Robbery warning, Punta Cana. Dominican Republic

[vincent54]

I was there in Feb also, no worries. But I know, not matter what city I travel in whether it be in the US or any of the islands, there are certain things you don't do! And in all the guidelines at EVERY hotel I've stayed at, wearing expensive jewelry, and flashing large amounts of cash is a no no.

---------- Post added March 27th, 2013 at 09:03 PM -------
Not all caribbean islands are crime destinations. Come to Cayman Brac and wear all the jewelry you want. On Brac, you can stroll anytime, anywhere without the fear of assault, robbery, rape or murder. When I lost my wallet a few months ago, I just had to go to the police station and pick it up. No credit cards or money were touched. Apparently, that is the way it is whenever anyone losses something. I never lock up anything when I am on Cayman Brac or Little Cayman, and haven't had an issue yet. If you want a crime free , awesome vacation, than try the Sister Islands. Cheers

 

[DandyDon]

Ok, I can't help it. Why would you bring expensive jewelry on vacation? That's just silly for a whole bunch of reasons.

Some people want to show it off on travels. Plenty of sites advise against taking it, including the State Department I think, but I doubt many read up much. I'm not into jewelry but I do have one USMC ring that I wear on some outings, but never take on trips. I also travel with my cheapest pocket knife, one that I would never carry in Texas - some Chinese knockoff, but even then it has to stay in checked bags or the hotel room nowadays.

I'll try to be polite about it....

Nobody deserves harm, even when they are idiots, but they were IDIOTS nonetheless.

Yep, the armed guard should have been a clue: safer inside, not so outside.

Check out which city is leading this list: World's Safest And Most Dangerous Cities, According To TripAdvisor

Surprised to see Brussels Belgium on the dangerous list but they rest make sense. I think they left many out tho, i.e. Belize City, anywhere in mainland Honduras or Bolivia, etc.

 

[gypsyjim]

None of the above is really wrong. Nearly all are quite valid comments, but then each of you has a lot more travel experience than this young couple.

It is a given that the couple made a serious mistake in bringing, and then wearing valuable jewelry on vacation, but the resort seemed so remote, and so safe that they were not alert to any possible danger. Everything about the resort gave them a feeling of security and safety, and being inexperienced at such travel these folks were simply not aware of the risks of strolling on the seemingly empty and isolated beech.

Yes, there were guards, but the laid back, relaxed attitude of those guards, and their seeming lack of concern was very disarming.

This is a "remote", "Exclusive" resort that they were flown to by helicopter, and it's very remoteness lent it an air of protection from the big bad world. The long, isolated, beautiful and romantic looking sandy beach that the resort sits on invites exploration, and at no time was there ever any suggestion that they should not walk it, or even that they should be cautious. Other guests were making the same strolls, seemingly unmolested, so the couple was just not as careful as they now realize they should have been.

This sense of isolation appears now to be just an illusion, because they have checked, and a Google Satellite image shows that sections of seemingly remote beach they were on are bordered by a road that was not visible from the beach but which comes within possibly 50 yards of that beach in spots, where it is thought that the attacker was waiting for them. It is suspected quite strongly that this man had been prepared, and then alerted by guard(s) when the couple left the resort for their stroll, but of course this is only speculation at this point.
_______________________________________________________


The entire point of my post was to pass on a word of caution to other travelers that even seemingly remote and safe destinations may hold more risk than they appear on the surface, and for travelers to be careful about both their surroundings, and what valuables they bring and wear on vacation.

What seems so obvious to experienced travelers, like so many who have posted in this thread, is not always so obvious to novice travelers, visiting foreign destinations for the first time.
It is the novice or relatively new traveler, who may be preparing for the first exotic vacation of their lifetime, and researching resorts and travel destinations that I am trying to alert about some of the risks they will not read about in the travel or resort brochures, or on their web sites. Such a traveler may not be even remotely aware of State Dept, or travel web sites that provide travel safety information, or alerts.

Being assaulted, and robbed with a weapon while strolling hand in hand on the sandy beach by an exclusive high end resort like Sivory Punta Cana, is NOT something you anticipate while reviewing their advertisements.

These people have been sharing their experience, and lessons learned, to help better prepare others as inexperienced at world travel as they were.

 

[paulw]

The entire point of my post was to pass on a word of caution to other travelers that even seemingly remote and safe destinations may hold more risk than they appear on the surface, and for travelers to be careful about both their surroundings, and what valuables they bring and wear on vacation.

What seems so obvious to experienced travelers, like so many who have posted in this thread, is not always so obvious to novice travelers, visiting foreign destinations for the first time.
It is the novice or relatively new traveler, who may be preparing for the first exotic vacation of their lifetime, and researching resorts and travel destinations that I am trying to alert about some of the risks they will not read about in the travel or resort brochures, or on their web sites. Such a traveler may not be even remotely aware of State Dept, or travel web sites that provide travel safety information, or alerts.

Being assaulted, and robbed with a weapon while strolling hand in hand on the sandy beach by an exclusive high end resort like Sivory Punta Cana, is NOT something you anticipate while reviewing their advertisements.

These people have been sharing their experience, and lessons learned, to help better prepare others as inexperienced at world travel as they were.

