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

From: meteoritefinder at yahoo.com <meteoritefinder_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2011 23:33:57 -0500
Message-ID: <83003F30-7F9F-4ED3-A9F0-687F3B038910_at_yahoo.com>

Mike,

First, with this new info, even more glad you ( and Greg ) are home safely.

And second, I think this email is probably the best one you have ever sent to the List. Great sentiment from you, and VERY good advice for all of us. The points you make are very intelligent and well thought out. I know I will definitely keep them in mind on any future hunts! Your advice might very well and literally help keep someone of us from being robbed/hurt/killed in the future.
Thanks for sending it.
Best,
Robert Woolard

Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 10, 2011, at 10:17 PM, Art <blurtheline at gmail.com> 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 12:33:57 AM PDT