Is there a theft risk at Buddy Dive???

[ncchuck]

Read the 1/19/10 dive trip report. I guess this guy is a liar.
Now it looks like we must:
Leave everything of value at home or at least in your room or dive with it.
Leave your truck unlocked.
Leave the windows down.
Get as old and junkie truck with bad tires as you can so no one bothers it.
Don't ever put a lot of gas in it. Just stop at the gas station every day.
This is just plain stupid. If you Bonaire fanatics keep passing this stuff off as just a nuisance, it will never get fixed. Think about it. If it's not a big deal, the authorities and theives will ingore it. If you would all channel your resources into an effort to report and correct this problem rather than telling everyone how great the diving is, maybe, just maybe, things would improve. Pretending it doesn't exist or just ingoring it, will solve nothing. Maybe we should just start a campaign to boycott the island for a short time. I'm positive that would correct the problem in a very short time. I like Bonaire but there are other great dive locations all over the caribbean with fewer "diver" reported incidents.

 

[coldwaterlloyd]

Yeah , I love the idea of a boycott . My options will open up and prices will drop , happy hour will last all night . yeah boycott now

 

[MikeSK]

I've only been to Bonaire once, back in 96 i think it was. Stayed at Sand dollar. Didn't have any issues, and i left most of gear in the lockers IIRC.

However...its not wrong to say that something like a boycott would make the PTBs take notice. I'm also fairly sure that at least 98% of the islands money come from diving related tourism. I have visions of a tremendous black market for all kinds of diving related items. Since they don't publish, (or maybe even keep track to begin with? )....perhaps a sting operation or somesuch might be in order

 

[Papa_Bear]

You can't stop the thieves on our own government! How are you going to ever stop the few on the island? There a few things that can be done though: More patrols, Lock Boxes in the beds, out of sight out of mind, and stronger punishment! I think the locals use the gear to poach! There is no one offering used gear on the island! So who will you hurt? The honest operators and DMs! The people with investments in the island! The type of diving in this area is not the norm in the Caribbean! I wouldn't leave a SCUBA tank in the back of a Pickup Truck in any Caribbean nation or California, it wouldn't last long! So we need to make sure the owners of the resorts know and if a place has a problem go to one that takes security seriously!

But I will return and take my chances!

 

[ncchuck]

This argument about crime in our own country doesn't seem to make sense to me. Yes there are thefts in and around Charlotte for instance. The chances of that happening to me or any individual however are minuscule. In Bonaire, just based on the reports on this forum, the chances of petty theft seem to be pretty high when compared to the actually number of visitors to the island. In most tourist areas and developed countries, someone keeps track of crime and then make efforts to lesson the impact in problem areas. Charlotte for instance has a pretty good record on doing this very thing.
It would seem to be that if Bonaire wanted to get on top of this situation, the government would just come out and say it is not a problem and divers are just liars or they would admit the problem and attempt to do something about it.
I was considering my 4th trip to Bonaire this year but I've changed my mind. I'll go somewhere where I don't have to take any more precautions than I would at home. I've visited at least 15 different countries and even lived in two but I've never seen so many reports of crime as I see in Bonaire. When there are so many choices, why would anyone "take the chance" and worry about this stuff for an entire week or more. I'd almost guarantee that some of you that have never had a problem would not be so forgiving of this petty crime if it ruined your vacation and not some elses.

 

[Waterskier1]

Read the 1/19/10 dive trip report. I guess this guy is a liar.
Now it looks like we must:
Leave everything of value at home or at least in your room or dive with it. And what is wrong with that. Why do you need to leave all your diamonds and jewelry and expensive cameras and laptop computers in your truck when your diving? You can't possibly use them if they are there and you are underwater. Would you feel them safe left unattended in your car in a somewhat deserted parking lot in your home city? Even if so, why would you?

Leave your truck unlocked. Many argue that they do this in their home city, so what's the difference?
Leave the windows down. If it looks like rain, I leave them cracked ... enough to show that the vehicle is not secured, but not so much as to end up with more water inside than outside.

Get as old and junkie truck with bad tires as you can so no one bothers it.
Don't ever put a lot of gas in it. Just stop at the gas station every day. I personally haven't heard of people stealing gas, but anything is possible. I know that the rental offices check for gas caps...not sure if someone is stealing them (who needs extra gas caps?) or if customers leave them behind when filling.
This is just plain stupid. If you Bonaire fanatics keep passing this stuff off as just a nuisance, it will never get fixed. Think about it. If it's not a big deal, the authorities and theives will ingore it. If you would all channel your resources into an effort to report and correct this problem rather than telling everyone how great the diving is, maybe, just maybe, things would improve. The same could be said of the naysayers. If they channeled some of their effort instead of screaming the sky is falling on every Bonaire review, informing of potential problems and temporary solutions to those problems, maybe things would improve by not giving the thieves opportunity. I say temporary, because there is a shakeup going on due to government changes. Bonaire now reports directly to Holland, versus through Curacao. Expectations are this will improve the policing - we'll have to wait and see. In the mean time, just think smart.

Pretending it doesn't exist or just ingoring it, will solve nothing. On this, I think we can agree. Hence the rental agencies and may of the divers on here recommend solutions to mitigate the problems. I don't think anyone here is saying that theft is nonexistent. I don't think there is a place on the earth where that is true. But it certainly isn't so rampant as some on here make it out to be.

