When she asked me my religion, I wondered what that had to do with being burglarized.
"It's just on every government form," I was told. Okay, but I'm getting ahead of myself.
Yesterday I was at the Ministerio Publico, sort of a police station in Bucerias, trying to fill out a form telling the police that we had been burglarized last Saturday, in broad daylight, between 10 a.m. and noon.
"Why didn't you call the Judge in San Pancho?" the woman in charge asked. "I did," I replied, "but there was no answer."
"Then why didn't you come here?" she continued. "Because I didn't know this was here," I replied. In fact, I admitted, I didn't know who to call or where to go. But I do now.
So she continued. After I went out to find the friend of a friend who spoke both English and Spanish. This was getting complicated and ended up taking two hours. Where was I born? Passport number? Married? What did you study in school? (I'm telling you, some of these questions were not relevant!)
So, while she typed all the information into a computer, we told her the story. The what, where and when. Front door broken open. Money, jewelry, camera, Kindle -- all missing. The descriptions.
And, yes, Saturday morning in broad daylight. No, the dog wasn't home. He went with us to the vet and to the grocery store in Bucerias.
I still don't have a copy of the four page report because two evidently important men had not yet signed it. By the way, my interpreter and I, both had to have two copies of our identification and we both were fingerprinted!
Now what? Probably nothing.
The office at the Ministerio Publico is stacked high with reports and folders and God only know what else and how old. The chances of getting anything returned are slim and none. The chance of arresting anyone? Even slimmer, according to a high state police official. And even if arrested, they'd probably be free before the paperwork is finished. And, if held, held where? All the jails in Nayarit are full.
So, were my two hours wasted? No. Not if this will warn my friends and neighbors to be more careful about locking doors and windows. Not if this alerts the state police and reminds the judge that, yes, we have a problem in San Pancho.
No one wants to talk publicly about all this. No one wants to scare away the tourists. So my friends will be angry with me for blogging about it.
But this rash of burglaries is starting all across southern Nayarit state, according to the state police. You don't want to be the next victim.
So, be vigilant. The thieves are getting more brazen.
And if anyone offers you some Susan B. Anthony dollar coins, they're mine!