[meteorite-list] FWD from Mike Farmer - Robbery in Kenya

From: Richard Montgomery <rickmont_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 7 Oct 2011 19:49:24 -0700
Message-ID: <1A77206084344E3B81F29AAFD3FC889F_at_bosoheadPC>

Mike, although we've never met, I am severely struck by your risk. Thank
God you're alive and escaped. Perhaps this is too soon to suggest it again,
but please consider writing.

Not only owe gratitude to your meteoritic contributions, I live vicariously
through your adventures...there are those who "think they may someday" and
those who "do"...

So Mike, write a book too. Glad you are how you are.

Richard (Rick) Montgomery




----- Original Message -----
From: "Art" <blurtheline at gmail.com>
To: "Meteorite List" <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Friday, October 07, 2011 11:36 AM
Subject: [meteorite-list] FWD from Mike Farmer - Robbery in Kenya


> Forwarded from Mike:
>
> "Yesterday I was robbed in Thika, Kenya by a group of men armed with
> at least one gun, handcuffs and machetes. We were attacked after being
> led into the field to buy meteorites. It was a well-planned and
> prepared ambush set up by some of my contacts. They knew that
> yesterday was my last day in the field and they wanted all the money.
> I knew it was dangerous to return to the field for a third time but
> they lured me back to Kenya with stories of many mo stones. I bought a
> 209 gram stone yesterday just after arriving, but then our contacts
> told us that for 3 more pieces we had to pick up a guy and he would
> take us to the location. Should have known this was a disaster, but
> overconfident. We drove through the del Monte pineapple fields toward
> Mwana Wikio so I knew it was the strewn field area so was not
> concerned. We arrived in a desolate area with a small stone building
> and after waiting about 2 minutes two guys walked past the car,
> nothing abnormal in Africa. Suddenly I saw a guy run up beside our car
> with a gun and my driver tried to start the car but it was too late, 5
> or 6 guys ambushed us including the guy in the car. They beat my
> driver and other guy with us, forced them out of nuts car and locked
> them in the trunk. I was sandwiched in between two guys with a machete
> at my throat, a very sharp one. I kept telling the to relax, take the
> money, they were all yelling in English and Swahili for me to give
> them the dollars. I kept telling them I had Kenyan shillings only. I
> had about $2500 cash me, they ripped my clothes apart and ransacked
> the car. They took my phones American and Kenyan, wallet, passport,
> backpack with meteorite, camera etc, even took my Teva sandals off my
> feet, one man had the gun at my head the other the machete at my
> throat the entire time so I could not move. One kept screaming at them
> to "kill him, finish it";. I must have been more calm than at any
> other time in my life and you all know I am not a calm person. Oddly
> it seemed like time was standing still, all this activity around me
> and yelling and I just kept telling them to relax, take the money and
> let us go. Suddenly all of them got in the car, me and 3 in the back
> and two in the front and they moved the car into the woods, brush. I
> was then realizing that they were likely going to kill us, why move
> the car after you get all the stuff? Then one guy said again to kill
> me and the other said no. He then threw me my passport and wallet
> empty of cash of course, and said "no documents" then ask me if I
> could drive. I said yes and he told me to drive. I tried to get out
> but one hit me in the head with something and told me not to get out
> but to go over the seats, I was then panicking and struggling to get
> to the front of the car, but somehow got the car started and they all
> ran. I drove very fast down very bad dirt trail with my two guys in
> the trunk screaming, after maybe a mile or so I stopped and let them
> out. We rushed to the Thika main police station and reported the
> robbery.
>
> It was foolish to go into the bush and I nearly paid with my life this
> time, they planned the attack for days communicating with my driver.
> The police are pulling all his call records so should be able to catch
> them. They took a lot of expensive things like my Tag Heur watch, Sony
> camera, I phone etc, all can be found as no one there has money for
> such things. Sentence for violent armed robbery here is mandatory life
> in prison, which the police told me would be lucky to pass 10 years
> before dying.
>
> My wife decided to stay in the hotel in Nairobi thank god she was
> scared and told me not to go. She knew something bad was going to
> happen. Heading home now, a lot poorer but happy to have my head
> attached."
>
> Michael Farmer
>
> Sent from my iPad
> ______________________________________________
> Visit the Archives at
> http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html
> Meteorite-list mailing list
> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>
Received on Fri 07 Oct 2011 10:49:24 PM PDT