Bad Ending to Otherwise Good Bonaire Trip

[pj5]

No problem with theft or room invasion during my trip to Bonaire in 2006. I was in a third floor room and would probably been low on the list of target anyways (pain to get up to, too far to jump down from easily). Someone I know had his room in Bonaire robbed a year or two later, but I suspect this person would have reserved a first floor room. When I go back again, I'll be sure to ask for a third floor room to ensure that breaking into my room requires some extra effort. ;^P

 

[MM in UT]

I think this is probably my first SB post, although I browse the site constantly. Let me say that I did not read this entire thread (I don't have an extra 3 days to do that) but I do have an experience to relate that I haven't seen referred to anywhere in the thread.

I've only been to Bonaire once but loved it and intend to go back. I had heard all the stories about crime and being cautious. We were traveling with people who had been frequent visitors to the island, so it wasn't so much of a concern for us as it might have been for the first-timer.

I do have a point: everything I/we heard about crime on Bonaire pre-trip usually came back to "well, the island has a poverty problem etc. etc." - and every story put the blame for the crime issue squarely on people who live there. As we were coming back from a snorkeling jaunt at Red Slave (on one of the days I couldn't dive) I happened to notice a truck pull up next to ours. Since our vehicle was the only other one there it wasn't difficult to track what happened.

Two people got out, both geared up to get in the water. One guy started putting his tanks on, but the other very deliberately looked in, walked around and tried to get into our truck. I watched it all happen. By this time we were fairly close to the shore, and there was a real look of surprise when he looked out to sea and saw us approaching. They quickly got into the water and started their dive - I know they wanted to get away from an uncomfortable situation before we could get out of the water.

End to my point: while I obviously have no way of knowing where they were from, my feeling is that they were tourist divers, just like the rest of us. Curious that most of us never stop to think that there are likely divers, who, knowing that Bonaire has a 'rep', will take advantage of that 'rep' and of fellow divers.

Just sayin...

 

[DiveMaven]

That and traffic circles where the vehicle IN the circle has to stop, for inbound traffic! :shocked2:

I believe that's changed. Now the traffic circles on Bonaire work the same as in the states, with the cars IN the circle having the right of way and everyone else has to stop and wait.

 

[DiverVince]

Two people got out, both geared up to get in the water. One guy started putting his tanks on, but the other very deliberately looked in, walked around and tried to get into our truck.

End to my point: while I obviously have no way of knowing where they were from, my feeling is that they were tourist divers, just like the rest of us. Curious that most of us never stop to think that there are likely divers, who, knowing that Bonaire has a 'rep', will take advantage of that 'rep' and of fellow divers.

Just sayin...

Well you've piqued my curiosity on this. Can you elaborate on how the other diver tried to get into your truck? Were the doors locked or opened? If opened, did he open the door? were the windows open. If so did he stick his head inside or was just looking? Some more details please.

 

[DandyDon]

And did you check his out too...?

 

[jd950]

So the thought is they were gonna steal stuff from your truck, put it in theirs and then go on a dive, even though you would almost certainly be returning first, to potentially find your stolen stuff in the truck next to yours, and be waiting for them?

Or maybe if they found something worth stealing they would both doff their gear and then leave? Maybe the dive gear was a ruse? I would think it would slow down a swift flight if one became necessary.

When you say "tried" to get into your truck, do you mean it was locked or that they were sub-functional people who could not open a vehicle door? If locked, they were probably surprised to see a diver leave a truck locked on Bonaire and were examining this oddity.

I don't think I buy your idea. Someone was going to roll up (or down)your windows for you or move something out of sight, or they were wondering if it was someone they knew, or you didn't see what you thought, or something.

Just my opinion.

 

[Mike]

So the thought is they were gonna steal stuff from your truck, put it in theirs and then go on a dive, even though you would almost certainly be returning first, to potentially find your stolen stuff in the truck next to yours, and be waiting for them?

Or maybe if they found something worth stealing they would both doff their gear and then leave? Maybe the dive gear was a ruse? I would think it would slow down a swift flight if one became necessary.

When you say "tried" to get into your truck, do you mean it was locked or that they were sub-functional people who could not open a vehicle door? If locked, they were probably surprised to see a diver leave a truck locked on Bonaire and were examining this oddity.

I don't think I buy your idea. Someone was going to roll up (or down)your windows for you or move something out of sight, or they were wondering if it was someone they knew, or you didn't see what you thought, or something.

Just my opinion.

Exactly my thoughts and I'm sure every other rational persons. Tourists don't go on vacation to steal stuff and risk getting thrown in jail in a foreign country and end up like the movie midnight express.

 

[MM in UT]

Two of us saw the guy try the door handles. I haven't a clue what his motive might have been, but I'm always cautious about trying to open someone else's vehicle. Period.

mfinley919: no doubt most people don't plan to get thrown in jail on vacation. Your statement sounds like you assume every tourist in the world is honest and would never steal anything. I'm not only honest (and not because I have a fear of getting thrown in jail), but I'm pretty rational.

 

[DandyDon]

Two of us saw the guy try the door handles. I haven't a clue what his motive might have been, but I'm always cautious about trying to open someone else's vehicle. Period.

mfinley919: no doubt most people don't plan to get thrown in jail on vacation. Your statement sounds like you assume every tourist in the world is honest and would never steal anything. I'm not only honest (and not because I have a fear of getting thrown in jail), but I'm pretty rational.

Thus the problem with sharing experiences here: someone is going to give you caca over how you think. Who knows why they tried your door handles, but I'd certainly agree that they shouldn't. Thanks for sharing.

Do tourists steal from other travelers? I'm sure it happens. Maybe not in this case since they were going diving, but at times. All I lost on my last trip was a couple of plastic coat hangers, but I didn't leave my computers or cameras in the open "locker."

 

[TheWizard]

All I lost on my last trip was a couple of plastic coat hangers, but I didn't leave my computers or cameras in the open "locker."

Plastic coat hangers???
Holy sheet.
That does it, I'm labeling mine with my SS# before my next Bonaire trip.
That'll solve the problem...