Iam planning a trip to mexico city and i heard ?

Question

in the news people r getting kidnap for ransom. and what can i do to protect my self? iam going with family and do u think the kidnapping will stop by dec? and iam bring a black bag shiney material gucci but looks like all black cant tell its gucci unless look close. and should i bring it or will the kidnapping stop by dec and not worry about it? and is the govenment going to do something to stop it? thanks

Answer 1

i agree with rhino

but i wouldnt really suggest taking the metro...you wouldnt get kidnapped but you might get mugged

Answer 2

In a country with 60% of it's population in poverty, and one of the most corrupt police forces in the world, kidnapping isn't going to stop anytime soon. Sorry, it ain't going to stop by December, just because you're going on vacation.

The government is doing what it can, but the police are often kidnappers or working with them. Think about it. You graduate from middle school and you get a job as a cop. After some second-rate training they put you out on the streets with a .38 caliber revolver and a few extra bullets. Maybe a bullet-proof vest, maybe not. You get called names and disrespected by people in the street everyday. Your pay is about $400-$800 ($500 on average) US dollars per month for working 12 hour days, six days a week and several of your police officer friends have been killed by drug gangs armed with AK-47's and armor piercing bullets bought at gun shops in the good 'ole US of and A. Someone offers you some $$$ to look the other way or to "respond slowly" to a kidnapping in progress call. Would you do it? OK, probably not, but in Mexico and Latin culture, corruption is a way of life and the truth/right/wrong is a relavent, not a fixed, unmoving thing like in US/Canadian culture.

About your "Gucci" bag, theives will notice and grab something like that on the streets or in the Metro.

Crime in DF isn't as bad as it's made out to be, but it's real and it can happen to anybody at anytime. Use basic precautions, don't flash cash and jewlery. Do try to learn and or speak some Spanish. Use common sense and have street smarts. If someone does try to rob you, just give them your stuff, they usually won't hurt you for kicks in Mexico, they aren't as sick as the thugs in the US, just really poor.

Most big US cities are more dangerous than Mexico City anyday.

Answer 3

Recently the son of a newspaper publisher was kidnapped and the citizens of Mexico City were outraged. So I think there is going to be a concerted effort to crack down on the kidnappers.  For the most part, the big-time kidnappers aren't interested in tourists--they're interested in people that they know are super-rich.  They know what assets the victim's family can sell to to pay the ransom.  It's not worth the kidnappers time to kidnap you if you don't have any money and you don't have any relatives they can contact.

Don't flag down any taxi on the street.  You can take taxis from in front of your hotel, but some of the fly-by-night taxis are questionable.

Invest in a moneybelt that you can wear under your clothes to keep you passport, credit cards and 90 percent of you money.

The Metro (subway) is an easy way to get around the city if you avoid rush hours. During rush hours, the cars are packed and a pickpocket can press up against you and lift stuff.  But when the cars are not packed, you can get a seat and nobody can press against you.  But if a wallet is lost, you've still got 90 percent of your money in your moneybelt.

Answer 4

Do not worry about what you heard in the news, Like Rhino said is not everywhere, just be sure to use your common sense, don´t flash around your money out in the street, don´t ware expensive jewels or watches, try to find out where are the places that are not safe to walk around  and ask for the safe places as well.

Is not a kidnapping raid, Mexico City is not safe, but most of the big cities ar not that safe.

Regarding that kidnapping there is already some bad guys in custody.

Answer 5

Nobody is going to bother to kidnap a tourist.  The kidnappings you hear about are of wealthy business men or their family members, not tourists.    You will be fine.