Posted on 06/26/2007 9:46:42 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
NUEVO LAREDO When Roberto Martinez and his family crossed into Mexico from Laredo over the weekend, they were planning to travel to the interior to visit family members.Instead, just minutes after they arrived in this city via the Lincoln-Juarez International Bridge, they were accosted in broad daylight by a group of armed, masked men claiming to be federal agents. The family members were forced to get out of their 2002 Chevrolet Suburban and turn over all of their money, credit cards and jewelry before they were released unharmed.
The thieves also took the Suburban, leaving the family members in the street.
The Martinezes, who were not available for comment Monday, told police that the men were armed with machine guns. The case, listed as No. 445/2007, indicates the thieves took $4,000 in addition to the credit cards, jewelry and Suburban.
Officials said the family returned home to the United States after filing a complaint with police.
State prosecutor Alejandro Loredo Pérez heard the complaint, according to state justice department officials. In the complaint, Martinez said that he and his family, all U.S. citizens or legal residents, crossed the bridge Friday morning to secure the proper permits to travel to the interior of Mexico.
Before they could do that, several vehicles with the armed men blocked their path and forced them to one side. The masked men approached them and within minutes, the family was left with nothing of value, according to the report.
Roberto Maldonado, of the states justice department, said Martinez and a representative of the U.S. Consulate in Nuevo Laredo filed the complaint shortly after the robbery took place. Police said it was filed 40 minutes after the crime occurred.
"We have started the case. Testimony was taken from the victim," Maldonado said. "He explained the crime."
The citys robbery division is investigating. Officers were immediately dispatched to the area, officials said, to comb the neighborhood for signs of the Suburban and the other vehicles but nothing was found.
Police said several people in the area said they hadnt seen anything abnormal, but one person did say he or she (the report doesnt indicate the sex of the witness) saw a group of what appeared to be commandos leaving the scene in several vehicles.
At the U.S. Consulate, an official confirmed that the criminal complaint had been filed but declined to give any details for confidentiality reasons.
"It involves a private case about which we cannot comment," a spokesman said. "That is our policy."
Guillermo Landa Gudiño, the interim director of the citys public safety division, said he has ordered additional patrols in the area of the international bridges.
(To reach Miguel Timoshenkov, call 728 2583 or e-mail timo1@lmtonline.com)
Nothing abnormal, for Mexico !
Nothing abnormal, for Mexico !
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And it looks like it is all coming our way, courtesy of Washington and our open borders....drawn by the blood-smell of AMNESTY.
Stay out of Mexico.
What goes into Mexico, stays in Mexico.
You mean there are still criminals left in Mexico? Don’t they have ANY ambition?
Nothing will come of this as the local authorities are either directly responsible or get a cut of the loot.
...the thieves took $4,000 in addition to the credit cards, jewelry and Suburban.
These robbers knew they were coming to Mexico. A friend or family member tipped them off.
Nuevo Laredo is the Fallujah of Mexico. Better to drive 500 miles in either direction than drive through this horrible hellhole.
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