Increasing crime in Bonaire

[DiveMaven]

I also get the impression that crime has increased a bit and changed some. The downturn in the economy worldwide has hit places like Bonaire hard, and with the increase in drug use, it doesn't bode well for keeping petty crime at bay. Bonaire also has a pretty strange (IMO) way of dealing with criminals, due in part to the liberal laws in the Netherlands, as well as their own cultural influence.

Mostly what I'm hearing is that home burgleries are a bit more common (not condo or resort), and vehicles are actually being stolen and found stripped and burned out. Gas siphoning and battery theft are not new on Bonaire, though still fairly uncommon. In response to the car theft, some rental companies are putting special anti-theft devices in their vehicles.

Am I concerned about our upcoming trip in July? No, but I do plan to pay attention and follow the same simple rules I've always followed there: Leave windows down and doors unlocked at dive sites with only our icky towels, flip flops, water, (dollar store) sunglasses (out of sight), and old t-shirts inside.

When we go out in the evening, we lock the truck and leave nothing inside (we leave tanks in the bed). At night, we park in our condo's parking lot where there is security and lights, and lock our truck, leaving nothing inside.

These are the same precautions we take when we shore dive in Maui, except we lock our rental car at dive sites. Actually, they're the same precautions we take when hiking in the Pacific Northwest as well....oh, and when we've gone to the Keys to dive....hmmm, I'm thinking these are just common sense precautions.

That said, the day we feel unsafe on Bonaire marks our last visit to the island, though I can't imagine this will be the trip. Although the diving is excellent, a good part of that is due to the "diver's freedom" you get on the island. Once that freedom disappears, there are other places I can go to get the same underwater experience.

But for now, I can't wait to be back on Bonaire after a 3 year absence and enjoy my diver's freedom!

 

[dmoore19]

Just a thought. Regardless of our experience as divers we all take a certain number of steps to mitigate risk when we are underwater. Why would we not take steps to mitigate risk when we are on the surface?

 

[ScubaSteve]

That is exactly my feeling. All of us work hard and so expecting a modicum of comfort - even a bit of luxury - while on vacation is not unreasonable.

Luxury in Bonaire??? That is unreasonable IMO. Bonaire is a great shore diving location. With some very simple precautions, you can typically avoid the very unlikely theft/crime. The theft that happens on Bonaire is no different.....in fact it is less prevelant IMO (I will not support this with facts right now so take it for what it is worth) than crime in any other open tourist location or non-tourist location like Bonaire. Break ins happen everywhere. Theft occurs everywhere. I do not leave anything in my car anywhere that I would not want to lose. COMMON SENSE is not so common. People just like to bitch. Those that say they would leave a $10k camera in their truck at home with the windows down and the truck unlocked (yes 1 individual on this board did in fact say this to me in one of these Bonaire conversations) is just begging to get ripped off. Theft/Crime happens everywhere. If you want to vacation in a place where you can leave your **** everywhere without fear of it being stolen, perhaps this place is for you:

-81.264669°, 86.712896° - Google Maps

 

[Lorenzoid]

It is interesting that we regularly see "Bonaire is Dangerous" threads yet don't see the same about other dive destinations. My guess is that the vast majority of reported incidents of crime involve the ubiquitous rental trucks, which is a unique feature of Bonaire diving. If you remove all incidents that involved a truck, my guess is that the crime statistics would be similar to other dive destinations in similar places in the world. No doubt there is some theft from hotel rooms, but that occurs in many places in the world.

 

[Hintermann]

It is interesting that we regularly see "Bonaire is Dangerous" threads yet don't see the same about other dive destinations. My guess is that the vast majority of reported incidents of crime involve the ubiquitous rental trucks, which is a unique feature of Bonaire diving. If you remove all incidents that involved a truck, my guess is that the crime statistics would be similar to other dive destinations in similar places in the world. No doubt there is some theft from hotel rooms, but that occurs in many places in the world.

I think this is the simplest and the most understandable answer. Thanks for that.

 

[Lorenzoid]

It's purely my speculation, Hintermann. Who knows.

 

[drrich2]

The reason I asked about Bonaire was because these reports about crime appear in almost every guide, forum and report.

The petty theft issue with trucks, since they're such obvious sitting duck targets, is such that there's a wide-spread effort to get it across to people not to leave stuff you will miss in your truck when diving!

Following up some other points - I do take sunglasses; a big 'fits over regular glasses' type pair a Church friend calls my 'birth control glasses' (as they'd scare women off). I wear SeaSoft Sunray scuba boots, which look enough like sneakers that I can walk around & go in stores after a dive if I wish. Wearing them wet is fine. I generally don't wear a wet suit in Bonaire's waters. So for me, a water bottle and sunglasses are often about all that's left in the truck.

The main thing I can think of people are apt to want to leave in a truck is a digital camera that's not in a dive housing. They want to take snap shots on land while driving around. If no one can stay with your truck, I suggest you don't do it.

Richard.

 

[uncfnp]

If you google "truck rental theft ... Insert location..." You will get hits...like Hawaii

Rental car thefts/damages - Island of Hawaii Forum - TripAdvisor


Looks like the same warnings as for Bonaire. Aparantly a problem even in Paradise...

 

[PeterNBiddle]

Luxury in Bonaire??? That is unreasonable IMO. Bonaire is a great shore diving location. With some very simple precautions, you can typically avoid the very unlikely theft/crime. The theft that happens on Bonaire is no different.....in fact it is less prevelant IMO (I will not support this with facts right now so take it for what it is worth) than crime in any other open tourist location or non-tourist location like Bonaire. Break ins happen everywhere. Theft occurs everywhere. I do not leave anything in my car anywhere that I would not want to lose. COMMON SENSE is not so common. People just like to bitch. Those that say they would leave a $10k camera in their truck at home with the windows down and the truck unlocked (yes 1 individual on this board did in fact say this to me in one of these Bonaire conversations) is just begging to get ripped off. Theft/Crime happens everywhere. If you want to vacation in a place where you can leave your **** everywhere without fear of it being stolen, perhaps this place is for you:

-81.264669°, 86.712896° - Google Maps

Uhm, hello? PENGUIN ATTACKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[morecowbells]

Why do you think Cozumel and Cancun have enclosed resorts with 15 foot walls topped with razor wire and 24/7 armed guards? Crime, it's so new and unusual.

I never stay in the All inclusive resorts-especially in Cozumel, so their situation my be different. In all the resorts that I have stayed in while visiting Cozumel, none of them had razor wire or armed guards. We never had issues with theft or strangers entering our place while we were sleeping.