Crime in Bonaire?

[Northeastwrecks]

o2scuba once bubbled...


NorthEastWrecks, I gotta disagree (with all due respect).

Rampant looting? Looting you blind? You may be stretching this a bit. There were a few isolated incidents reported on this thread. I wrote one of them. I have been to Bonaire and Grand Cayman and can honestly say I felt a lot safer in Bonaire. I get a lot more bang for my buck there too. IMO Grand Cayman is one of the most expensive places in the Carib. Not to mention the cattle boats and general "snobby" attitude toward Americans (unless of course you are a milionaire or celeb).

It doesn't sound like these are isolated incidents. It sounds like it happens to anyone who leaves anything in their car. I'd call that rampant. As for looting you blind, it sounds like the thieves will take anything that's not secured.

I'll certainly agree that Bonaire appears to be less expensive. However, I've never experienced any sort of attitude problem on either GC or Bermuda. In fact, the people have been exceedingly polite and rather friendly. And I'm no millionaire or celeb.

I've also never had anything taken from me. I'd be curious to see if there is anyone who has been to Bonaire who hasn't been a crime victim.

As far as Boston or NY, you don't have to go to the slums to get ripped off. I was once mugged in broad daylight in downtown Manhatten. Try talking to the cops inNYC. The response was something like "maybe you folks should just stay in VT".
Boston? Well I was just reading another thread describing divers cars being vandalized in Cape Ann. Slashed tires, keyed cars and board with nails placed behind tires (covered in leaves) so you get a flat when you leave.

Sorry to hear about Manhatten. Glad you're OK. Personally, I've never experienced any problems in NYC, even though I'm there fairly often (primarily Midtown and the Financial District). Similarly, I've never had any problems in Boston.

I'd like to hear more about the Cape Ann problems. I dive there regularly; however, I usually park in a Marina.

My point is not that Boston or NYC is safer. Its that I avoid high crime areas whenever possible. I also take precautions when I am forced to enter them and carry enough firepower to give any potential mugger cause for concern.

I don't want to worry about that when I'm on vacation.

It's all common sense folks. Dont leave that $1,200.00 Ikelight camera/housing on the front seat in full view ANYWHERE you go.

Agreed. However, from these posts, its not limited to expensive items like a camera. Add to your list that you shouldn't leave (1) your clothes; (2) your shoes; (3) gasoline; and (4) sunglasses.

But then again, I guess I'm just a dumb ol country boy

BTW, I havent taken the keys out of my ignition in about 6 months. Except a few times to use the bottle opener.

I doubt that. And for what its worth, I lock my car only out of habit. The town where I live isn't exactly a high crime area. Which is one of the reasons I live there.

 

[o2scuba]

NorthEastWrecks,

I guess one point I wanted to make was that this thread "crime in Bonaire" seems to focus on the negative, that is, people who have been ripped off. The problems also seem to be in a specific area of the island. Unfortunately where some of the best dives are.

I suspect that there are many many divers who have never had a problem.

As for the NYC incident, it was a while ago (when I was young and stupid ) Since then I go to NYC often and have not had problems. But that is because I know what not to do. Kinda like when in Bonaire I now know what not to do.

I understand your point about not wanting to worry while you are vacation. But unless you stay within the confinds of the resort, you need to worry about these things no matter where you go in the world. I personally like to "taste the local flavor" so to speak when I travel. Thus perhaps I put myself at more risk.

My Cayman experience was with a group of 8 of us. Everyone shared my opinion about the "snobby-ness", maybe we just went to the wrong places.

The cape ann stuff was in a thread on the NELD section. As I recall it was "Lane Cove". I dive in cape ann some too, but never been to this site.


Edit: foud it again, under "Lobstahs?" divegary says "Reports are that someone is messing with diver's cars, while they are diving at Lane's Cove. Putting boards with nails next to tires and covered with grass and leaves, so flats are recieved when driving away. In years past, divers cars have been vandalized- scratched, flat tires, broken glass. Too bad, it is a very nice dive spot, but they don't like divers there.
Short of diving in shifts and reporting the vandalism to the police, there does not seem to be much that can be done."


Peace,

Andrew

 

[Grajan]

I just got back from England where we visited a quaint little church in a nature reserve - there were huge signs everywhere about not leaving valuables in your car - no doubt there with good cause.

Where I lived in France you would never leave your car with the door locked at a tourist site.

I have seen this in many other places. Including the US.

It appears to be a universal problem where people leave cars in remote locations.

What bugs me is it should be incredibly easy to set up discrete surveilance of a couple of spots and catch the perps a few times. It would certainly reduce participation in the 'sport', but the police (universally) do not seem that interested in crime prevention.

