Bonaire Crime - Our experience - Looking for input to share

[Hawkwood]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

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[bpevans]

I've been to Bonaire twice. We were hyper-vigilant about following the advice given, nothing of value left in the truck, windows down, etc. Still on the second trip, the guys diving next to us had a local choir boy steal the battery out of the truck while we were in the water. Had we not been there with the other truck, it was a going to be a long hot walk back to town.

It seems to me that Bonaire tolerates tourist theft as a large piece of their GDP and it does cause some reservation about going back. Headed to St. Croix for the first time this year.

 

[drrich2]

The petty theft from parked rental trucks was historically something that could be avoided by leaving nothing of value in the truck.

Battery theft from trucks, gas siphoning and home invasions are a different matter; there's no clear reliable way to prevent that that's practical and fits with the shore diving culture of Bonaire (e.g.: posting a guard isn't a good option for all).

Richard.

 

[kelemvor]

Lessons learned, and don't be complacent

What is the lesson you took from this?

 

[mmmbelows]

The petty theft from parked rental trucks was historically something that could be avoided by leaving nothing of value in the truck.

Or by the police considering preventing robbery against divers as part of their duties.

 

[salth2owannabe]

What is the lesson you took from this?

Primarily complacency
The windows of the home were only screened louvers. The louvers on the set of windows they came in did not lock well, if at all, but after the entry I made sure I found a way to modify them so they did, I should have done that prior. The home had a security system that appeared to work but the gal who was the property manager did not know the codes or how it worked. Had we pressed that issue the system more than likely would of went off as all of the windows had sensors on them. When I've rented homes through VRBO in the past I've never asked about security measures. From here on out it will be part of the rental choice and process. There are no guarantees, but there are a few things I could have done better.

 

[redacted]

I wonder if battery theft could be prevented by damaging the threaded connections on the battery hold-down.

 

[The Chairman]

Primarily complacency

That's a good take-a-way! Be proactive or be disappointed. Crooks are opportunists. Deny them the opportunity and you'll be that much further ahead in the game. The cost is vigilance and time. If you aren't willing to invest that much, then you should be prepared for a loss. I'm not into blaming the victim, so don't get me wrong. Crooks should be caught and punished for what they have done. However, there are lots of ways of preventing your losses.

 

[Pedroinspain]

So, after all these posts, has anyone actually done anything about this?
And of course I do not mean opening up a private security company on the island.
I am going to send a link to this thread to various authorities in Bonaire, and see what their reaction is .... or not. Has this been tried before? I will do the intro in Dutch.

PS: Just back from 2 weeks in Bonaire. Not a single problem .... if you discount the ridiculous cost of dining out But then again we did not stay in a vacation home, but in a walled apartment complex.

 

[oldschoolto]

I'm just back from 2 weeks on Bonaire... No problems at all... In fact, We saw police cars drive through the dive site Tolo as we were gearing up and saw police a few times on the southern site road driving around...

Now to add, we were coming out of the water at invisible when a young couple drove up and we started to chat.. They had just did the Hilma Hooker and were going to dive invisible... As we talked about how great the diving was and the simple rules about not leaving anything in the trucks... I could see their dive lights stuck up under the passenger seat.. I said a few times that when diving you should take the lights with you and not leave them in the truck... Well, They got geared up and went in without the lights... Hope they were lucky... But leaving dive light under your seat is a good way to have a crappy vacation...

Crime is everywhere.... I feel very safe in Bonaire... I have a scar on my face from getting hit with a beer bottle when they "TRIED" to rob me on the beach in Rio De Janeiro ... They didn't get my money, All he got was a A$$ WHOOPING to last a lifetime... but I have a mean looking scar and almost lost my eye...

Jim...