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

From: Art <blurtheline_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:17:02 -0700
Message-ID: <CAPSxA6_Mqq_a8pud5QV6ASFPOM5QmcXrYS5azpHd76wH7YSiaw_at_mail.gmail.com>

----- 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
Received on Mon 10 Oct 2011 11:17:02 PM PDT