Get your news delivered straight to you by 7am - sign up to our new Morning Mail newsletter for FREE See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy CAITLIN LENG Published: 20:18 BST, 29 June 2026 | Updated: 20:20 BST, 29 June 2026
A mysterious vigilante has been termed Mexico's 'Batman' after hunting down alleged motorcycle thieves and duct taping them to street lights. At least five men in the Mexican state of Jalisco have been tightly bound to lampposts across the last two weeks after being suspected of stealing the vehicles.The men, many of whom had their mouths taped shut, were found with the word 'ratero' - Spanish for 'thief' - inked onto their foreheads. Others had cat whiskers and moustaches drawn onto their faces, while some appeared to be visibly bruised and injured. The vigilante, who remains anonymous to authorities in Jalisco, also placed warning signs beside each of the suspected thieves, as well as the motorbikes they were accused of stealing beside them as evidence of their crimes. Local media reported that the perpetrator became angered with what he deemed to be inadequate law enforcement regarding the crimes, and decided to take action himself - like the DC superhero.The first report came on June 13 in the city of Lagos de Moreno, after a man was found secured to a street light with a sign placed beside him alleging he was a thief. Four more men were found in comparable circumstances in the days that followed. A vigilante has been dubbed Mexico's 'Batman' after hunting down alleged motorcycle thieves and duct taping them to street lights At least five men in the Mexican state of Jalisco have been tightly bound to lampposts across the last two weeks, many of whom had their mouths taped shutThe responsible individual has since been dubbed the 'Batman of Lagos de Moreno' by Mexican journalist Luis Cardenas, who posted a series of pictures of the alleged thieves online. On June 24, Mr Cardenas wrote on X: 'In Jalisco, after the lack of help from the authorities, an anonymous hero started hunting down motorcycle thieves. 'So far, he's already taken down five in ten days, and they call him the 'Batman of Lagos de Moreno'.'In one picture posted by Mr Cardenas, a man is bound from his shoulders to the bottom of his legs by duct tape to a street lamp, with what appears to be blood splattered across his chest.Another picture shows two young men tied to a post - both with their mouths taped shut, whiskers painted on their cheeks and 'ratero' written on their foreheads -with a large, bright pink sign detailing the offence they allegedly committed above their heads. A further picture shows another man wrapped tightly to a lamppost, with a similar pink sign attached above his head. The motorbike he apparently stole is also parked beside him. The men have since been freed by emergency services from the tape and treated for injuries. It is not yet clear if any are being investigated for the suspected thefts.Jalisco prosecutor Salvador González de los Santos has confirmed investigators are reviewing the occurrences. The vigilante placed warning signs beside each of the suspected thieves, and the motorbikes they were accused of stealing beside them as evidence of their crimesHowever, authorities have stressed that the men are currently considered 'victims' as they were unlawfully restrained and assaulted. There have been no arrests made at present, but local police say two vehicles have been identified which they believe to be connected to the cases. Motorbike and bicycle thefts are commonplace in Mexico - which has long grappled with high levels of violent crime - with the stolen vehicles often used in further offences.Jalisco is among Mexico's worst-affected regions for theft, alongside Mexico State - home to the nation’s capital, Mexico City. More than half of the country's theft occurs in these two states alone.
