On the evening of August 22, an estimated twelve to fifteen hooded gunmen (carrying assault rifles) barricaded a major section of roadway in Peru's Puno province, which is very near the Bolivian border and the shores of Lake Titicaca. For a period of nearly four hours, the gunmen methodically stopped and ordered motorists out of their vehicles and forced them to lie face down so that they could be robbed. All vehicles were stopped during this period, including buses, private cars and trucks, while the gunmen relieved everyone of their money, jewelry and valuables.
COMMENT: Such a large-scale roadway robbery such as this is unprecedented, even during the years I was working in Peru. The success of the crime was facilitated by the fact that it was conducted during hours of darkness, the road was one that was not well-traveled and the nearest police had no voice communications. It is estimated that during the four-hour period the gunmen amassed roughly $181,000 in money and valuables.
Even if a police patrol had encountered the road barricade or the gunmen (which is unlikely due to rationing of gasoline for patrol vehicles), the assailants had fire power that well-exceeded the police.
The choice of the road was a wise one for the gunmen to select given its distance from the capital (532 miles) and from other major towns.
Although most foreign tourists would not be traveling at night on isolated roadways, due to the high risk of accidents, Puno nevertheless has been designated the folkloric capital of Peru, due to its history as a cultural and craft center. Hence, it is a center for foreign tourists, particularly due to its proximity to Lake Titicaca.
COMMENT: Such a large-scale roadway robbery such as this is unprecedented, even during the years I was working in Peru. The success of the crime was facilitated by the fact that it was conducted during hours of darkness, the road was one that was not well-traveled and the nearest police had no voice communications. It is estimated that during the four-hour period the gunmen amassed roughly $181,000 in money and valuables.
Even if a police patrol had encountered the road barricade or the gunmen (which is unlikely due to rationing of gasoline for patrol vehicles), the assailants had fire power that well-exceeded the police.
The choice of the road was a wise one for the gunmen to select given its distance from the capital (532 miles) and from other major towns.
Although most foreign tourists would not be traveling at night on isolated roadways, due to the high risk of accidents, Puno nevertheless has been designated the folkloric capital of Peru, due to its history as a cultural and craft center. Hence, it is a center for foreign tourists, particularly due to its proximity to Lake Titicaca.
