The Chapala police department reports that two residences in the Ajijic area have been hit in daring daylight home invasions that were apparently carried out by the same gang of thieves.
The first incident occurred Thursday, December 13 at a home on Calle Juan Alvarez on the east side of the village. Four armed men forced their way into the house, tied up the female foreign resident and made off with a flat screen television, two computers and other electronic gear.
A family living in La Floresta was attacked in similar fashion Monday, December 17 after the gang gained entry through an open carport. The robbers, however, were scared off when they heard police approaching the scene with sirens blaring. A neighbor reported seeing four men run around a nearby corner, board a red compact sedan and roar off towards the highway.Chapala police chief Ramon del Arco warns all residents to carefully look out for suspicious characters whenever leaving or arriving home and to keep their doors, gates and other points of entry closed and locked at all other times. Based on the gang’s crime pattern, he says special care should be observed from 2 to 6 p.m.
Del Arco has recently met with representatives the American Legion and the Community Safety Initiative (CSI) to resume development of cooperative crime fighting strategies. He announced that police headquarters have activated a second telephone line to receive emergency calls. To report criminal acts or suspicious activity dial 765-4444 or 765-5455.