The current uproar over a presumed rise in crime is troubling many lakeside area residents. While keeping tabs on the local grapevine, I’m finding that hard facts are hard to come by.
In a face-to-face interview last week, Chapala Public Security Director Adán Domínguez recognized that the community is not now or ever has been crime-free. “We’re on the right path,” he stated with conviction, pointing out that his officers have succeeded in capturing a number of criminal suspects in recent months.
To back up the assertion, he showed me a print-out official statistics on home burglary complaints lodged over that past five years, demonstrating a steady downward trend. A total of 146 denouncements were filed in 2013; 138 in 2014; 137 in 2015; 107 in 2016; and 96 in 2017.
He also recalled the high-impact crimes that plagued the area in 2011-2012, including kidnappings, shoot-outs, murders and violent home invasions that left residents reeling in fear.
Of course, cold numbers are of no comfort to crime victims. Coming home to discover that crooks have violated your property and made off with your personal possessions is an earth-shaking experience. Going through the arcane formalities of reporting the incident to police and the Ministerio Público (District Attorney) only adds to the aggravation, particularly for expats challenged by a language barrier.
But does the buzz about rampant crime reflect a worrisome reality? The police chief and acting mayor Oscar España say it’s more a matter heightened awareness of persistent problems that have not been aired so publically in the recent past.
They note that social media are poor sources for reliable information. And putting a fine point on the subject, they confirmed that municipal authorities have not officially endorsed any websites, web boards or Facebook pages that register crime reports.
Nonetheless, there is good reason for lakesiders to keep up their guard, taking reasonable precautions to protect themselves and their homes. We live a short distance from the Guadalajara metro area where criminal activity is now epidemic. Carjackings, assaults on bank clients, burglaries, kidnappings and homicides are everyday occurrences. The probability of a spill over to this largely affluent community merits concern.
Keep in mind that local police do not have the resources to keep up 24/7 watch on your doorstep, the nearest corner and entire neighborhoods. Good measures include careful examination of your home to detect the weak points criminals look for to gain entry. Communication with your neighbors can help enhance mutual vigilance. Keep your eyes open and call the cops right away if you spot suspicious characters who may be lurking around looking for an opportunity to strike.
Being proactive is a far better way to prevent crime than the fact-free ranting and raving happening on Facebook.
Which brings to mind CNN’s recent ad campaign. “This is an apple. Some people might try and tell you that it’s a banana. They might scream banana, banana, banana over and over and over again. They might put BANANA in all caps. You might even start to believe that this is a banana. But it’s not. This is an apple.”