17MB PDF - Association for Mexican Cave Studies

172lamp - they must have been an unusual curiosity). They evensorted out the unexposed film from the- exposed film and left thelatter. As the police said, it must have been a specialized ringwho was tipped off about our location.What should I do now? The clerk at the hotel desk said tocall the American Embassy. The Embassy said to contact the nearestmunicipal police precinct (Delegaci6n). This I did and made acomplete report. But getting an official copy of this reportturned out to be the real kicker. It was in the middle of theholidays and offices were closed and the Embassy only made thingsmore confusing instead of helping. Not knOWing whether I wouldget the papers in a few days or a few weeks, I finally got in contactwith an attorney in the Oficina Legal de Auxilio Tur!sticowho signed a statement saying that he would send me a certifiedcopy of the police report for 24 pesos within 30 days. I receivedthe papers in about 45 days - they went the long way, being sentalong with someone's pickpocket claim to Seattle, Washington.Luckily that person was kind enough to notice my address on thepapers and send them to me.From the above experience, I have compiled a list of facts toconsider when staying in MeXico City:1) Never leave an unattended car on the streets at night. Ifyou leave a coil of climbing rope or anything of value onthe front or back seat, chances are that it would be stolenbefore morning. Take all precautions to avoid anythingfrom being stolen - keep valuables out of sight and put allyour caving gear and other items you won't need in thetrunk before you get into Mexico City.2) If you have anything stolen and must get a copy of a policereport for your insurance company at home, go to the SecretService Police first. They are at Jefatura de POlic!a delDistrito Federal (Police Headquarters) at 20 de Noviembreand Fray Servando on the second floor in an office labeled,"Servicio Secreto". I hear that they can get you a certifiedcopy of the report in a few hours, when it may takedays or weeks to get one through the Procuradur!a del Distrito,or the municipal police. By all means, don't go toone of the fellows in the brown uniforms; they are theTransito, or traffic police. All of these three policeforces work separately and there is little cooperationbetween them.3) All of the police and everyone else I talked to said thatthere is very little chance of recovery in such thefts.4) Any traveler with clothing or equipment of any type inplain view in the front of his car is just as apt to havea theft in the United States as in Mexico; it is just harderto obtain a copy of the police report in Mexico.When out in the country and camping near your car, the chancesof having something stolen are very slim. However, when in largecities, it is a different matter and be sure to take extra precautionsto avoid any chance of a theft.