Getting robbed by fake police in Bolivia-my lucky escape
I’d almost forgotten this happened to me. Or at least, I tried to. Then I realized if I didn’t write about it, no one would ever know.
And no one else could try to avoid it.
I forgive you, Bolivia!
I wanted to go to Bolivia from Peru but I didn’t have the yellow fever vaccine. I had been told by other travelers that sometimes the border officials asked for the vaccine papers, sometimes they didn’t. In any case, I didn’t have it and I didn’t want to get it then, so I knew I had to find another way into Bolivia that did not involve a tourist-y crossing. That other route, besides Copacabana, was called Desaguadero. Mostly used by locals, it was mentioned to me as being a safe and easy way to get into Bolivia. Since I speak fluent Spanish, I saw no problem in crossing there.
Staying with old friends in Puno, close to the border of Bolivia, I mentioned that I wanted to head to the Desaguadero border crossing. “Be careful,” said Jenny, the owner of the hostel I was staying at. She’d become my Peruvian mom after so many visits. “There are fake police robbing tourists in La Paz and I want you to be aware and alert,” she kept repeating.
Her son, my friend Gerson, had been robbed the year before on the same border crossing. He was traveling with an old man, and after robbing him they’d forced him out of the cab and taken the old man away. He has no idea what happened to him. The fake police stop the tourists, rob them, and sometimes they get abducted. They warned me that I should not take any taxis that were not already moving when I arrived in La Paz and to keep my guard up.
I was ready.
My border crossing went smoothly- no one asked me for anything other than the $130 dollars for the Bolivian visa. I got my visa, negotiated a taxi into La Paz (which I shared with others) and I knew I was almost at my final destination. Or so I thought.
We reached La Paz at dusk. Not the best time to arrive in a dangerous city, but that was my fault because I’d left Puno so late. We got dropped off at the cemetery- an area where they usually drop off people coming in from across the border. My Peruvian friends had informed me of this already so I was not too nervous about anything. I just knew I needed to get a moving taxi to my hostel.
A moving taxi? Shit, the whole area looked like it was moving. People were flowing in every direction, running, cars honking, food stalls aplenty.
I waited at the curb and hailed taxi #1. Showed him the lonely planet hostel listing, and he shook his head. No idea where it is? Backpacker row amigo! You must go there often. Or not.
Suddenly, a woman ahead of me who looked to be hailing a taxi, shouts out to me, “here! you take this one!”, and by then it was dark and I didn’t really think anything of it except, wow that was nice of her. She must live here. I asked the driver if he knew the hostel I wanted to go to and he nodded. I hopped in, and …..2 seconds later the taxi stops and the same woman gets in. Since I had shared taxi’s the whole way over I assumed people shared taxis in Bolivia, and since she had been so nice at getting me one, I figured we could share it, right?
We sat in the backseat together- she spoke with a Spanish accent, and we made small chat in Spanish. “Where are you going?” she asked me-and when I replied she said she was going to the same place. No alarm bells yet, I just thought, well, there are so many hostels on that block maybe she is going to the same street. “Just crossed over yea?” I nodded. I mean, it was pretty obvious. No one goes to that area unless they are being dropped off from the Bolivian border.
And then the trouble started.
We suddenly stop 4 or so blocks into the trip and pull over- and a ‘police’ officer pokes his head into the window. Suddenly, I knew what was going to happen and I instantly became super suspicious. “Passports, passports”, he kept repeating. I looked at him as well as I could, as it was dark. His uniform looked sloppy- he waved a laminated badge in my face and repeated “Policia” and I smelled a rat. The other woman held out her passport to the ‘police’ officer. I held mine, and repeated, in Spanish, what my friends in Puno had told me about the ‘fake’ police- that I knew he was one of them and he was NOT going to be robbing me tonight. Everything else happened really fast.
