MERIDA Yucatan (Centra 9/Grupo Megamedia) – A series of planned robberies in beach residences in the summer zone of the Chicxulub Puerto-Uaymitún corridor has sown fear in its inhabitants due to insecurity and puts at risk the high economic spillover generated every year by thousands of Yucatecan, Canadian and American tourists who come to Progreso to take shelter from the harsh winter in their countries.
Attracted by the fame of a Yucatan with better security levels than many European countries -as Governor Mauricio Vila Dosal notes in his public speeches- the “snowbirds,” Americans and Canadians, as well as the Yucatecans, see that the housing corridor from Chicxulub to Uaymitún is no longer safe to live in, but quite the opposite: it is loot for thieves who take advantage of the fact that this area is practically unprotected.
In this area of Chicxulub-Uaymitún, darkness prevails because the street lights are out. There is a total lack of police patrols; there is no formal security strategy in the area, and the State Attorney General’s Office shows no interest in investigating, clarifying the thefts, and ending the impunity that increasingly encourages the presence of home invaders in this area of high capital gain in the municipality of Progreso.
Foreigners and locals are victims of crime, homeowners have suffered from robberies: they see and record with private video surveillance cameras how the criminals walk late at night without any fear of the Municipal Police of the port, nor of the Navy and elements of the National Guard that are in charge of guarding the beach.
As if this were not enough, the thieves are making a mockery of the restricted hours in Yucatan due to the pandemic, since they commit their robberies at hours when supposedly no one should be circulating or walking in the streets if they are not carrying out essential activities.
The popularly called “curfew” established by the state government for all of Yucatan is from 11:30 at night to 5 in the morning for those who do not carry out any essential activity.
The complaints against the thieves are filed with the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the common jurisdiction of Yucalpetén, in Progreso, and those in charge of the office do not even comply with the minimum formalities to investigate the facts. The agents limit themselves to receiving and recording the victims’ accounts of the events in a ministerial record.
The Police of Progreso exceeded
Those affected by the burglaries consider that the Progreso Municipal Police have already been overtaken by local crime and should hand over the functions of preventive and surveillance police to the Ministry of Public Security (SSP). Their agents are more professional, have more technology and strategies, are trained in police intelligence work, and know-how to do their job better against crime.
El Diario de Yucatán collected testimonies from multiple victims who reported robberies in their summer residences. They emphasized how they are being affected. They also mentioned that foreigners do not usually report the thefts because they know that there will not be an in-depth investigation or capture of those responsible. In other words, absolutely nothing will happen, as always.
The interviewees warn that this is another danger that Progreso faces: the retirees and pensioners from Canada and the United States who arrive every year could stop coming because of the high level of insecurity in that rest area.
“Marked” Houses
Two private video camera recordings clearly show two young people walking late at night on the beach, entering and checking the residences’ main entrances to see if they are occupied. The thieves are so confident that no one will chase them or stop them that they have dared to steal even when the residence owners are inside, sleeping.
The inhabitants who are victims of the crimes say that the impunity in Progreso has caused the Chicxulub Puerto-Uaymitún corridor to become a highly unsafe area. Thieves and vandals leave “marks” painted on the residences and boats’ walls, which contain signs of communication between gang members and criminals.
They came in while they were asleep.
A witness told the reporter from the Diario de Yucatán that they went to sleep in the upper floor room of their residence in Chicxulub Puerto.
The next day, upon waking up, one of his children went to look for his Ipad and saw that it was not in the study room where they take distance learning classes. During the early hours of the morning, all of his children’s electronic devices were broken into and stolen, along with a cell phone and a laptop.
No one from the Prosecutor’s Office has come forward.
According to versions obtained from witnesses, since the report of the robbery was filed until today, no police officer, no ministerial agent, no specialist, no one from the Prosecutor’s Office has gone to their homes to collect evidence from the thieves, nor do they report on the follow-up to the complaint filed.
Absolute impunity.
As has been mentioned, these criminals act with absolute impunity, without fear of the police. Despite multiple complaints, they continue to steal with complete peace of mind. This situation puts at risk all those who come to spend the winter in the coastal area. For this reason, one can only wonder if these thieves have a network of collaboration that protects them, which emanates from the authorities.
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Mr. Governor Vila Dosal, you who brag so much about security in Yucatan, would be important to take action in this matter. These events are compromising your image and that of our state.
