Inside a Tijuana Bar During an Armed Robbery

While walking home one evening after enjoying a couple of drinks, I noticed a bar that was advertising beers for only two bucks. I decided to stop in for one more drink before calling it a night. Inside, the place was depressing. It was run down and pretty empty. Maybe 5 customers sat scattered throughout a dark, claustrophobic pit of a room. I considered just leaving after seeing the state of the bar but decided to stay for one cheap beer.

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Just as the waiter popped the cap off the beer bottle and placed it on the bar in front of me, two guys entered the bar. I just happened to glance over as they were walking in. They stood out because they were dressed like they were a couple of banditos in a cowboy movie. They wore jeans, cowboy boots, sombreros, and brightly colored ponchos. Red bandanas covered their faces. I also noticed that one of them was holding a revolver.

Immediately, a waiter noticed and rushed over to the men. The man with the gun pointed it at the waiter at chest level while they talked quietly for a moment. Even though they were standing only about 8 feet from me, I couldn’t hear the conversation over the loud music playing in the bar. After a brief conversation, the waiter calmly walked over to the bar to get something. The staff was clearly trying to act as though nothing was wrong but everyone in the bar knew what was going on. A woman sitting at a table across from the bar began to cry.

The waiter returned to the men and discreetly handed something to the man with the gun. Satisfied, the man fired off two shots at random into the bar without looking and both men ran out the front door. The bullets had flown in my general direction but luckily missed me. I heard the shots ricochet off the brick wall in the back of the bar. Everyone looked around. No one was hit. The loud crack of the gun firing instantly sobered me up.

After the men left, I finished my beer and laughed the situation off with the bartender. Apparently, they are robbed every couple of months so this is routine for them. The guys wanted drugs and money. Police presence is extremely heavy in this part of the city so the risk is very high for these robbers. Even with police on every corner, sometimes they catch the bad guys and sometimes they get away. I returned a couple of weeks later and learned that these banditos got away.

Have you encountered any crime in Tijuana? Share your experience in the comments below!

More from Where The Road Forks

• Is Tijuana Safe? Avoiding Common Scams and Crime
• The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Tijuana
• 29 Incredible Things to Do in Tijuana
• My Phone was Pickpocketed in Tijuana and I Got it Back!
• Moving to Tijuana as an American

Zachary Friedman

Zachary Friedman is an accomplished travel writer and professional blogger. Since 2011, he has traveled to 66 countries and 6 continents. He founded ‘Where The Road Forks’ in 2017 to provide readers with information and insights based on his travel and outdoor recreation experience and expertise. Zachary is also an avid cyclist and hiker. Living as a digital nomad, Zachary balances his professional life with his passions for hiking, camping, cycling, and worldwide exploration. For a deeper dive into his journey and background, visit the About page. For inquiries and collaborations, please reach out through the Contact page. You can also follow him on Facebook.

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