I make no secret that I think the world needs vigilante justice sometimes. A four-year stint in Guadalajara, Mexico did nothing to weaken that view, and it appears I’m not alone. A ‘Mexican Batman’ or ‘Batman of Lagos de Moreno’ was recently crowned, and he is on the hunt for motorcyclists.
This is a story for vigilante lovers and motorcyclists alike, as the ‘Mexican Batman’ is doing God’s work for us. Lagos de Moreno is a city in the state of Jalisco, with a population of approximately 120,000. If you plan on stealing a motorcycle in the city, also plan to put duct-tape on the lamppost.
Over the past two weeks, five people have been nailed to lamp posts in Lagos de Moreno, according to local media reports. Pictures circulating online showed men tied to lampposts with tape over their mouths. The men showed signs of being beaten and mustaches were drawn on their faces. But it appears that these were not entirely senseless crimes.
Many of those found tied up had the word ‘retero’ written on their faces, which literally means ‘rat’ in Spanish, but in Spanish it means ‘thief’. All of the victims were also found parked near a motorcycle with signs describing the theft they were accused of committing; Authorities have confirmed that at least some of the motorcycles have been confirmed stolen. Note, I called would-be thieves “victims,” well, that’s because technically they are.
Although most of the reactions to the antics of the ‘Mexican Batman’ have been positive across all social media platforms, many have said that while the vigilante is doing what the police won’t do, legally, that’s a different matter. The would-be thieves were technically attacked and unlawfully restrained, and have yet to be convicted of theft. So, the police are investigating the vigilante, and we should expect that if caught, he will have to face legal consequences.
