Driving into Baja California may be losing its appeal for some North County travelers, as U.S. government advisories, Internet chatter and hand-wringing around local surf shops warn of increased trouble for American motorists in northern Mexico.

Late last month, the U.S. Department of State warned the public about narcotics-related violence in Baja California and other Mexican states.

On Wednesday, an official from the U.S. consulate's office in Tijuana said that within the last four months American travelers have reported four separate incidents of armed robberies and assault. Two of the reports were lodged by surfers.

Many crimes victimizing Americans are not reported to the consulate, however, as tourists hurry up to the border to put bad experiences behind them, consular spokesman Charles Smith said.

Thus, "official" figures may be a fraction of the whole problem.

Reports of violence

In one case reported to the consulate, an Encinitas surfer said he was attacked with his girlfriend during a camping trip Oct. 23.

Pat Weber said he is a veteran Baja traveler but will never return to the peninsula after he and his girlfriend were held at gunpoint during a robbery on a remote coastal bluff. His girlfriend was assaulted during the ordeal, Weber said.

A spokesman with the attorney general's office in Baja California said last week that no arrests had been made and that authorities were continuing to investigate Weber's case.

Meanwhile, Weber's story has spread on travel Web sites, the online edition of Surfer magazine and through a news segment on CNN.

In the latest incident of reported violence, an El Cajon family was robbed at gunpoint last week just outside Tijuana as they drove home from an off-road race in Cabo San Lucas.

Chris Hall, a member of racer Andy McMillin's crew, was driving his family home when two cars of armed robbers forced them to pull over and stole their truck and other belongings, said Matt Martelli, a spokesman for McMillin.

Attempts to reach Hall were unsuccessful Friday.

Martelli said he didn't know all of the details of the robbery, but added that Hall is "pretty shaken up about it and not really talking to anyone."

Mexican officials say incidents are few

Although some surfers say their days of camping at the beaches of Baja are over, an official with the Mexican government said Wednesday that recently reported crimes against Americans are isolated incidents.

Edgar Lopez, a spokesman for Baja California's secretary of public safety, said coordinated efforts among local, state and federal law enforcement officers provide vigilance throughout the entire state.

"The surfer," Lopez said, referring to Weber, "it's not very frequent that we have these crimes on foreigners. The problem is not growing."

'Armed guys with ski masks'

The consulate's office in Tijuana isn't so sure. U.S. officials are investigating whether paramilitary-styled bandits are specifically targeting Americans in Baja California, Smith said.

In addition to Weber's case, the consulate received reports recently that two American surfers were pulled over near the border by an automobile with flashing lights that was masquerading as a police car.

"Next thing they knew there were these armed guys with ski masks pulling them out of their cars and robbing them of everything," Smith said. "We're still establishing whether or not this is a trend."

Regardless, Weber said the bandits took $10,000 worth of cash and electronic equipment.

Weber, owner of the Encinitas-based San Diego Surfing Academy, said he has surfed in Mexico for years and has dealt with petty crimes and traffic cops demanding bribes.

"I've had all those normal experiences and I still return time and time again," Weber said. "But I draw the line at armed robbery and sexual assault."

Harassing U.S. citizens

As one of his final acts in Mexico, Weber said, he reported the crime to authorities.

Smith, of the consulate's office, said last month's announcement renewed one that the U.S. ambassador to Mexico first issued nine months ago. The latest announcement is scheduled to expire April 15.

The announcement reports dozens of cases of U.S. citizens being kidnapped in Mexico in recent years.

"No one can be considered immune from kidnapping on the basis of occupation, nationality, or other factors," the announcement states. "Criminals have been known to follow and harass U.S. citizens traveling in their vehicles, particularly in border areas including … Tijuana."

U.S. citizens should restrict their stays to well-known tourist destinations and travel only by day on main roads, the announcement states, and "should exercise caution when in unfamiliar areas and be aware of their surroundings at all times."

At least one tour operator in Baja California said reports of crimes on the peninsula are overblown.

"It really upsets me," said Carol Kramer of Discover Baja.

San Diego has crime, too

She said newspapers are chock-full of crime stories in San Diego, but that tourism to that city continues nonetheless.

"We're hearing people who are worried," Kramer said. "What we're telling them is you never drive at night, take normal precautions, caravan and don't camp alone."

On the Internet, unverified reports by surfers of armed robberies in Baja California have popped up on surfing and travel Web sites.

"The general feeling is yeah, at least since Labor Day, it's gone beyond the (Tijuana) cop shakedown for $40," said Scott Bass, online editor at large for Surfer Magazine. "These guys are firing guns and sexually assaulting girls."

Dozens of comments are attached to a story by Bass about Weber's ordeal. A number of them describe robberies and other crimes of which bloggers say they were victims.

The chatter at some area surf shops is that surfers who would have camped in Mexico now are exploring other options.

"People are definitely rethinking their plans," said Witt Rowlett, owner of Carlsbad Pipelines. "There's very definitely been a negative connotation about driving down to Baja to surf."

At Encinitas Surfboards, manager Doug Jopes said he has heard similar concerns.

"We don't run tours out of here," Jopes said, "but at the moment I wouldn't encourage anyone to be driving in Baja at night whatsoever."

Contact staff writer Adam Kaye at (760) 901-4074 or akaye@nctimes.com.