[meteorite-list] FWD: Kenya robbery notes - from Michael Farmer

From: Michael Farmer <mike_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2011 23:10:59 -0700
Message-ID: <2E0C4A7D-E2C6-418C-915C-9D6C9F1A2F51_at_meteoriteguy.com>

I think that when they saw the amount of money and goodies they got that perhaps that calmed them down and made them happy enough to let me go. I just had email from Kenya police, they have some information, perhaps ready to make arrests. I had to give them some iPhone serial and tracking numbers. Perhaps they found it?


Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 10, 2011, at 10:47 PM, Darryl Pitt <darryl at dof3.com> wrote:

>
>
> An extraordinary bit of correspondence on so many levels.
>
> There is a caveat re #5.....always have something with you that you CAN be relieved of. There is a statistical correlation between the bad guys' exasperation and what happens next. It's a permutation of frustration/aggression theory: most acts of aggression are preceded by frustration...and the corollary....most frustration leads to some form of aggression. I learned from a expert on criminal behavior to always keep some money on me if only for this purpose.
>
> =============
>
> MIke, this bears repeating....I'm so grateful the fates were kind to you. With another big hug / d
>
>
>
> On Oct 10, 2011, at 11:17 PM, Art wrote:
>
>> ----- Forwarded Message -----
>> From: Michael Farmer <mike at meteoriteguy.com>
>> To: "meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com" <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
>> Sent: Monday, October 10, 2011 3:08 PM
>> Subject: Kenya robbery notes
>>
>> I am overwhealmed with the public and private support I have recieved
>> by email and phone since returning home from Kenya.
>> I am glad to let everyone know that I am OK, scared, a little jumpy
>> perhaps, not interested in any risky adventures for a while.
>> The robbery was planned from the start, clearly the lure of more
>> meteorites was used to get me back to Kenya, and upon further
>> contemplation, I am pretty sure that Greg Hupe and I likely escaped
>> another robbery attempt, we were also lured far out into the bush by a
>> guy on a motorcycle, and before we arrived at the "house where a stone
>> landed", I got mad and decided that we were outside the strewnfield
>> and told my driver to turn around, which he did without question.
>> Stanley, the guy who worked for me and who set up the meeting that led
>> to the robbery was in the car at that time, he said nothing about
>> turning around and never mentioned that stone again. I suspect we were
>> being led to an ambush at that time and by luck evaded the robbery.
>> This time they led me toward the strewnfield, I could see Mwana Wikio
>> village and the greenhouses at Kenya Cuttings, so I thought nothing of
>> where we were going until it was too late. I think he learned that I
>> would not likely allow being led so far away from the known area.
>> I do not hate the people of Kenya, it is a wonderful country and
>> amazing people, but violence is very common there and I got a taste of
>> it up close and personal. I have been resting since returning home,
>> trying to sleep, a little sick. Insurance will cover some of my
>> material losses, the rest gets chalked up to cheap experience and
>> serious future planning with meteorite chases. I advise everyone that
>> to get too comfortable anywhere in the world is a mistake you can't
>> afford to make. Danger is always there ready to snatch those who are
>> off their guard. Remember that if they really have a stone to sell,
>> they WILL come to you to sell it. If they demand you come to them,
>> WALK AWAY, ALWAYS set the meeting on your terms in a very public
>> place. Had I done that, they could never have carried out the attack.
>>
>> I suggest you also do the following anytime you are in the third
>> world, I have already used this tactic to deter kidnapping or robbery
>> and will go further from now on.
>>
>> #1, ALWAYS take a photo of the car you are hiring and the driver
>> before you leave, even the drivers ID, if they are legit, they will
>> not complain about the security procedure, send it to someone back
>> home by text or email, this shows the driver that you have already
>> given their name and photo and car description/plate to family or
>> friends, a must to locate you should you dissapear. This will deter
>> the driver from setting you up as the police have a firm place to
>> start and a prime suspect should something happen to you.
>>
>> #2. from now on I will take a photo of anyone who goes with me, and
>> tell them up from that in this situation that if a robbery is planned,
>> their picture is already sent out so they will be caught. I could have
>> done that this time, the guy who led us to the ambush location was in
>> my car for 30 minutes. Again, with smart phones these days, can be
>> done in a second, and a great deterrent to someone who does not want
>> to be captured after such a thing, likely they would abandon the
>> attemp at that point. anyone who has not upgraded to an international
>> smart phone should get with the times and spend the money if you plan
>> to go into dangerous places. Invest in your safety, you will never
>> regret it when you need it.
>>
>> #3, again, NEVER let them lead you, ALWAYS maintain control of the
>> situation by forcing them to meet you on your terms, in a public/safe
>> secure place. If they have something to sell, they will bring it to
>> you. If they choose the battlefield, time and place, you have already
>> lost.
>>
>> #4, do not trust the police. Many of these places are known for police
>> corruption. They were for sure involved in this robbery.
>>
>> #5, do not take anything you dont want to lose, I lost my watch,
>> $2000, which should never have been taken to Kenya, a $20 Casio is on
>> my shopping list for African trips from now on! The police told me
>> that there is no shortage of people there who would kill you for your
>> shoes, much less some nice bling. Lose it!
>>
>> #6, if you acquire a stone, as I had, ALWAYS secure it rapidly, have a
>> place to stash it, lock it up away from you, so if robbed you dont
>> lose everything. Keep copies of your passport at the hotel (I always
>> do this) so if lost you can get a replacement much easier.
>>
>> #7, none of them other than my driver knew where I was staying in
>> Nairobi, never let people in the strewnfield know where you are
>> located, sure path to disaster which I already learned in Portugal in
>> 1999. Stay far away and never tell people where you come from or go to
>> at night. Buy a local phone (I did $17.00 for a phone and ~5 cents per
>> minute to make calls to the USA VS $5.00 minute for my IPHONE. Then
>> you have a local number to give out so you can be contacted.
>>
>> #8, last but not least LOCK your phone! My IPHONE was unlocked at the
>> time of the robbery, I had disabled the lock because I was taking
>> photos on Safari and got tired of the lock. I did not re-engage it so
>> now my phone with all kinds of data is in the hands of a criminal
>> gang. While I killed the service, I can not wipe the data. My new
>> phone has a program not only to track it but to kill the phone wiping
>> all data remotely if stolen. You should all think about that is on
>> your phone and do this now if you have a new smartphone.
>>
>> These are not mistakes I will likely repeat. I will still chase falls
>> and hunt meteorites, but I will be far more cautious from now on. I do
>> want to remind people though that in the event of such a robbery, you
>> need to process the situation in a milisecond, to decide fight or
>> flight, and your life depends on the right choice! I realized in an
>> instant that 5 men with guns and machetes who had ambushed the car
>> were too well organized and had won the fight before it had begun.
>> Staying calm and relaxed and offering no resistance saved my life this
>> time. Had I thought fighting would have led to a better outcome I
>> would have fought. I was ready to die, a calm and feeling of absolute
>> peace came over me at the time which I can only describe as spiritual.
>> It was surreal, not explainable nor can I even duplicate the feeling
>> that overcame me when I thought I was about to die, it was as if I
>> knew it was over and I was ok with it. I was just thinking to myself
>> that I was glad my wife had decided to stay at the hotel.
>>
>> Glad to be home and alive!
>> All you collectors out there need to realize that the cost and risk of
>> getting meteorites is getting higher, and you hunters need to heed my
>> warning, from someone who has been there and done that before, do not
>> let your guard down, that is when the lions and crocodiles strike!
>>
>> Michael Farmer
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Received on Tue 11 Oct 2011 02:10:59 AM PDT