Mexico: Vehicle Robbery on Highway 45D in Guanajuato State

Mexico: Vehicle Robbery on Highway 45D in Guanajuato State

1. Incident Overview

On Thursday, August 22, at around 3:00 PM, a vehicle robbery occurred in Celaya City, Guanajuato State, on Highway 45D. A Mexican employee of a Japanese company was driving an SUV with a Japanese national as a passenger. While traveling towards Apaseo el Grande on Highway 45D, their vehicle was blocked and forced to stop by a white van that appeared behind them, with a gun pointed at them. Three perpetrators were inside the van. Two of them got into the SUV, forcing the Japanese national and the Mexican employee to sit in the back seat. The perpetrators drove the SUV for about five minutes (with the third perpetrator driving the white van and leading the SUV). The victims were then ordered at gunpoint to move to the white van. (During this time, one of the perpetrators fled in the SUV the Japanese national had been in.)

Afterwards, they were forcibly taken in the white van towards Apaseo el Grande, during which time their cash, mobile phones, watches, and keys were stolen. After driving for about 30 minutes, they were ordered to get out of the van near Apaseo el Grande and were released.

2. Precautions

While security authorities are patrolling, vehicle robberies continue to occur frequently. Please be especially cautious when traveling near state borders.

(1) Robberies have occurred even during daylight hours. When traveling across states, please carefully plan your route and consider the time of day.

(2) Most vehicle robberies involve the use of firearms and blocking roads, often with violence. On highways, due to high speeds, attempting to escape could lead to serious accidents. If escape seems difficult, do not resist and follow the perpetrators’ instructions.

(3) In the event of a robbery, comply with the perpetrators’ demands without resistance. Avoid actions that might provoke them, such as staring at or chasing them. (In general, the risk of harm to life and body increases when provoking the perpetrators during a robbery. It is said that the risk decreases if you remain calm and hand over your valuables without resistance, so please stay composed and follow their instructions.)