The ‘policia’ got really upset, and started shouting at me to show him my passport. He was furious. “I am a police officer of the law in Bolivia and you will do what I ask you to!” “Passport now!” he shouted at me. “Ok, but why? What did I do?” I asked him. I showed it to him, but as soon as he held it out I snatched it back. Meanwhile, the other woman in the cab looked terrified. “You have any money on you? Let me search your purse!” he demanded of the other woman. I took stock of the situation. I had 3 backpacks full of stuff- one with my camera gear, one in the trunk with clothes, and another day pack with some money and other junk. I decided unless someone pulled a knife on me I was not giving up my stuff without a fight. ( I mean, c’mon! Not the camera gear!)
“You have any money?” the ‘policia’ asked me. “I need to search your things now!” I repeated, in rapid fire Spanish, that I knew what he was trying to do, that I didn’t have any money besides cab fare (which I pulled out of my pocket and showed him), that he was a fake police officer and my friends had warned me about this and I knew about these robberies and I was not going to allow any of it. I kept repeating this, over and over. It really made him mad. The other woman looked at me like I was crazy. ‘If you need to search my things, you will pull the cab to a safe place, preferably a police station, where there is light and it can be searched properly!” I was furious too. How dare this fucker? He had messed with the wrong tourist. My Puerto Rican attitude came out and I had officially had enough of this shit.
“Why is your accent weird?”- he started asking the other woman. She blurted out some lame answers, and he decided that she would be taken to the police station for questioning. “Get out now!” he barked at me. “Get out?” “Here?” “Are you crazy?” I yelled. “Get the fuck out now bitch!” he yelled back. They took out all my things, threw them on the side of the road, and he climbed in the cab and the three of them drove off. I stood there in shock. Shaking. Looking around, I realize they’d dumped me on a deserted street- obviously I had no idea where I was. Fuck. I waited for another cab to pass by, debated crying, and held it in. I had to get to safety first. Then I could bawl my eyes out.
After 20 minutes or so an old man in a cab passed by and stopped for me. I blurted out the whole story after he asked me why on earth I was standing on that street corner in the dark. “You are so lucky!” he told me. The 3 of them- the driver, the woman, and the police officer- they were all in on the scam. “You got guts and you stuck up for yourself- that definitely saved you” said the kind old man. I told him the street I wanted to stop at to check for a hostel, since I had not made a reservation. “Mija, I would have to leave you at the end of the block as the street is under construction now, and no cars can pass through” he said. Luckily for me, the gang at the hostel had given me the brochure of a 3 star hotel in case I decided to splurge. This was the perfect moment to do so. I whipped out my brochure and he said he’d take me there straightaway.
When we arrived at the hotel, I thanked the nice old taxi driver profusely. To my complete surprise, the front desk clerk said the hotel was full.
I lost it.
I burst into tears, telling him my story, asking him if he could just find one room for me for the night because I was terrified to go back into the street right now. He quickly softened, and said he’d give me a room at the back. He showed me to the room- who cared how much it cost? I was safe. I had seen a little store right outside of the hotel, and I went and grabbed 2 beers, and a container of french fries from a street vendor. Locking myself in my room, I had the best beer. It tasted amazing. It tasted like survival.
After an attempted robbery, drink booze and eat french fries. Well, that's what I did.
Please, please be careful when arriving at night into La Paz. If I had not spoken Spanish, or had not been a loud mouth, I dread to think what might have happened to me. If you must cross though Desaguadero, do not let anyone share your taxi at the cementario. People do not share cabs in La Paz.
On a lighter note, I have since returned to Bolivia. I crossed through Copacabana this time, since I already have my visa. And I do still love Bolivia- it’s those fake cops I have issues with.
I still love Bolivia- it's beautiful!
What a terrifying and amazing story. Good on you for standing up for yourself and not letting them railroad you. I’m glad it all worked out in the end
Scary for sure. My big mouth worked in my favor this time!
