A group of female gypsies lifted my wallet in St. Petersburg, Russia. But I got it back thanks to a tall thin old man and a helpful Russian policeman.

My son Arturo became a sleep-walker since his father had gone to work in Morelia. Arturo went opening drawers and closets and seeking and raking about. I was desperate, and I prayed to the Virgin of Zapopan, because I was afraid my son would become a real thief. The Virgin heard my prayers, and August 18, 1940, my husband came back home. And my boy got cured from his illness right away. I thank for that.

When I became a widow, I left alone with my daughter and my little daughter. And two of my older sons had gone to the capital. So it was easier to the thieves to steal our animals. But thanks to the Holy Sacrament we tuned out to be strong women and managed to protect our animals and to give a thrashing to the thief who was going to steal our pigs. We attacked him with broom and rolling-pins.

I dedicate this retablo to Saint Martin de Porres. For a long time, I was drinking, idling about and stealing. I didn’t care about my father’s carpenter shop. So now I became a fakir. I hammer nails not in the timber, but into my tongue and my body.

One night I heard some noise from the sitting-room. When I went to look what it was, I saw a thief who was entering in the house through window. I hid behind the armchair and asked Saint Nicholas from Bari for protection. Suddenly I had an idea to bark like a dog. The thief got scared and ran away without taking anything. I thank for that.

Benito Ruiz

One night I heard strange noise on the roof. I was scared that it might be thieves. I peeped out the staircase window. To my surprise, and to my fear, it were extraterrestrials. They were taking my family’s clothes. I prayed to the Virgin so that the martians wouldn’t notice me or my sleeping baby and so that my husband would come back home. I thank the Virgin of San Juan because the extraterrestrials went away without doing any harm to us. But since we were left without clothes, I had to buy new ones — and that I very much like to do.

1910, at the Sieneguilla ranch, a pair of oxen was stolen from Sebastian Aguilar. He prayed to Saint John the Evangelist and three days later he found them at the place called Ystaclala. Filled with faith and gratitude, he and his wife offer this retablo.

Rafael Vazquez was caught robbing tombs at the cemetery. He thanks Saint Pancras, because he didn’t stay in jail for long, and he promises to amend his ways.

Some thieves got in the doña Luz Gutierrez’ house while she was away on a trip. But thanks to the Virgin of Zapopan the gendarme Romualdo, who had a date with his girlfriend right on the corner one hour before his shift was to start, could catch the malefactors.