Well after 10 years of mongering and thinking I'm too careful and know TJ too well for this to happen to me. I'm going to bare my soul to my fellow mongers and tell you my story and hopefully I can save at least one of you.

First of all I'm in good physical shape as I workout 3 or 4 times a week. I've taken self defense classes and have won many judo trophies. So I'm not a slouch.

Anyways, after 2 years of not going to TJ because I had a novia here, we split up and now I'm going back to my stomping grounds and visit my old novias.

I went Wednesday and had good times with a couple of SG who I prefer.

Decided to comeback on Friday but should have played my hunch as tons of things went wrong going there. First of all I take the metro line form Pasadena to the Amtrak in Union Station. A normal 1/2 hour ride took 1 hour and made me miss my train to SD by 30 seconds. Bad sign.

Take the next train then change over to Trolley. Well, trolley stomps suddenly and we see a large auto carrier stuck on the trolley track. So we backup and I have to catch a cab to TJ. Cost another $20 and when I tried to get another guy to split the fee the cab driver says no. I'm too horney to argue and I say hell lets go.

Arrive at TJ about noon. I carry a small plastic bag with my cell phone and some books. I carry a small wallet with my $ credit card, Atm card, Driver license. Luckily I pulled out some $ and put in my back pocket.

I walk around the alley check out the girls. Go to Caliente and make 3 bets on NFL. Bet Under Miami/Ten, Rams -11, & Minn -5. Put the tickets in my wallet.

I head into Miami and have an OJ then walk around to Las Chevalas then Tropical and drink 1 beer.

Its around 1:30 and I decide to walk up on 1st to the large department store between Constitution and Nino de Heroes. I go into the store buy a small backpack and as I exit I put my mags and my cell phones in bag. I cross over to the north side of street by bakery and walk towards Nino de Heroes.

As I'm walking there are people walking all around like a normal business day. Then all of a sudden the infamous choke hold goes around my neck. Now I think "OH SHIT". I get lifted up and in 10 secs I'm out.

Next thing I know a guy is saying am I ok. I wakeup on the ground my pants and belt unbuttoned. I reach down and naturally my wallet is gone along with my passport. Fortunately they don't take my backpack with my cell phones. I kept some $ in my back pocket and they didn't take that. Normally i would keep a pouch in my pants but if I did this time they would have found it and taken it.

2 cops are just ahead and I report it but they tell me to go to 8th and file a report. I m still in shock and pissed at myself about not looking back like I normally do especially on 1st street as this is the area famous for this. Just fucking stupid and you have to always be aware. All us guys who have been going for so long take things for granted and this shit can happend to you.

Anyways I havent even got laid but I have a few $ to get laid before I head back home. I walk down the hill and go the alley. I see Aracelli for the first time in 2 years. She looks ok and since I used to fuck her I say what the hell. So I say longtime and I say how much for everything. She says $40. I said $40. Tu eres mas caro q;ue antes. I said forget it. Im really pissed.

I walk and see Karla who I fucked Wed. I say $20 for everything and we go up and I just hate fuck her. We finish up and I go the Agencia de Publico get my paperwork so I can cross the border and go home.

The topper is when I'm waiting for the Amtrak in SD, I lose my cell phone or someone lifted it. One fucked up day.

The pisser is the assholes got 2 out of 3 winners on my football tickets plus they charged about $3000 worth of crap on my charge cards which I won't be charged.

Just remember guys always be careful no matter how smart you think you are because I used to be like that and look what happened.

Take
Pecs

pecs,

Thanks for sharing you unfortunate string of events. The best part is that you are still here to share them no matter how shitty they may be.

I've started walking around the zona alot more myself. I've even been walking back and forth from the border to the zona. Partly to save the cash but also because I want to see more of TJ too. I sort of take a different route each time.

I know I'm putting myself at risk and hopefully I bore of this new MO before anything goes down.

Because of your report I will certainly be even more cautious now.

Tuff guy Pecs I would never dream in a million years that you would be a target.
Lucklily I have never been mugged but there have been more reported muggings from mongers recently. A friend of mine was attacked near Playboy club and ended up beating one into the ground. He is like half your size and I beleive saw him coming. What sucks is getting it from behind beucase you have really no defense.

We are having another party in October I hope you can make it
take care
Milky

Hey Milky, be careful dude. I'll see you in October. I'm going to BA Oct 7-14 hopefully your party before or after.

Be safe.

Ouch. I've never heard of this choke hold before. Do you know how it works and how it knocks people out?

The crime discussion on Tijuana (ClubHombre.com: Tijuana: Crime Discussion) is mostly slightly older stuff, but very large, thorough, and still relevant. Explorer also created a thread titled "Muggings Database" that shows that these are not isolated incidents. If you Discus search "choke hold" using "and" and limiting to "Tijuana", you'll quickly come up with a bunch of results that should offer more details on the procedure, but basically it just looks like a WWF-style sleeper hold that is effective in seconds. The 10 seconds Pecs describes I think is actually longer than usual.

Sorry to hear about your troubles, Pecs, but thanks for reporting it. The most dangerous aspect for us is becoming TOO comfortable and consequently careless when visiting TJ. I learned this lesson a little over 4 years ago staring down the barrel of a gun in Hotel Leyvas.

On a positive note, since surviving that I've never forgotten to always remain alert when traveling anywhere.

Thanks for sharing your story with us. I haven't read a trip report in a while but couldn't help but notice your title. I've traveled all around the world and always think nothing will happen to me. I'm always aware of my surroundings but I'm probably due to get mugged.