Glad that you are ok, that sounds quite a scary experience, but I think you handled it quite well. I got my stuff stolen from a night bus to Puno, but that was while I slept. Nowhere near as bad as what happened to you (thou loosing my camera equipment definitely did piss me off quite badly)!
Jarmo @ Arctic Nomad recently posted..A Cautionary Tale: How 6h Bus Ride Can Take 30h in Laos
I used to take night buses to Puno all the time. The trick is carrying anything you might not want stolen on you while you sleep. I would have been so pissed to loose my camera gear too.
Yeah, I thought it would be enough that my bag was under my legs, but I was wrong. So now on I sleep on buses with the bag on my lap, not very comfortable, but oh well
Jarmo @ Arctic Nomad recently posted..A Cautionary Tale: How 6h Bus Ride Can Take 30h in Laos
Aww shit. I didn’t realize that you had the bag under your legs. I always travel with Tour Peru. They are the best bus company to Puno. Never had any problems with them. Sorry to hear that. Yea, its like you almost have to chain the bag to yourself!
That’s scary! So glad everything turned out okay. I’ve traveled throughout Bolivia before and it is indeed a crazy place. Luckily nothing happened to me but so many stories were floating around of robberies and other things at the hostel.
Stay safe!
Michael recently posted..Travel Blogger Affiliate Program Launch + $1,500 Adwords Giveaway
Thank you! I try to. Bolivia is crazy- La Paz is really crazy!
I was in La Paz in 2009 and that place gave me the creeps, especially after dark. People had warned me about the fake cop scheme and said the best thing to do is to insist on going to the closest police station.
This is one scary story, although it does show that people can also be kind and helpful when you need it most.
Holly recently posted..Losing Track of Time In Santiago
Hi Holly. Yes the best thing to do is to demand to be taken to the Police Station, but I am sure that would be hard to do if you didn’t speak Spanish, so I feel for all the non speaking tourists. And since they kicked me out of the cab they saved me the trouble of having to go myself.
Wow just wow… that is insane. That is very good to know. I know some day I will backpack through South America and I will def remember this. This reminded me of the time I was held at gunpoint. I wont go into detail it’s on my blog…. but it true the actions you make during the incident will save you. Man i just think its crazy… glad you are safe & sound!
Jaime recently posted..Photo Round Up – Week 32
I know I remember reading your post. Traveling can have its crazy moments!
I can only hope that my Spanish is good enough by then to bark back with my Latina temper.
Seriously lady. You have balls.
I hope this never happens to anyone else. If it does, bark with whatever you got. Unless there is some kind of weapon involved, in which case you just give up.
Yikes! How scary! So glad that your Spanish and “big mouth,” as you call it, were able to get you out of the situation. It sounds like you were very, very lucky. Thanks for sharing the story with us, even though I’m sure it was no fun reliving it!
Amanda recently posted..A Fall Photo Tour of Chicago
I felt like I had to share it Amanda, as shitty as it was to remember it all. Hope it never happens again to anyone else. I do realize I was lucky. Me and my big mouth!
Wow, good on you for fighting back! Glad you made it out of that situation unscathed.
Audrey, trust me I am glad too! I paid way too much money for that visa to never be able to use it again!
[...] Getting robbed by fake police in Bolivia-my lucky escape [...]
Oof, my heart started beating fast while reading this. Glad you are kickass and well-informed — and glad you are safe! Thanks for sharing.
Katrina recently posted..Missing Mermaid
Katrina, I had to. Just in case it could be avoided again. I did feel a bit kick ass after, but I couldn’t think of anything other than wanting to beat that fake cop over the head in the moment.
Before going to Peru, Bolivia and Colombia I heard so much about fake police and was on guard against them constantly – we were lucky to not encounter any. It’s so good that you weren’t physically harmed – I’ve heard of much worse endings for these sorts of taxi abduction stories…but still it’s unnerving and scary to say the least. It’s good that you shared your story here so others can be alert.
