I haven’t quite sorted out how I feel about this yet, so I’m just going to report it and maybe get some of your ideas.
Earlier today, while Kris and I were out having lunch with some friends who live here in San Miguel de Allende, I lent my rather expensive camera tripod to my sister-in-law and her son so she could take some steady video of him embarking on a bike trip from here to Argentina.
Well, he rode off, taking his camera, and my sister-in-law went back into her rented house, leaving the tripod outside her door.
When we returned about ten minutes later, I asked if she’d put the tripod back in my room. That’s when she realized she’d left it outside.
It was gone.
So, I spent a couple of fruitless hours searching on the internet for a camera store who might have an equivalent tripod somewhere near here or in Querétaro or Mexico City. (God, Mexican shopping sites are shitty!) The best I could come up with was having one shipped down here from where I’d originally purchased it. Including shipping, it would cost $455 USD.
Then it dawned on me. I got out a marker and a sheet of paper and made a sign that said, in Spanish: “To whomever carried off my tripod today, bring it back and I will pay you 1000 pesos (about $80 USD) no questions asked.” I taped it to the garage door, right above where the tripod was leaning.
About half an hour later, a middle-aged woman showed up with her son and said her father had taken the tripod, because he didn’t know who it belonged to. (After all, how could he know that if it was leaned against our garage door, that it was perhaps ours?)
She stood there expectantly for a few seconds until I said, “Bring it to me and I’ll pay you.” Two minutes later, she, her son, and her father returned with the tripod. They live right across the street, by the way.
The father showed me his bandaged foot and said he needed the money for medicine.
I gave the money to him, like I said, no questions asked.
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Update: my sis-in-law says the guy was watching her take the photos of her son, so he knew damn well who the tripod belonged to. Sin verguenza.
I know you were pissed, but that is a seriously funny story. You should go get your photo taken with that family.
Lesli, I’m afraid that I’ve run out of civility when it comes to them. I just feel a bit sorry for the grandson as he learns from his grandfather and mother that it’s ok to steal, and if it’s from a foreigner, you’ll probably get away with it.
Actually, what I should have said, Lesli, is that now that I have my tripod back, and a self timer on my camera, I can do a portrait of all of us, no problem.
I’ve spent a bit of time in Mexico this year and I’ve frequently had to reassure my friends who read only about narcoviolence in Mexico that I’m feeling quite safe here and have not experienced even a whisper of Mexican criminality. Now I can spice up my conversation with the story of your stolen tripod. Glad you got it back.
Not sure this qualifies as criminality, R.D. As Carmen notes below, it’s just the way it is here, and based on the Mexican way of looking at things, we were both winners here.
Two observations: Your solution was very clever and “culturally appropriate”. The other one which I am starting to understand and appreciate its scope is a very prevalent code of ethics; ” If it’s there for the taking and you don’t take advantage you’re a ‘pendejo’ “
Yes, Carmen, I think to truly understand Latin America, you have to have a thorough comprehension of the term pendejo. I’m actually kind of glad it’s not used in Spain or it probably would become synonymous with my name.
We tried the same trick when my friend’s camera was stolen in Peru, but unfortunately it didn’t work despite bumping the reward up to a couple of hundred dollars as he really wanted his photos back, I guess the thief didn’t see the message.
Its a real shame these things happen, but its a better cheaper option for getting your stuff back rather than buying a new one.
Yes, Helen, honestly I was glad I thought of it, although it pissed me off all over again to give the guy the money. It was a lot cheaper.
That’s a great story. It does however, make one wonder about the integrity of others around the globe. A few months ago I left my DSLR on a bench in a park for half an hour and luckily, it was still there when i went to get it back. I like to think that this was because people are lovely but it may well be that no-one saw it because it was dark.
Jamie, I would have to say you were lucky. On two counts: that the camera might have been invisible, or the people who did see it thought you’d come back for it and so left it there.
Disappointing. On the other hand, here in Philadelphia, it would be more likely to have been taken at gunpoint. (I’m exaggerating—I hope.)
And, as long as you’re using a gun, Suzanne. I can truly say, for all the stories of crime in Mexico, having your tripod held for $80 ransom means we got off pretty easy.
Wow, I just read this! I feel really bad this happened, but it is a good story! I am just glad you got it back, despite the tripod ransom. We rode away whilst Bonnie was still outside with said tripod, so I think we must really place all the blame on her. That’s pretty ballsy of them to do that, but as they say, “En México, no pasa nada…” We heard some great stories about that saying from Jorge last night!
Yes Lars, Bonnie did leave it outside. But the outcome was ok, so everybody’s happy. Especially the guy who got the 1000 pesos.