Thieves broke into the offices of Loreto’s municipal water utility overnight Saturday, March 28, stealing roughly 30,000 pesos (about $1,500 USD) in cash and three laptop computers. The break-in at SAPA (Sistema de Agua Potable y Alcantarillado) on Paseo Ugarte prompted a public, angry response from Mayor Paz Ochoa during a Facebook Live broadcast the following day.
How the Break-In Happened
The burglars forced open a window to enter the SAPA offices sometime between Saturday night and early Sunday morning, March 29. Once inside, they took cash from the office and grabbed three laptops before fleeing.
A MacBook and the emptied cash box were later recovered nearby, though the remaining laptops and the bulk of the stolen cash have not been returned. It remains unclear whether security cameras captured the intrusion or whether any suspects have been identified.
Mayor Reacts on Social Media
Mayor Ochoa took to Facebook Live on Sunday to address the theft. She was visibly upset during the broadcast, expressing frustration over the security breach at a public utility office. SAPA provides drinking water and sewer services to Loreto’s residents and the surrounding area, including the growing tourist corridor near Nopoló.
Loreto, a small coastal city of roughly 20,000 people on the Sea of Cortez in Baja California Sur, is generally considered one of the safer communities on the peninsula. Property crimes targeting government offices are uncommon, which may partly explain the mayor’s pointed public reaction.
A Growing Concern for Municipal Security
The theft raises questions about physical security at Loreto’s government buildings. SAPA offices handle cash payments from residents who pay their water bills in person, a common practice in smaller Mexican municipalities where many customers still pay at service windows rather than online.
The loss of the laptops could also pose a data concern, depending on what customer or financial records were stored on the machines. No official statement has been released about whether the stolen devices contained sensitive information.
As of the most recent reports, no arrests have been made. The incident was first reported by Colectivo Pericú.