Thanks again for sharing it with us. Makes us a little more alert and careful when we read stories like this. Thanks.

Sorry to hear about your misfortune nad thanks for the warning....I tend to drop my guard in the area you describe. So how would you do things differently in that situation?...walk closer to the street? Sounds like the people snuck out from some cervice and had the element of surprise working in their favor.

Years ago there was a report about ways to prevent muggings and when cautious always use. That is to try walking in the street especially on the other side of Constitution Eastside) on 1st st. The other is to keep looking back which I normally do but this time was thinking about which chica to fuck. Again small head doing all the thinking and getting my big head in trouble.

Thanks guys for the support. I laid out all this shit because I need it for my therapy and also to remind all of us to be safe and not let our guard down. Plus I'm too embarassed to tell my friends or my family and only you guys can relate to this shit and hopefully help you along the way.

man - I re-read all this and its not 1am- its 1pm? They did that in the daytime? Man- thats scarry - but I have been less catious too. Good Karma to you for the education...

Pecs,

Glad you're OK.

On my last two trips I had a couple of guys come up fast behind me fortunately I "sensed" it, damn lucky, and cut right out into the street, quickly.I'm sure I was being targeted.

I believe I was seconds away from being hit.

Once going down Ninoes Heros towards the alley and once going down the hill on Constitution towards the alley. Both times mid day.

Hey Pecs, I'm glad you're ok and thanks for giving us the heads up. I witnessed one chokehold in progress and one aftermath, and that's saying something because I really don't go down to TJ all that much. I'm just as concerned with the cops to be honest as I had problem with them as well.

Anway, I'm glad to read that you got to bang a girl before you went back up.


and saw them actually lifting the poor guy off the

The police topic is also a good reminder to anyone catching this thread. Unfortunately in Tijuana you almost have to be as much concerned about the police as the as the crooks. (if not more so!)

Although my hold-up situation was much more severe, my run-ins with the police have been more frequent, but less than many other people I know. I've had to pay bribes for bogus driving reasons several times, and searched for no reason once recently. I personally know of others that have been searched many times and some that have had money taken on-the-spot or after being driven around and intimidated.

On a similar note, when I returned the next day with my spare key to pick up my car after my keys and everything else was stolen, I got in a nice session at a massage parlor.

Damn Hotel Leyvas charged me extra for leaving my car in their lot a few hours past checkout time even knowing that I had been held up at gunpoint in one of their rooms. Fucking TJ business practices, the worst in the world...

Wow!!!

Happy it didn't turn out worse.

WS

d'Art,

I've also been held up by gunpoint one time when I was younger. It was the scariest thing I ever had been through in my life. It wasn't while traveling though. Crazy party I went to when I was in high school. These drugged out dudes pulled out a sawed off shotgun and loaded the shells in front of me and robbed me and my friend. I thought that would be my last day on earth.

So much goes through your head in moments like that. Part of the reason I have the "live for today" attitude. You never know when it might be your last day. Gotta live it up.

We are all lucky more bad stuff doesn't happen to us for as much as we all travel. Stay safe all.

(Message edited by godfather on September 13, 2004)

I have mentioned this before:


be aware of the people near you, ( the ones that hang out on the street) not so much the ones you think may mug you, but the "regulars" as they know who the rats are, and their eyes will give them away as they watch them waiting/heading for their next victum.

they all know who the bad guys are, but either don't give a shit what happens to us, or too scared to say anything, but they are watching just the same.

walking in the street in scary areas helps too.

"Its around 1:30 and I decide to walk up on 1st to the large department store between Constitution and Nino de Heroes. I go into the store buy a small backpack and as I exit I put my mags and my cell phones in bag. I cross over to the north side of street by bakery and walk towards Nino de Heroes.

As I'm walking there are people walking all around like a normal business day. Then all of a sudden the infamous choke hold goes around my neck. Now I think "OH SHIT". I get lifted up and in 10 secs I'm out. "


OK, what time of day was this? It was a Friday, right? Where were you exactly on the street when you got attacked? Were you on the street, or the sidewalk? Were you heading east or west?

I would like to add this to the muggings database.

I know how you feel. I was choke holded in the same area in Feb.

Like you, I thought I was experienced, but let my guard down.

You should feel fortunate that you weren't injured. You read about the police accidentally killing people with a choke hold.

It was around 1:30 pm and I was walking west on first on the sidewalk. I was right in front of the bakery and before the driveway on the north side of the street. it was Friday afternoon.

Thanks, I will add it to the muggings database.

I was basically robbed by the polica early 2003 and am very nervous when I see them. That and other factors really cut down my TJ trips.

Sorry to hear about this Pecs, I happened to be scrolling quickly through the new reports and the title of your report is what quickly got my attention.

That's why you recently asked me to meet up, for safety in numbers. Well, if you want a TJ trip buddy I'll inbox you with my telephone numbers etc. and the best time to meet up. This shit's getting out of hand. You're lucky you weren't injured.

Also, I read your report over the phone to a TJ trip buddy of mine and he brought up a good point-all these street robberies are quite possibly a direct result of the deported convicts who lost their deportation hearing in court and consequently end up in the streets of Tijuana-exactly where the Immigtration authorities dropped them off.

I'm glad you're ok.

Master B.

Yeah, I'm still a little gun shy because I've been going there solo for many years. I just need to go a few times with other mongers until I feel comfortable again. Thanks for the offer and I'll probably give you a holler for Thursday.

Pecs

Thanks for sharing this Pecs. I take too many chances in the zona when I think about it. It is easy to get complacent and forget we are in a third world country with many desparate people.