 

[Northeastwrecks]

o2scuba once bubbled...
I understand your point about not wanting to worry while you are vacation. But unless you stay within the confinds of the resort, you need to worry about these things no matter where you go in the world. I personally like to "taste the local flavor" so to speak when I travel. Thus perhaps I put myself at more risk.

I understand what you are saying. Like you, I like to experience the places that I'm visiting. I try to go to places that are off the tourist track.

I avoid going to islands where you must stay at the resort in order to stay safe. I don't believe that this would suit my style at all.

I'm fortunate that I've never experienced the snobbiness in the Carribean. I have noticed it in parts of Europe, but that was during a time of high tension (before the end of the Cold War).

 

[o2scuba]

Grajan once bubbled...
I just got back from England where we visited a quaint little church in a nature reserve - there were huge signs everywhere about not leaving valuables in your car - no doubt there with good cause.


Reminds me of a sign I saw once. I can't recall if it was in England or Canada. I was in a safari park. the sign said:
"please stay in your vehicle, given half a chance, these animals will eat you"

Just kinda struck me as funny.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Been to Bonaire eight times.
Haven't been robbed yet.
Of course we usually dive in shifts with someone keeping an eye on things topside... just in case, don'tchaknow.
Going back in March.
Rick

 

[SharkOfBonaire]

Northeastwrecks once bubbled...
It doesn't sound like these are isolated incidents.

What do you consider isolated? Yesterday, we had 2 smashed windows. That was the first incident (at least with my company) since early July. Why 2 on one day now? Because the Bonaire Regatta is coming up... a week of parties and booze, so people need money. A $10 pair of sunglasses will buy them 5 Polars. Remember I'm talking about people who hardly have anything (they get welfare, which is enough to get by, but doesn't allow for extras). But throughout it all, the atmosphere of this island always stays friendly and relaxed.

Again, we are looking at solutions. But if we are able to patch/prevent one thing, thieves are bound to find some other thing they can do.
On an island of 12.000 people, we are talking about less than a handfull trouble makers. And it may not always be the locals doing the stealing. Why would some tourists not be tempted to steal a Vytec if they see one lying around?

 

[herman]

Northeastwrecks once bubbled...

It doesn't sound like these are isolated incidents. It sounds like it happens to anyone who leaves anything in their car. I'd call that rampant. As for looting you blind, it sounds like the thieves will take anything that's not secured.

I'll certainly agree that Bonaire appears to be less expensive. However, I've never experienced any sort of attitude problem on either GC or Bermuda. In fact, the people have been exceedingly polite and rather friendly. And I'm no millionaire or celeb.

I've also never had anything taken from me. I'd be curious to see if there is anyone who has been to Bonaire who hasn't been a crime victim.
[/B

We have been to Bonaire the last 5 years in a row and have had no problems whatsoever. I do take the normal "suggested" precautions of not leaving anything of value in the vehicle. While there is the occasional breakin, it's no where close to rampant. We typically leave t-shirts, shorts, sunglasses and water at the truck and to date nothing has been touched. Like any other subject, the few bad things the happen get talked and talked about while the hundreds of other good things go unmentioned.

Due to the nature of the "drive and dive" diving in Bonaire, I suspect there is a lot more oppertunity for this sort of thing to happen than on any other island. I think that's the real reason it gets talked about so much. Is there any other island location where its the norm to drive to isolated spots and shore dive? I am unaware of any. I would wager that if there is such a place, the crime rate is a lot higher.

My 2004 Bonaire plans are already started.

 

[ggunn]

SueMermaid once bubbled...

(referring to a comment that someone who feels justified in stealing from you because you have more than they do is obviously a democrat)
Absolutely. That's a brilliant analogy.

More of a cheap shot, IMO, but DSFDF. ;^)

 

[ggunn]

Northeastwrecks once bubbled...

To suggest that people should accept it is absurd. Better to suggest that Bonaire clean up its act.

With all due respect, look at it from their point of view. Here come the rich Americans to their poor country, and they leave their expensive stuff laying around vulnerable. Then they complain when it disappears, and demand that the locals "clean up [their] act".

It's their country, and we are the outsiders. We have no right to demand that they run their affairs to suit us. The "snobbishness' that US citizens sometimes encouter abroad is, IMO, frequently a reaction to some of our countrymen's attitude that "our" wishes are paramount even in their country. I had a guy once tell me that he thought Mexico would be a great place if it weren't for all the Mexicans there.

Now, it may be in the Bonaire government's best interests to do something about the pilferage, but if it were, you'd think that they would have already. Maybe they have other probs to deal with that are more important to them.

When I go somewhere (even in the US), I try to be informed on the local scene and "do as the Romans do" in order not to become a victim. If I can't live with the compromises, I go somewhere else or stay home.

YMMV.