traveled Mexico for over ten years without any negative incidents, and what happened to us could happen in any town, anywhere.
That being said, hotels doors in economical hotels usually leave something to be desired in security. We had been in SMA several days, and
were comfortable with the town and our accommodations. We were in our room for the night, sitting up in bed and watching the tv, when
our doorknob was rattled, we thought another guest had the wrong room so were not too concerned. Several minutes later, our door was
opened by key from the outside and two men entered our room. My husband instinctively reacted by confronting them and trying to push
them out the doorway, resulting in a struggle, I started screaming and yelling for help when I saw blood, one waved a knife and was trying
to warn me to keep quiet. Shortly after that they picked something up and left. What I thought was perhaps my husband's wallet being
picked up was another knife.
We waited a few minutes to make sure they were gone, went to the lobby/desk and found it deserted. We left and walked one block to a
main street where we found the police to report the incident and call for an ambulance. My husband required stitches in six different
locations, but thankfully all the cuts were superficial. Apparently the attackers switchblade wouldn't open, and we are very fortunate.
The hotel owner came to the ER and sat with me, and was extremely concerned and gracious. The hotel desk was deserted because
the attackers had robbed the staff and forced them into another room at knifepoint and threatened them. The men were caught that
night because another robbery victim had recognized them and reported them to the police. They were from DF, and it seems that
all their other victims were locals.
We then spent five hours the next day in the Ministerio Publico, mostly waiting, to give our statements.
In hindsight, my husband probably should not have physically confronted them, but he did. They never said a word, and did not
rob us of anything except peace of mind. We consider ourselves fortunate, but less trusting than before.
Our hope is that someone else can benefit from this experience.
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