Mexico’s ‘Batman’ wanted for taping suspected motorcycle thieves to lamp posts

They call him the “Batman of Lagos de Moreno”.

A mysterious vigilante has gone viral on social media for targeting alleged motorcycle thieves in a series of bizarre and brutal public displays of “justice” in the Mexican city of Lagos de Moreno.

Nicknamed after the masked superhero known for operating outside the boundaries of official law enforcement, the anonymous individual is now wanted by the Mexican police after leaving a trail of duct-taped victims across the city, about 400km north-west of Mexico City.

Over a 10-day period from June 13, Mexican authorities have found at least five men bound to lamp posts, all accused of stealing motorcycles, according to Mexican media.

The men had suffered varying degrees of physical abuse; several were beaten up, with one found bloodied and bruised.

According to Mexican news outlet Vanguardia Mx, two 18-year-olds were among those found, immobilised with grey tape and their mouths covered with tape. All five men have since been rescued and taken to medical facilities for treatment.

Meanwhile, the police in Lagos de Moreno, in Jalisco state, are on the hunt for the wannabe superhero.

Juan Pablo Hernandez, security secretary for Jalisco, said that all five men, who were found with virtually identical characteristics, were considered victims of assault while the investigation continues.

He added that there appears to be only one individual or group responsible, noting a distinctive signature – each tied-up man was found with moustaches and cat whiskers drawn in permanent marker.

Additionally, the word “ratero” (Spanish for “thief”) was scribbled across most victims’ foreheads, as seen in images shared by Mexican journalists on social media platform X.

The vigilante also left cardboard signs on the lamp posts the victims were tied to, detailing their alleged crimes of stealing the motorbikes. The vehicles were then left nearby to be recovered by the police.

The allegedly stolen motorbikes were left beside the victims for the police to find. PHOTO: SCREENGRABS FROM JALISCOROJO/X

News site Lopezdoriga.com reported that the Jalisco Attorney-General’s Office is investigating if any group is behind the attacks and has deployed operations in the area.

While no arrests have been made, the authorities have identified two vehicles potentially linked to the perpetrator.

Jalisco Rojo, a Mexican-based citizen journalism outlet, further indicated that at least two armed suspects are responsible for the spate of attacks.

The incidents occur against a backdrop of surging motorcycle thefts in Lagos de Moreno, according to the Mexican media.

The city’s surrounding region, already plagued by cartel turf wars and kidnappings, has also seen a growing trend in the past few years of locals taking the law into their own hands.

In 2021, female-led vigilante forces started patrolling the neighbouring state of Michoacan to protect themselves from the Mexican criminal syndicate Jalisco New Generation Cartel, known as one of the most powerful and violent cartels in the world, according to The Guardian.

These women, armed with assault rifles, have built a home-made tank and roadblocks to stop the cartel’s incursions.

For now, Mexico’s “Batman” remains at large and a manhunt is under way to unmask the mysterious vigilante.