My turn !

[RonYVickie]

This is a lightly edited copy of the e-mail I sent to close friends:

Hi ! Well, the news isn't good. Vickie and I and the trailer are fine, but we were accosted at gunpoint yesterday and our truck was stolen. I'm sorry to say that all the rugs (including ours) were in the back seat along with everything else we carry in the truck. We also had a trailer propane tank in the back (freshly filled). We're in Patzcuaro and are sorting through the paperwork so we can finish up the insurance claim, fly up to Phoenix where we have friends, and buy another truck and have it outfitted to come back and take the trailer back north. If this all completes in time, we will bring it to PV for a breather.
Edit: Our other option, which is maybe looking easier, would be to bus to PV and take WestJet back to our local airport and I have a line on another truck up there for about the same price, minus the hassle of importing it.
We were stopped along the road north on our way to Tzintzuntzan looking at patio furniture when we were approached by 2 men, one of whom had a pistol. He jammed it under my chin and demanded the truck keys, which I handed over. He went to the truck and the second man, whom I think was only pretending to have a gun, since we hadn't seen it, demanded our wallets. We declined and told him to go. They did a U-turn and left. We hailed a collectivo going in the same direction and about a mile down the road were 4 Federale vehicles. We told them what had happened and they took off in both possible directions, but no luck. They took us back to their office to make the report and do the paperwork, then took us to the Ministerio office to file it there. We all went back to their office, did more paperwork, then they took us to Morelia to head office to get all the paperwork filed and stamped. Today the insurance adjuster came by and we filled out forms and now we have to wait for Monday to complete those. We may be several more days before we can look at flights, meanwhile I'm searching on the 'net for another vehicle. It was a big shock to our systems and we're both beginning to feel shaken up, but we're a bit philosophical about it - wrong place, wrong time, nothing more and could have happened in much worse places among people who don't care. The owners here have been great and I know we have made some friends among the present residents.
We have been doing an inventory of what was lost - including I-pod, gps, dash cam, tools, parts, etc, etc. The trailer is set up here in the rv park Villa Patzcuaro, so at least we have a home. Take care, - RYV

[Tequila]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
In both the Caleta and Tzintzuntzan cases GPS would have been as useful as having a garage door opener.

STOPPING THE CAR is the only thing that is a viable option unless an RV'er chooses to camp next to a city curb.

I've daydreamed the pleasure of loading a phony wallet with 10 grams of plastic explosive and have it detonate 10 seconds after being removed from my back pocket.

How do you know that unless you know where they are? They may well be somewwere the police could recover them. Having said that, a GPS tracker and a anti hijack disabler would be best. I intend to get the later installed. Intead of a button, I am going to put a socket in my dash (The same type you use on your laptop for power. I will then wire a male plug with a short so plugging it in will act like the button. They may look for a button but will just assume that is an mp3 input or something.

[RonYVickie]

I've taken note of the comments about documents, but the Mexicans are unwilling to accept just a piece of paper, despite it's veracity at home. They want CERTIFIED copies of anything that proves your ownership, as the CR have found. I'm going to contact a notary at home to see if I can have ICBC fax the papers to them and have them certified and either messengered to me or faxed to the ministerio publico, who are really the people you have to convince in the end. Will keep you posted. RYV

[MEXICOWANDERER]

In both the Caleta and Tzintzuntzan cases GPS would have been as useful as having a garage door opener.

STOPPING THE CAR is the only thing that is a viable option unless an RV'er chooses to camp next to a city curb.

I've daydreamed the pleasure of loading a phony wallet with 10 grams of plastic explosive and have it detonate 10 seconds after being removed from my back pocket.

[Tequila]

I found my spot GPS tracker works well through the ceiling of my RV. I have it strapped to the ceiling of my medicine cabinet. It can,t be seen. It sent out a signal every 10 min from Melaque to Mazxtmitla yesterday. Makes me feel a bit better.

[qtla9111]

Watching the morning news here in Monterrey. Last night a student waiting for a bus had his Iphone stolen. Police were called immediately and arrived in five minutes.

Using the laptop in the patrol car, they located the phone via GPS. They followed the city bus, pulled it over and searched a guy's backpack. There was the phone. Thief identitied and detained.

I am getting sold on the idea of having GPS in both the SUV and the TT.

[briansue]

Good advice on the scanned and computerized copies etc. Cloud. FAX. whatever. We keep originals in a fireproof lockbox out of sight but near the door of our RV should we have to vacate in a hurry. In the vehicles we only have copies for anyone to see.

Lots of good tips here for travel anywhere. When I drove a semi a lot of us had fuel cutoff valves so the vehicle couldn't go very far. I suppose there would be a way to rig something up on a timer or remote. Also some kind of tracking that worked over more than a couple miles would be good.

Unfortunate that things like this have to happen to make us aware of some precautions we should be taking. We hope everything works out well for RyV......

[silversand]

Some scans are so good they can pass as originals. Always copy and scan front and back.

...scan at home with your own scanner; *never photocopy* state or legal or bank documents EVER, anywhere. The number 1 method for criminals to rip off your identity is via photocopy machines (look up the details; I won't go into the technical mechanics here).

Additionally, some computer services in 3rd World countries have their scanners set up to duplicate your scanned files. Don't ever go this route. Use your digital camera (in macro mode if you have it) when you're on the road to make copies of your documents if you need to.

Terrible situation the OP is in. Terrible. Wishing you the best of luck.

S-

[mexicoruss]

I store almost all of my important documents in Google drive. Drive is not computer dependent and you can access your documents from any computer anywhere and then download and print. Drive is internet dependent so that is a limitation in some areas. This is a free program though Google.

[RonYVickie]

I have most of the files on my computer, but I'm finding out that there's always another piece of paper needed !

[bighatnohorse]

RonYVickie wrote:
Yes, it is very simple when you are at home, but when your home is behind your truck, where do you keep things except in your pocket?

Scanned documents can be printed to pdf files.
Upload them to a safe place where they can later be downloaded if needed.

[RonYVickie]

Yes, it is very simple when you are at home, but when your home is behind your truck, where do you keep things except in your pocket?

[qtla9111]

Hind sight is what they say. Makes copies and scan everything you carry with you. This not only goes for Mexico but the U.S. and Canada as well. In case of theft, fire, whatever, documents help. Some scans are so good they can pass as originals. Always copy and scan front and back.

The glove box is always a conundrum. Keep it there because you need to show it, carry it everywhere you go and then risk losing it, the list goes on. There has to be a better way.

[RonYVickie]

I have to admit that at this point I'm having second thoughts about cancelling the truck permit right away. I can see a way out, but would really like to have a replacement hologram for the trailer, which is gone entirely. It was in the glove box and we had been told at the Banjercito that with a trailer, we didn't need to apply it to a window as in a motorhome -just put it in the glove box - anyone in a similar situation, my advice is to apply it NOW ! I'd feel better on the drive to the border if I can produce it on demand, such as at the truck check near Hermosillo, which has been required before. I really need to get the final word from the insurance company before cancelling, as they may require it. Meanwhile, the paperwork is proceeding as well as possible under the circumstances and we have a new printer to help. ICBC -our insurance at home - faxed us 6 pages of registration/ownership documentation and I have 6 copies of everything so far. These agencies certainly eat up copies in a hurry ! We will eventually go to the Banjercito in Morelia to see if they will give us another trailer permit. We have the Cdn embassy involved - whether that is a help or hindrance, we don't know yet ! - RYV

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Yeah but then again without the quirkiness this would not be Mexico. I can only hope both offended party's choose to contact the newspaper. Damned frustrating to be forced to stand by and watch nice folks get screwed.