ELIZABETH VARGAS, ABC NEWS (VO) The white sands and blue waters of Mexico entice millions of Americans every year. Its beautiful beaches and warm weather are close, and vacations there are relatively inexpensive. For Stephanie Naess, a trip to Mexico City held the added attraction of meeting her boyfriend Paul's relatives.
STEPHANIE NAESS, TAXICAB CRIME VICTIM It was three days of just fun. Went hiking up the pyramids and met his whole family, and the food and the colors, and it was amazing.
ELIZABETH VARGAS (VO) But Stephanie had no idea how easy it was to become a victim of crime in Mexico—until she and Paul did something most Americans do without thinking. They hailed a cab.
STEPHANIE NAESS We sat back. We were sort of talking about the evening. And all of a sudden, he stopped at a stop sign, and he unlocked the door. And right then, these two guys jumped into the cab. These people were holding knives. And they were very panicked. They were like, "don't"—you know, "Close your eyes, put your head down, don't move. Don't move, don't move!"
ELIZABETH VARGAS (VO) The goal was robbery. The couple was quickly stripped of their credit cards, cash and jewelry. But the abduction continued.
STEPHANIE NAESS And that is where my red panic light just went on, like, OK, it's been about 15 minutes. Why are they not letting us out of the car? I mean, as a woman, it crosses your mind, "Am I going to be raped? Are they going to lock me up?" And it's a horrible feeling when someone else is in total control, and there's just nothing you can do.
ELIZABETH VARGAS (on camera) The terror lasted 40 minutes, until robbers finally released the couple unharmed, but in a bad neighborhood with no money to get home. What happened to Stephanie and her boyfriend is not unusual. A 20/20 investigation reveals an alarming number of Americans are being attacked in taxies, on buses, some even on the beach. Yet most visitors to Mexico know nothing about the crimes there or how to protect themselves. (VO) Frannie Ruch was robbed in a taxi last October.
FRANNIE RUCH, TAXICAB CRIME VICTIM Two young guys jumped in in their black leather jackets. They were on our laps, and my friend is screaming. And they have knives. They were little knives, and they were—with their hands on our mouths. And they wanted our PIN numbers.
ELIZABETH VARGAS (on camera) They wanted your ATM cards?
FRANNIE RUCH They wanted our ATM card number. "PIN, PIN, PIN." That's what they kept saying. I mean, I have kindergarten Spanish. My friend had none.
ELIZABETH VARGAS Before you left, did your travel agents, anybody helping you make your travel arrangements—did anybody warn you about not getting into cabs in certain places or at certain times?
STEPHANIE NAESS No.
ELIZABETH VARGAS Never heard anything about that?
STEPHANIE NAESS I never did. Never did.
ELIZABETH VARGAS (VO) What Stephanie and Frannie didn't know is that Mexico is in the midst of a massive crime wave brought on by a severe economic crisis. These are not the pictures you'll see in the travel brochures, but this is reality in Mexico these days. Local news cameras last year watched armed bandits work in the open, using their guns to stop cars so they could rob the passengers. On another street, a team of muggers operates with apparent impunity, leaving a man unconscious in broad daylight. Just 15 minutes later, the same group attacks another victim, and during it all, a police officer stands just a few yards away. In fact, widespread police corruption is a big part of the problem here, according to criminologist Rafael Ruiz (ph). (on camera) You don't know, when you're talking to a police officer, if he's clean or if he's a crook?
RAFAEL RUIZ, CRIMINOLOGIST Well, it is my bet that he is not clean.
ELIZABETH VARGAS You bet he's a crook?
RAFAEL RUIZ It is not only my bet, it is the bet of the whole population.
ELIZABETH VARGAS (VO) Mexicans might know to be wary of men in uniform, but tourists Terry Mamalis and David Forsberg had no idea. They flew into Mexico City two years ago on a low—cost, late—night flight. Their plan was to catch the first bus out to the countryside in the morning.
DAVID FORSBERG, CRIME VICTIM We didn't even leave the airport.
ELIZABETH VARGAS (VO) The trouble started when the men wandered outside the terminal. They say a van pulled up, and men wearing police uniforms got out and started yelling at them.
DAVID FORSBERG We're looking for the bus terminal, and we're pointing our fingers asking where it was. And that's when they proceeded to push us towards the Suburban.
ELIZABETH VARGAS (on camera) What did they do? Put their arms around you and lead you?
TERRY MAMALIS, CRIME VICTIM Yeah, that's exactly what they did to him.
DAVID FORSBERG Exactly. They just put their arms right around my back and started pushing me right along.
TERRY MAMALIS I was screaming and, you know, "What's going on?" I got hit in the back of the head with a billy club.
ELIZABETH VARGAS And they overpowered you, they hit you with the billy club and forced you into the Suburban?
DAVID FORSBERG Yes.
ELIZABETH VARGAS (VO) For more than two hours, the men say they were driven around, blindfolded, gagged and forced to endure repeated beatings by five men in police uniforms who seemed to be enjoying themselves.
DAVID FORSBERG You could hear what they were saying, you know, a lot of laughter, a lot of craziness. At one point, they took my bank card out, and they were shoving it in my face. And I'd say "OK. OK, I'll give you money. I'll give you money." And that's when I would get smacked.
ELIZABETH VARGAS (on camera) How many times do you think you were beaten?
TERRY MAMALIS I'd say over 50 times.
ELIZABETH VARGAS (VO) Eventually the men say they were thrown out of the van in a rundown neighborhood, still bound and now bleeding with only the clothes on their backs. Everything else had been stolen. (on camera) In the past several years, and increasing number of Americans south of the border have been mugged, kidnapped, carjacked and worse. In Mexico, the capital city is by far the most dangerous destination. Police statistics published in a local newspaper report that in January, an average of two Americans were attacked here every day. (VO) In December, American businessman Peter Zarate was killed in a taxi robbery. And just last week, Texas Monthly magazine writer Jan Reid (ph) was shot and critically wounded. The US State Department considers the situation in Mexico City so serious it has issued a stern public announcement warning travelers never to hail taxies on the street. But when we showed that warning to dozens of American passengers at the Mexico City airport, only a few knew anything about it.
1ST TOURIST I'm concerned at this very moment.
2ND TOURIST I think we should have been warned.
3RD TOURIST I do, too. Our travel agent should have said something, I would think.
ELIZABETH VARGAS (VO) But how many travel agents actually tell clients about
dangers that might make them cancel their plans? (on camera) I'd like to get
some information, please, on a trip to Mexico that I might be planning. (VO)
We talked to 25 travel agents around the country, and only four warned us
about taxi robberies. No one said anything about corrupt police. (on camera)
Now, it's perfectly safe there? In all parts of the city? OK. (VO) Steve Louckes
is the communications director for the American Society of Travel Agents,
which he says represents about half the travel agents in the US (on camera)
Shouldn't travel agents be telling their customers not to get into taxi cabs
in Mexico City, the largest city in the world?
view the rest of this artice at www.corporatetravelsafety.com/mexico.html
source:http://www.corporatetravelsafety.com/mexico.html