Thank you for the information, I appreciate people telling others of their experiences whether they are bad or good so we know what to expect.
What I do not find helpful is some peoples attitude these days and I see it not only on this board but others so lets get something clear this couple did NOTHING wrong by going for a stroll or wearing jewelry! The pile of crap oxygen wasting thief and anyone else involved are the only people who did anything wrong should be the only one (ones) blamed along with the resort management for not making sure all guests know about the danger! These statements that the couple should have known better, should never have gone out or whatever "they" shouldn't have done are misplaced. I am tired of hearing that we should expect these type of things happen because of impoverished areas or whatever, they happen because we tolerate crime and actually blame it on the victim.
vic·tim(v

k

t

m)n.
1. One who is harmed or killed by another: a victim of a mugging.
2. A living creature slain and offered as a sacrifice during a religious rite.
3. One who is harmed by or made to suffer from an act, circumstance, agency, or condition: victims of war.
4. A person who is tricked, swindled, or taken advant

Sorry, rant over.
Paul

 

[Angry Turtle]

Thank you for the information, I appreciate people telling others of their experiences whether they are bad or good so we know what to expect.
What I do not find helpful is some peoples attitude these days and I see it not only on this board but others so lets get something clear this couple did NOTHING wrong by going for a stroll or wearing jewelry! The pile of crap oxygen wasting thief and anyone else involved are the only people who did anything wrong should be the only one (ones) blamed along with the resort management for not making sure all guests know about the danger! These statements that the couple should have known better, should never have gone out or whatever "they" shouldn't have done are misplaced. I am tired of hearing that we should expect these type of things happen because of impoverished areas or whatever, they happen because we tolerate crime and actually blame it on the victim.
vic·tim(v

k

t

m)n.
1. One who is harmed or killed by another: a victim of a mugging.
2. A living creature slain and offered as a sacrifice during a religious rite.
3. One who is harmed by or made to suffer from an act, circumstance, agency, or condition: victims of war.
4. A person who is tricked, swindled, or taken advant

Sorry, rant over.
Paul

So, you go out in bear country with a salami strapped to your neck and blame the bear when it mauls you?

Of course, the bad guy is the bad one. Now, the potential victims need to proactive to not become actual victims.

 

[paulw]

So, you go out in bear country with a salami strapped to your neck and blame the bear when it mauls you?

Of course, the bad guy is the bad one. Now, the potential victims need to proactive to not become actual victims.

Analogies between a wild animal and a persons actions don't or shouldn't compare but lets see, if a bear mauled me I would return and put him down and I really have no issues with criminals being put down so I guess it works.
I agree with you we should be proactive and use all information at our disposal to insure our own safety even in ones home town, I just tire of hearing the victim blamed while the criminal is made out to be the poor impoverished mistreated person that is just trying to get by and his criminality is somehow justified.

 

[Angry Turtle]

Analogies between a wild animal and a persons actions don't or shouldn't compare but lets see, if a bear mauled me I would return and put him down and I really have no issues with criminals being put down so I guess it works.

It applies because YOU should know better, you are responsible for your own safety. Had they been assaulted within resort premisses, then I'd say they had a reasonable expectation of safety and the resort was responsible. Now, you go past the guards with no care in the world, crap happens.

I agree with you we should be proactive and use all information at our disposal to insure our own safety even in ones home town, I just tire of hearing the victim blamed while the criminal is made out to be the poor impoverished mistreated person that is just trying to get by and his criminality is somehow justified.

Since I was the first one to point out or be vocal about their idiocy... By no means did I mean the perp is justified or within his/her rights, he/she should be dealt with the full force of the law (I imagine most here would agree with that). Like I said, not even idiots deserve harm. Now just like it is common sense to not get money from the atm at a late hour in a deserted area downtown anywhere, people need to be active at not putting themselves in "easy prey" positions when they travel.

 

[t4e]

I'm sorry....from what part of post #1:

"They had walked right past guards on each of the two previous days, with no one suggesting that they stop. The guards simply watched as the couple strolled past on their morning walk down the beach, with no attempt to warn them. "

do you interpret as them "ignoring the guards"?

While the couple in their naivety certainly may not have made the wisest choices, they never "ignored" any warnings. There were NO warnings what so ever.

No signs, no verbal warnings by the guards who watched them without saying a word to them on each of the three consecutive days they walked past on that beach. THAT is the issue they have with the resort.

actually i do, they consciously walked off the resort twice before, saw the guards but it never occurred to them to ask, if not the guards themselves, but at the reception of their resort why they are there?

there are thousands of people visiting this so called "dangerous" countries like DR or Mexico, and never have an encounter

people forget to exercise common sense because in USA, Canada and many other countries you will have warning signs....many other countries DON'T and people forget they are not at home and the rules from home don't apply everywhere in the world...so its time to dig up for your common sense

wearing a ton of expensive jewellery can get you mugged anywhere in the world

 

[Johan Broere]

Sooooooo, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic is deffenately in Mexico then. Can not wait for the daily posters that comment on every single post to blah blah on that one. Anyways, always bring your speargun, you never know. Oh, and a shovel. Read your own local news and hide in the basement.

 

[gypsyjim]

Sooooooo, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic is deffenately in Mexico then. Can not wait for the daily posters that comment on every single post to blah blah on that one. Anyways, always bring your speargun, you never know. Oh, and a shovel. Read your own local news and hide in the basement.

You did read that the mods moved this thread into the correct forum, which is NOT Mexico, and that the original geographic error was acknowledged, and corrected?