- Picture found @: New York Times
"Mexico City - Chinese bike-sharing company Mobike entered the Latin America market in Mexico City this year drawn by its million of potential clients. Now it has run into a problem increasingly plaguing the country: street crime.
Theft has been so widespread that in the past few days, dozens of app's customers have complained on social media about the lack of available bicycles. Many of them told Reuters they are thinking hard about switching to the competition.
Mobike, the largest bike-sharing company in the world, said shortages were due to theft as well as growing demand for the 500 bicycles available in a small part of the capital while it awaits clearance from city authorities to expand further.
Reuters found almost 60 bicycles using the app, which equips them with GPS-trackers, in Tepito, a tough neighborhood north of the historic city center best known for its black markets where clothing, pirated films and illegal drugs flow freely.
Thieves are "using the bikes to move drugs," said a Tepito resident, who asked to remain anonymous due to security fears. Two other residents of the area corroborated his statement.
This week, businesses leaders called out the government over a recent crime wave that has hit Mexico and forced several firms to shut down operations or spend millions of dollars on security in Latin America's second-largest economy. . . ."
~ Read entire article @: New York Post
