Be careful in Bonaire (Burglaries)

[ScubaSteve]

What am I going to do go arrest him? Beat the **** out of him? Maybe go to jail in a foreign country. We were watching him, but he didn't actually break into a vehicle. I have no idea whether inchoate crimes are punishable in Curacao. We don't carry phones with us because they'd get stolen. And who would you call anyway? Police from the city? And wait for them to come out? The resort staff serving drinks saw him and didn't care. They probably know him. In fact they almost surely know him. It's a small island and a small community in Westpunt. They know what the game is. Everyone does. A tourist's method of dealing with it is to go somewhere else.

Sorry are you talking about a different island? This thread is about Bonaire. I have never been to Curacao but know that if you are near most resorts, then you are within 15 minutes maximum of the main city (don't ask me to correctly spell it from memory). I say this only as reference and nothing else.

I agree with you but when people start throwing words like apathy around.....well now you know why I pointed it out. Also, I would think that you should not assume that everybody knows everybody. The good and the bad do not likely mingle.

 

[DandyDon]

What am I going to do go arrest him? Beat the **** out of him? Maybe go to jail in a foreign country. We were watching him, but he didn't actually break into a vehicle. I have no idea whether inchoate crimes are punishable in Curacao. We don't carry phones with us because they'd get stolen. And who would you call anyway? Police from the city? And wait for them to come out? The resort staff serving drinks saw him and didn't care. They probably know him. In fact they almost surely know him. It's a small island and a small community in Westpunt. They know what the game is. Everyone does. A tourist's method of dealing with it is to go somewhere else.

No, you could not do anything. Even if you caught the guy stealing, it'd be risky to get involved, on their island, their laws, etc.

Hehe, I just had a magazine salesman by the house. I called the city office to see if they were legal? Nope. So I am holding the brochures he gave me until the cops arrive. Then several more showed up, all upset with me. I took several photos of them. They hated that. OH, I checked on the net for the company name: typical magazine sales ripoff, many complaints.

 

[jbtut]

Sorry are you talking about a different island? This thread is about Bonaire. I have never been to Curacao but know that if you are near most resorts, then you are within 15 minutes maximum of the main city (don't ask me to correctly spell it from memory). I say this only as reference and nothing else.

I agree with you but when people start throwing words like apathy around.....well now you know why I pointed it out. Also, I would think that you should not assume that everybody knows everybody. The good and the bad do not likely mingle.

I am talking about Curacao as far as my experience. From a tourists prospective, they are often considered together. And they have the same crime/perception problems that cost tourist dollars. It's a slippery slope when a reputation like this starts it's very difficult to reverse. And the people are friendly. The island of Curacao at least is well taken care of. It's obvious the locals are proud of what they have. They also have great diving and I like the laid back shore diving experience. I would like to see them succeed. I think taking even limited action to decrease crime could go a long way toward that. Just driving a patrol car around so people see it would do a lot as far as alleviating concerns of tourists.

 

[pilot fish]

I'm way more scared of the truck rental companies taking me than I am of the burglars.

Yes, that should be a very big concern for divers. I'm not liking what I'm reading about them.:shocked2:

 

[pilot fish]

This response typifies the attitude of the pro Bonaire Fanatics. Thinking like that is one of the main obstacles in steming the rising tide of crime on Bonaire.

I did. Everything was still in my room. Everything was in my truck. No problems whatsoever.

But you people keep on with your Bonaire bashing and warnings and it'll be easier for the rest of us to find parking at Hilma, 1000 steps, and Oil Slick.

 

[pilot fish]

What surprises me most is the general apathy toward the whole thing. At All West they had installed security cameras and lights which is a step in the right direction. It also seemed like they honestly cared about it. But many responses on here seem to take the position that "its an island so theft is ok". That's exceedingly short sighted. When my banks says "that's on our bad list" I'm going to notice. It's costing real money right now. And a lot of it. Maybe the resorts don't realize it, but travelers are taking crime into account already and discounting the rate they are willing to pay to travel to the Bonaire and Curacao.

The smart ones are anyway.

 

[pilot fish]

You were on vacation and you're not a policmean. If the cops in Bonaire will do nothing, why should you do their job for them, that is, if they see stopping crime as part of thier job? It appears thier is a degree of complicity in these crime? And some of you are not shocked by this?

And the thing is, we watched a guy case cars while we were exchanging tanks in the Lagun parking lot. He pulled up and parked out near the road in a dark blue 80's Toyota Carola, came over and sat under a tree for a bit. Then about 15 minutes later he started walking through the cars looking in windows. After spending longer than normal at a suv in the back the people from the suv got up and walked toward him. He walked away, got in his car and drove off. They checked through the car and then went back to the beach. They were noticeably agitated by it. As would I be.

There's very little question in my mind what was going on. And it was done in the middle of the day near a busy beach. There is very little threat to him of being caught or punished. Not once during our stay did I see a police car or any presence of any type of authority.


I had a good time there and nothing was stolen from me. I would not discourage travel to Curacao or Bonaire. But I am confident that they are losing a lot of potential income because of what appears to be general apathy by the local governments.

 

[pilot fish]

I am not blaming you here but if you stood and watched someone case cars and did nothing, then why are the police at fault?

What would you have done? This should be interesting WHAT do YOU think he SHOULD have done? That should be interesting too.

 

[diversteve]

You were on vacation and you're not a policmean. If the cops in Bonaire will do nothing, why should you do their job for them, that is, if they see stopping crime as part of thier job? It appears thier is a degree of complicity in these crime? And some of you are not shocked by this?

Originally Posted by jbtut
And the thing is, we watched a guy case cars while we were exchanging tanks in the Lagun parking lot. He pulled up and parked out near the road in a dark blue 80's Toyota Carola, came over and sat under a tree for a bit. Then about 15 minutes later he started walking through the cars looking in windows. After spending longer than normal at a suv in the back the people from the suv got up and walked toward him. He walked away, got in his car and drove off. They checked through the car and then went back to the beach. They were noticeably agitated by it. As would I be.

Playa Lagun is on Curacao...

 

[pilot fish]

Re-read what I wrote and see if you think, maybe, just maybe, I wasn't actually saying theft was condoned but rather theft is a part of life in the islands and should that be accepted.

It was very clear you were saying that some posters in this thread are just accepting this level of crime as unique to the "islands"


The pro Bonaire fanatics are equating break -in crimes to slow service in restaurants in the Caribbean.:shocked2: hey, it's the island so what do you expect, fast service, secure and safe hotel rooms and condos?