Maybe we should just start a campaign to boycott the island for a short time. I'm positive that would correct the problem in a very short time. Do you really think you can organize a WORLD WIDE boycott of Bonaire, one so extensive as to correct the problem in a very short time?? It would take a theft/vandalism rate much higher than it is now, with no way to mitigate it (as there currently is) for anyone to even begin to think of a boycott. That, or something truly unsafe, like muggings, murders, terrorism and other violent crimes to turn divers away from this shore diving paradise. I like Bonaire but there are other great dive locations all over the caribbean with fewer "diver" reported incidents.

Why do those of you who feel cheated by not being able to leave valuables you don't need while diving in the vehicles? There have only been two things I have ever considered taking and leaving in the vehicle. First, my cell phone, but the risk and value of that to some thieves is so great it out weights the added benefit of safety. The other has been my underwater camera when the batteries have died. I debate taking in on subsequent dives versus leaving it in the truck. I leave relatively expensive sunglasses in the truck, only because they are prescription, and I can't dive with them or drive without them. And I may start taking them with me now that I have thigh pockets. Why do you need expensive watches (other than dive watches/computers) and jewelery on your way to/from dive sites? Who are you trying to impress? It's just advertising to would be thieves. And laptop computers and multiple topside cameras? Come on now. You can work around it. We make a full sweep of the island on the "no fly" day to take pictures of the dive sites we dove, and other interesting things. You can easily mitigate the risk. I suspect that most who have suffered a loss, if honest with themselves, would admit that it wasn't a smart or necessary thing to have left in the trucks.

Regarding theft from rooms, that is a different story. But, anywhere I travel, I don't leave money, expensive jewelry, laptop computers and fancy cameras/electronics out in the open now matter where in the world I stay, no matter how fancy the motel or security is. I believe most of theft from hotel room is an inside job. Notice I said "I believe", not stating an absolute fact, and I have no objective evidence to back it up, therefore it is my belief. But many will probably agree that it's a lot of temptation for a maid or housekeeping to overlook money or other high dollar easily pocked items. Why tempt them?

My comments aren't to try to change the mind of the naysayers, their minds are closed and not going to change. Instead, I'm trying to provide a realistic position for those who may be considering this wonderful island and my be unduly and unjustly swayed by those who have some different agenda.

Disclosure: I don't own property on Bonaire. I don't have a source of income on Bonaire (wish I did). I'm just a very satisfied diver who has been on Bonaire 6-7 times for 8-9 weeks total, in the last 3 years, and going again in March.

 

[Papa_Bear]

SO DON'T GO! We are all well informed, grown up, and able to decide for ourselves! Cops take good reports 99% of the time, but do very little to stop a crime in progress!

 

[pdive]

It seems to me that people who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
Here are just a few of the entries in the Charlotte, NC police blotter for January 19th 2010 - a single day:

Stolen vehicle - Hickory Grove Road
Larceny from vehicle - Wallace Road
Stolen vehicle - Davidson Street
Larceny from vehicle - Eddleman Road
Break & enter an occupied home - Huntington Ridge Ct
Break & enter an occupied home - Walden Ct
Armed Robbery of an individual - E 35th St
Burglary/Break & enter a business - Sharon Amity Rd
Burglary/Break & enter a business - University East Dr
Burglary/Break & enter a home - Archdale Dr
Stolen vehicle - Newcastle St
Larceny - South Bv
Burglary/Break & enter a home - Teaneck Pl
Burglary/Break & enter a home - Denison Pl
another Larceny - South Bv
Larceny from vehicle - Colony Rd
Larceny from vehicle - Rae Rd
Larceny - E. 28th St
another Larceny - E. 28th St
Assault with injury - Deaton Hill Dr
Burglary/Break & enter a home - Darventry Ct
Larceny - Eastway Dr
Burglary/Break & enter a home - Starflower Dr
Larceny from a vehicle - Mulberry Church Rd
Larceny from a vehicle - Nations Ford Rd
Burglary/Break & enter a home - Reddman Rd
Larceny from a vehicle - Hebron St
Larceny from a vehicle - Monroe Rd
Burglary/Break & enter a business - Monroe Rd
Larceny - Park Rd
Larceny - Scaleybark Rd
Burglary/Break & enter a business - Sparta Av
Larceny from a vehicle - Yorkmont Rd
Burglary/Break & enter a business - Monroe Rd
Break & enter an occupied home - Camden Creek Ln
Armed Robbery of an individual - Daybreak Dr

Want to apply the same standards to your own police department, PF? Looks like "it seems reasonable" that you should expend your efforts a little closer to home rather than continuing to bash Bonaire.

Rick

We should compare this to a Bonaire police blotter - oh wait, that's not possible

 

[darook]

I have been a way for a while and it is nice to return to the same old "Bonaire Crime" debate. I am not convinced it is much worse there than anywhere else particularly if common sense is observed.

Back to the original question from a few days back. I stayed at Buddy this fall and had no problem whatsoever with security in the common locker. Your primary concern there is not falling on your butt due to the VERY slippery floor.

Have fun!

 

[driftwood]

The whole problem with petty theft on Bonaire is the attitude. 'Petty theft is just going to happen without anyone doing a thing about it, don't lock your car or you will only increase the amount of damage the thieves do".

To me this is asinine. It is blaming the victim for the damage done by the criminal.

My approach would be for all of us to go to Bonaire, leave nothing in our cars and lock them tight. Be sure to buy full insurance coverage. If Bonaire would simply make it a misdemeanor to leave a vehicle unlocked, the entire culture would change. Trust me when it starts costing the locals money, things will change. Now we just roll down our windows and take it.

The island only has 30,000 residents. My best guess is that less than 200 of them cause the majority of the problems. Just a few well run sting operations at sites like Karpata and Thousand Steps will put the word out.