Andrea recently posted..Oktoberfest 2011: The World’s Greatest Beer Festival
Thanks Andrea. I hope that others can read this and also be alert too. I have also heard of worse stories and I am sure I have a guardian angel traveling with me.
OMG! This scam happened to me too in Bolivia: http://www.pinayonthemove.com/2011/03/how-i-escaped-a-dangerous-scam.html
I am so glad that you came out unscathed, Mica. Here’s to safer travels ahead.
Grace recently posted..Travel Photo Thrusday: Street Jazz at New Orleans
Wow Grace I read yours too. So scary right? Glad you got out ok as well.
Good warning. There are a lot of fake police in Eastern Europe, too.
Really? Damn they are everywhere.
WOW! What a story! I was glued to my screen. great tips for those arriving late at night.
You are one ballsy lady!
Raymond @ Man On The Lam recently posted..It’s a Man Eat Dog World
I got balls and I know how to use them! (J/K). But this was the one time that it was ok for me to be completely unhelpful and loud. And disrespectful! I hope karma kicks them all in the balls!
Wow! I will definitely remember this story when I make my way to Bolivia.
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Spring is Here!
Hot damn, missy. I love your spirit. Thank goodness you made it safe and sound, seriously, you’ve got balls of STEEL. I honestly can’t say what I would’ve done (where’s MY Latina loud mouth when I need it?!), but this is good to know. I remember my parents getting scared whenever we were stopped by police in Central America, but I was a kid and didn’t really understand why, since the police were supposed to be the “good” guys in my child’s mind. A lot of people just pay them off without a fight, due to fear. It makes you think though, all these crazy schemes that exist, does it stem from being desperate for money, or is there more to it?
Michi recently posted..Eating a la Española – it’s a down-and-dirty sort of art.
I think they want to steal your money and generally fuck with you. It can happen anywhere. People always want money. Especially when they don’t have very much of it.
Holllllly crap. I want to travel with you forever. So glad you knew Spanish!! I don’t know what I would have done in that position.
DTravelsRound recently posted..Sunday Night Market madness
I’m glad I knew Spanish too. I definitely feel better traveling in places I know the language, especially when shit like this happens.
Sooo scary! That’s so great that you stuck up for yourself and it worked. I don’t think I’ll be taking that particular crossing over to Bolivia. Thanks for the tip!
Christy @ Ordinary Traveler recently posted..The Ugly Side of Travel
I got lucky this time yup. I definitely don’t recommend that particular crossing unless you’ve got perfect spanish and only attempt it during the day. If you do then I think you should be ok. But you can always cross like the other travelers at Copacabana so there is the other option!
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Holy Crap this is ruthless! Puts my strip club scam in Budapest to shame lol…
TheWorldOrBust recently posted..Sofia, Bulgaria – The Paris of the Balkans…Not!
Those who mess with me usually loose! Lol!
That is so freaking scary! And you are so incredibly safe for standing up for yourself like that. I think I would have abandoned all my stuff and just ran away. Way to go!
Thanks Sabrina, it was just so much stuff I couldn’t give it up without a fight when I realized there were no weapons involved. I had to fight!
Awww my poor muffin pie! I had a similar experience in Peru. Glad you’re okay though
hogga recently posted..Why Customs Blows
Always! I kick corrupt butt when possible.
Yikes! And people wonder why I have little desire to go to South America. I am sure the good outweighs the bad, but my wife doesn’t like traveling so I almost always go alone, and my Spanish is rusty… at best.
Glad you made it through safely.
South America, although my favorite place in the world, is crazy full of robberies. It’s safer to go to the middle east, for gosh sakes! It’s the media portrayal that messes everything up. Although Arabic is ridiculously hard. Some Spanish is better than none!
fake police officers in Europe to the surprise of Belgium. I stopped by the police and began to check the visa and passport and then searched for drugs and checked the pockets where they found the money and then reattached. turned out they were not returned all the money from the 4000 Euro. Be careful when this will come to you. Make sure you call the real police and they immediately run away from you.