DARING THEFT OF FISHING TOURNAMENT ENTRY FEES

Nov. 4, 2002, by Gene Kira, as published in Western Outdoor News:

The Los Cabos Hotel Association quickly replaced cash and checks deposted for last week’s Los Cabos Billfish Tournament after an armed robbery at its office in downtown Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico, on Wednesday. The entire amount stolen, reported to be over $100,000, was replaced by the Hotel Association in time for the tournament awards banquet held on Saturday.

Los Cabos Hotel Association general manager Ruben Sanchez said two robbers, armed with pistols but wearing no masks, made a daring broad daylight assault on the office at Ave. Lazaro Cardenas, near the downtown Pemex station, at about 1 p.m. on Wednesday. Present in the office was Dan Jacobs, co-director of the Los Cabos Billfish Tournament, who had just arrived for an accounting of tournament receipts so they could be deposited at the Hotel Association’s bank.

Sanchez said the gunmen entered the office, tied him up, along with Jacobs and office employees, and made their escape with a third accomplice who was waiting outside in a vehicle.

Sanchez quickly freed himself and called Cabo San Lucas police, who arrived from their nearby station within minutes. Another person, who had been just outside the building, provided descriptions of the robbers to police, who were withholding details pending an investigation. Although roads leading from Cabo San Lucas were blocked immediately, the robbers made a clean escape. Local officials said on Saturday that no suspects had been apprehended.

There were no serious injuries during the attack, although one Hotel Association employee was struck and was taken to a hospital for treatment and observation. On Saturday evening, the tournament awards banquet was held on schedule at the Hotel Playa Grande at Cabo San Lucas, and all awards were presented normally. Sanchez said this was made possible after the Hotel Association replaced the stolen funds from its own resources.

(Related Cabo San Lucas articles and reports may be found at Mexfish.com's main Cabo San Lucas information page. See weekly fishing news, photos, and reports from the major sportfishing vacation areas of Mexico including the Cabo San Lucas area in "Mexico Fishing News.")