I have received a heightened number of inquiries regarding alleged "recent" attacks on US tourists traveling in Baja.  One incident involves a surfing instructor and his girlfriend who camped on a remote beach 200 miles south of the border; another involved a family car-jacked after the recent Baja 1000.  Then there is a sprinkling of other "incidents" of alleged attacks against US tourist, some of which invloved assailants dressed/portrayed as Mexican law enforcement.

These reports have been published, republished, broadcast then Blogged over and over again hyping up an anti-baja tourism scandal unmatched in recent history.  Some of these reports are unsubstantiated, and many times over-exagerrated as they are published then republished, etc. etc. etc. 

Although I sympathize with the plight of the victims of these alleged crimes, in actuality, I do not believe it represents a significant increase over past years. Rather its a publicity feast for US press who love to bash Baja and keep the tourism dollars in the USA: it helps their advertisers. 

Admittedly there may have been a couple incidents where bad-guys dressed like cops robbed/assaulted some tourist-somewhere on the  Baja peninsula. But other than the anomaly of the attire, this doesn’t constitute a crime wave. Crimes happen to people all the time-everywhere. (these incidents remind me of the CHP officer who was sexually assaulting young girls during traffic stops many years ago in southern CA).

Try hanging out in Rio, Baghdad, LA or Philadelphia; the latter of which, 3 months ago, my cousin, a concert violinist, walking home from a performance with Philly-Orchestra  was forced to his knees with a gun to his head by a hip-hop youth. He was robbed and assaulted. Many years ago,  I was robbed at gunpoint, as the cashier of our family pizza restaurant, in Delaware, Ohio.  Thus, its not a matter of “where”, its just a numbers game:  if/when your number is “up” its “up”.
 
When it comes to the Baja, interestingly, these alleged incidents seem to happen to US tourist as opposed to any other foreign tourists. Admittedly there are a lot more US tourists, but when the score is always 100-0, then there's something else afoot.
 
I believe its behavior. Some  US tourists come to Mexico to party, get drunk,"do" drugs, and engage in behavior they’d never dream of north of the border. They become  belligerent, nasty  and down right disrespectful to others including  the natives.  Sometimes the natives don’t respond kindly to  these “Gringos” (the term itself means “go home to US”). Other times, its because the Gringos are trying to “score” contraband by fraternizing with seedy characters they’d never consider in the USA.

These situations jeopardize the Gringos who are then so inebriated they don’t grasp their peril or so arrogant that they refuse to recognize their predicament. In either event, they set themselves up. Now you have either an angry insulted native or a seedy opportunist, or BOTH.

Sometimes the bad-guys target the victims at night when the cheap gringos are soooooo cheap they choose not stay in secure campgrounds or hotels or B & Bs because they wanna save $20 a night!  It is my opinion that this was the  case of the surfer and his girlfriend, camping on remote beach because of their "budget" mentality.
 
I'm not saying that these people necessarily "deserve" what happened to them, but COME ON....why would anyone camp on a secluded  beach in a 3rd world country with a fancy RV full of expensive electronics? I doubt this surfer will repeat this behavior in Costa Rica (his next planned destination). 
 
I believe that Baja is as safe as any other 3rd world tourist destination. Interestingly Baja does not have madmen running around sniping people (Malvo-DC-18 sniped); blowing up court houses (OK city 100 dead),  high schools(Columbine among many), or  college campuses (33 died last year at Virginia Tech).  And there are no jet liners crashing into condos or skyscrapers in Mexico.   But you don’t see the US press bashing tourism in Washington DC, NYC, Virginia Beach etc. 
 
In the end, I know of no incidents that have happened here (locally-La Salina) in the last 12-18 months. I have not had a guest hassled other than the occasional traffic stop/money grab,  which in many  cases has valid grounds or if not is a minor mordida that you can fight if you know how. 

Moral of the story: when traveling/partying in Baja, treat the natives with respect.  Stay at secure facilities (like my place), and don’t flash loads of cash or  bring a bling-bling girlfriends who  freak out every time they see a Mexican with dirt under his nails or scold a Mexican for the condition of his dog!  Likewise don’t go overboard the other direction and try to fraternize and befriend everyone you meet, especially while under the influence.  Use the same judgment you’d use-sober- in the USA.

Its very important to remember that 99% of Baja-Mexicans are friendly and accomodating people.  They are proud hard-working simple folk who have no interest in tormenting or harming American tourists.  You may come to Baja for the adventure or the beauty, but you will stay because you will find its people gracious, hospitable, and friendly. 

Unfortunately for Baja , these "crime" stories continue to be replayed like Seinfeld reruns. And yes tourism is being adversly affected,  but YOU will be safer if you follow these suggestions, and hang out with known locals like BAJABRENT---He’ll Hook You Up!!!

 

 Viva Baja-Viva Mexico, fly high and fly safe, cheers, Bajabrent