CSI: SMA

It all started with an email message from a friend we received once we arrived in Hawaii, "Did you move your car? I don't know where it is." And then another from some other friend, "We saw the transito police towing your car." But with relief we read the email from a 3rd source, "Don't worry, we have your car, it was just moved around the corner." Thankfully, our friend who we left the keys to our car while working in Hawaii had found it and taken good care of the car.

Fast forward 10 days, 3 days after returning from Hawaii. I'm walking around the front of the van when I notice the front plate is missing. Stolen? Perhaps. More likely, though, is that Transito gave us a ticket. See, when Transito gives you a ticket, they take a plate or your license or something to make you come pay the fine to get it back.

Mary and I stop by the Transito office across from the main square. "See the lady in the booth over there." As we poke our head into the window, there sits a nice Mexican woman with metal shelves behind her filled with license plates. Thousands of them. Really. Shelves are labelled "Guanajuato" "District Federal" "Texas" "California" "US", etc.

"Did you get a citation?" she asks.
No, but we know the car was towed about 10 days ago due to a detour on our street.
Tap, tap, tap into her computer.
"I don't show your plate here," she says.
What if it was stolen?
"You will need to get a report from me here to take to the Municipal Transito Office and then get them to give you a report that it was stolen. That way, if you get stopped by police in Mexico, you can show them the reports and they won't ticket you for not having the front plate."
OK, we say, give us the report.
"42 pesos, please."
What? We have to pay you for the report?
"Yes. And then you will have to pay the Municipal Office 42 pesos as well for their report."
Really? OK, thanks for the information. We'll come back for the report. On the way out, I could have sworn I also saw a sign that said "Department of Redundancy Department". But I may have been dreaming.

1 day later....
It is not just the plate that is missing, but also the plate holder that screws into the bumper. Why would a theif steal a plate, then take an extra 2 minutes to pull off the holder? Do they have 2001 Honda Odyssey that needs a new holder?
WAIT A MINUTE! I know what happened! Transito, when towing our car around the corner, knocked off the plate AND holder. I bet that is what happened. Hurriedly, we race back to the booth to explain the situation.

Tap, tap, tap. "No, I still don't show your plate here. That story does make sense, but..... let me make a call." More tapping on the phone. "Yeah, I got a guy here who has a pretty good story on his plate. Any chance y'all have it over there? No? OK, thanks. Sorry. It is not at the Municipal Office, either."
Can you call the tow company to see if they have it?
"You'll have to go to the municipal building to get that information. And you'll probably still want to get the reports anyway, just so you don't have any problems."
OK, give us your report.
"42 pesos, please."
What? You knocked off our license plate, lost it, and we still have to pay you 42 pesos for your report?
"Yes."
And then pay another 42 pesos for the other report?
"Yes."
OK. Thanks. We'll come back to get the report.

Fast forward 2 more days.....
I hear the neighbor talking to Mary from her roof to our bedroom balcony.
"Did you maid tell you? We have your license plate."
WHAT!??!
"Yeah, when they towed the vehicle, we were out there telling them to just tow it around the corner. So when they knocked the plate off, they handed it to us."
We're so glad you have it!

Another SMA CSI case closed.