They secure four armed civilians in Culiacán

Theft of buses and insured vehicles: contrasting figures

The Mexican Association of Insurance Institutions (AMIS) reported a significant increase in the theft of passenger buses during the last year. In contrast, overall insured vehicle theft was at its lowest level in five years.

Norma Alicia Rosas, general director of AMIS, reported that between July 2025 and June 2026, bus thefts increased from 68 to 162 units. “The most relevant thing here is that we are very attentive, we are in coordination with the authorities to see which are those sections where the buses are being stolen the most,” he said.

Part of these units are later used to commit other crimes, so they are already part of federal highway security strategies.

General decline and recovery

The theft of insured vehicles fell 16.2%, from 60,698 to 50,891 units. On average, 139 vehicles were stolen per day, with a recovery rate of 45%. Heavy equipment also fell 13.6%, from 9,549 to 8,246 units, and its recovery improved from 56% to 61%.

Rosas attributed the reduction to the coordination between insurers, authorities and the BALAM Strategy of the National Guard, which operates in 12 states, covers 22 highway sections and monitors 938 strategic kilometers through real-time monitoring, aerial and ground surveillance, and intelligence.

States with the highest incidence

Robbery with intimidation dropped from 57.9% to 53% nationwide, but Sinaloa remains the most affected entity: eight out of ten robberies occur with aggression. The six entities with the most thefts registered reductions: State of Mexico (-22.5%), Puebla (-29%), Mexico City (-17.8%), Sinaloa (-16%), Guanajuato (-8.2%) and Jalisco (-5%).

Most stolen models

The Nissan Versa remains the most stolen insured vehicle, with 2,112 cases (a decrease of 11%). They are followed by Kenworth tractors (1,792), Bajaj motorcycles from 111 to 250 cc (1,370), Nissan NP300 (1,284) and Nissan March (1,175). The latter was the only model with an increase (1.8%).

In thefts with intimidation, the Toyota Hilux Pick Up tops the list: 83.1% of its thefts occur through force. They are followed by Freightliner trucks, dry van semi-trailers, International units and Kenworth tractors.

Troop movements authorized by the DOF

The Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) published this Tuesday decrees that authorize the exit and entry of military personnel between Mexico and the United States. The operations are part of joint cooperation and training exercises.

Departure of Mexican troops:

A first permit allows the departure of 518 soldiers from the “Anáhuac” Battalion of the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena). They will participate in “Rotational Exercise 2026” from August 17 to September 13, 2026 at the Joint Readiness Training Center “Fort Johnson” in Louisiana, United States. The delegation will carry organic weapons, vehicles and special equipment.

Entry of US forces:

The entry of 23 elements of Team 8 of the Navy SEALs of the United States Navy was authorized, from August 1 to October 16, 2026. They will participate in the “SOF Event 4 Strengthen the capacity of Special Operations Forces” in Campeche, Hidalgo, State of Mexico and Mexico City. The transfer will be by air in a C-130 “Hércules” aircraft that will arrive and depart from the Toluca International Airport.

International competition in Paraguay:

Another decree endorses the departure of eight Sedena soldiers from the “Holkan” team for the “Commando Forces Competition 2026” in Asunción, Paraguay, from August 23 to September 5, 2026. They will travel by commercial flight.

More joint training:

A fourth decree authorizes the entry of 12 members of the seventh Special Operations group of the US Northern Special Operations Command. They will participate in the SOF3 Event “Improve the Capabilities of Special Forces Units” from July 15 to December 15, 2026. The training headquarters will be Temamatla, San Miguel de los Jagüeyes and the Santa Lucía Air Base, in the State of Mexico.

All operations were published in the DOF and seek to strengthen bilateral cooperation in defense matters.

Case details

The State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) of Baja California reported the arrest of three minors as allegedly responsible for the homicide of a Didi platform driver in Mexicali. The events occurred on July 9.

According to the official statement, a 16-year-old teenager requested the transportation service to move from the Villaverde subdivision to the Satélite neighborhood. During the journey, his 15-year-old brother and another 13-year-old teenager also boarded.

On the way, the driver was attacked with a firearm. He received a blow to the head that caused his death. The alleged perpetrators moved the body to the vicinity of the Villas del Colorado subdivision, where they set it on fire to hide the evidence.

Subsequently, they fled aboard the victim’s vehicle. Hours later, state agents located and intercepted the car near the Conjunto Urbano Universitario neighborhood.

Legal actions and evidence

The attorney general, María Elena Andrade Ramírez, reported that the young people face charges of homicide qualified with treachery and advantage, vehicle theft, and crimes related to the burial and exhumation of corpses.

The victim was a retired military man who worked as a driver to generate income. According to the prosecutor, “the motive for the crime is the theft of the vehicle,” and it is being investigated whether the weapon used is linked to other crimes.

One of the key elements is a video recorded by the minors themselves with a cell phone, which documents the events. The Prosecutor’s Office considers it compelling evidence.

The National Law of the Comprehensive Criminal Justice System for Adolescents will be applied to adolescents. The maximum sentences range from three to five years, depending on the age and participation of each person.