Police in Mérida Arrest Three Suspects in Staged Breakdown Truck Theft

Mérida, Yucatán — Police in Mérida have arrested three men for allegedly stealing a Ford truck by hiring a locksmith and tire repairman to stage a roadside assistance call.

Officers from the Public Security Department, working with the State Prosecutor’s Office and federal forces, captured Jorge Jesús “N”, 29; Jesús Antonio “N”, 28; and Rodrigo Airan “N”, 35. Authorities handed them over to a judge who ordered their detention pending further legal proceedings.

The theft occurred on Sunday, February 8, in a commercial plaza on Prolongación Paseo de Montejo between 47th and 49th streets in northern Mérida. The owner reported leaving his Chiapas-plated Ford Lobo parked there overnight after a tire blew out.

When he returned the next day to change the tire, the vehicle was gone.

Investigators determined that around 1:30 p.m. that Sunday, the suspects arrived at the location with a locksmith and tire repairman. The locksmith opened the vehicle, the repairman fixed the tire, and then the group drove away with the truck.

Authorities reminded residents to call 911 immediately if they are victims of a crime or need assistance, and to report anonymously to 089.