Not The Same Bonaire

[adurso]

I was there in late July and spent a great deal of surface time speaking with some local folks. The 10/10/10 event, the Dutch taking over, will be changing things in many aspects of island life, ranging from construction to policing.

Once the big issues are addressed the smaller issues, such as car break ins will be on the agenda.

 

[Mossman]

If the rental agencies instruct the drivers to keep the windows rolled down and doors unlocked, I don't think the rental agencies are going to put pressure on the police since the drivers will be replacing the windows each time.

It's not at all too bad Bonaire lets its reputation be tarnished because otherwise it might turn into another Aruba or Cozumel, with more cruiseships visiting and otherwise spoiling the laid back nature of the place. If keeping my windows rolled down and doors unlocked and bearing a slight risk of other theft means the island can stay mellow and uncrowded, then by all means keep the petty thieves in place!

 

[Mossman]

Other than than the battery you only left and lost some fairly inexpensive incidentals. real bs stuff to have someone swipe, but unlike the other losses you reported, you really left nothing all that vauable, which is as suggested.

The truck battery is a differnet story. It used to be tires, that had a way of walking away on Bonaire, but it has been some time since I heard of tires being stollen. Batteries sure are hardy to getting the truck going tho, as you say, so i do hope your loss is not going to become common.

Yeah, when there's not much traffic on the road and you can't start your engine because of a battery issue, what to do? I've never had a battery stolen, but did have a truck where we came back once after a dive and it wouldn't start. Fortunately jiggling the battery cables is all it needed and it finally fired up, but if you do have a roadside issue like that on Bonaire, you basically have to hope someone drives by and can give you a ride. If we can't leave cell phones in the trucks because they'd be stolen, then I suggest some sort of "call box" like you see on US highways should be available at moderate intervals on the north and south dive site roads.

 

[lmorin]

What would happen if everybody started rolling up their windows and locking the doors of their rental cars? Would the rental agencies put pressure on the police after all the broken windows?,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

We've been using an Amex card to pay for jeep rental on Bonaire because the card makes us eligible for the Amex rental vehicle insurance that even applies to pickup trucks in foreign countries. I read the entire policy. Here's the irony: the policy is void if the vehicle is not locked and the windows rolled up!

For what it is worth, we leave NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING, in the truck while diving.

 

[phelana]

I started traveling to the Caribbean in 87. Lived in Antigua, now Bonaire. This is by no means an isolated situation ...Sint Maarten and theft, phew..Curacao...Aruba..I have had attempted robberies both islands..it's sad and certainly puts a damper on things but..the foolish folks who leave valuables in their locked cars reinforce the notion for theft by these thugs....With the economy so low globally this will certainly continue. If I were a diver I would dive in groups and have one diver stay back to guard the "stuff"....

 

[-hh]

I've heard of gas and spare tires being stolen but the battery is a first...

Its probably the 4th or 5th time that I've heard of a stolen battery in Bonaire.

You have to remember that the police are operating under the laws of the Netherlands. They are also under constraints of the governing party. Perhaps they are doing all they can do with the situation at hand...

I'm just back from a business trip to the Netherlands; I can tell you on a professional level that when something comes to the attention of the Dutch as a "problem", there's not the impotent 'oh, what will we do?' hand-wringing like we have in the USA.

I've been to Bonaire 4 times since your last trip and was in Rome in February and last November. There is no comparison of 'being on your guard'.

Sure, it isn't as much as being in a real city, but it also isn't zero, such as like going to Little Cayman or the Brac.

In Rome, on the other hand, holy crap...I'm an easy mark in a foreign country and after a few days in Rome, my nerves were frazzled from having to constantly be on guard from all sides. When I go to Bonaire, I completely relax. Dive freedom, yeah.

I've seen nearly all of the shiesters of Rome that you mentioned and AFAIC, they're very easy marks to see & avoid talking to. I've never had to worry about anything walking from my hotel rooms across multiple stays, either. Probably my "worst" experience I've had in Rome was last April (Volcano Week) when a guy from Staten Island (yes, the NYC borough!) cut me off in a line at the Termini. I faked my way through an Italian protest and he faked his way through an Italian response before we both realized that neither of us were locals I'm taking Margaret there (and Florence) for her first visit to Italy later this fall.


In any case, I emailed a friend whose family owns a house on Bonaire; this was her response:

"It saddens me to say that yes, the crime rate for car and house break-ins in Bonaire has increased in the last few years. However ..." (the standard advice follows) "Recently I have had inside bars installed on all the windows and doors and I am pleased to say that they really doesn't look bad and allows the comfort of leaving the windows open at night to enjoy the wonderful trade-winds..."

If I were a diver I would dive in groups and have one diver stay back to guard the "stuff"....

That's what I did last time, upon the advice of the friend who was staying at his sister's house...and what he & his wife did themselves. During that very trip, the wife discovered that she hadn't kept a close enough eye on their own car and had their post-dive cans of cold soda stolen by what she figured were two 10-12 year old boys who she had noticed playing in the area.



-hh

 

[gert7to3]

Hmmmm, combination chain lock for truck hood; same for the spare tire; castor oil spiked fruit juice in a cooler; ex-lax chocolates; rat trap inside a small stuff sack; return to find a burning truck.....day dream or waking nightmare?

I haven't had an issue, so far, over 6 visits. I have thought of burying a bag away from the truck if for some reason I brought something of value. Trouble is, especially at the northern sites, it's probably not drive-by thieves. I bet they stake-out some of those sites from back in the bushes. Oil Slick especially has a warren of trails just above the parking area.

 

[jscheier]

Just stumbled across this post. I was there in July with my father. 1st time they took a dive bag with extra straps and other simple things. They also stole my dad's tank top. The tank top had to be 15+ yrs old (thus nothing of value). Another dive there were kids playing all around. I was going to tip them b/c they helped us out of the water. I got back to the truck and they stole our food!!

I love Bonaire but after this experience I may not go back. I understand not keeping valuables in the truck, but if water and bread is being stolen, it gets annoying.

J

 

[drrich2]

I love Bonaire but after this experience I may not go back. I understand not keeping valuables in the truck, but if water and bread is being stolen, it gets annoying.

I sympathize and nobody likes to be stolen from. That said, the personal safety on Bonaire is a real plus to me. On trips there when I walk around outside after dark with my wife &/or main dive buddy, whether in town or off-the-resort elsewhere, I sometimes think 'You know, if we were staying in Jamaica, we might not be doing this.' (Based on postings I've read about Jamaica; I've only been on the island once, a lay-over at an airport & didn't leave it). I've also read some parts of St. Thomas can be trouble (from a forum discussing expatriates living there). Belize City (though not representative of Belize as a whole) is another I see people post about having areas you wouldn't want to be after dark.

I'm not saying it's impossible to get assaulted, robbed, etc... on Bonaire, but thus far I've been blessed to have no situations where I or those I traveled with faced aggression from another person, or felt the need to curtail our activities due to fear of violent crime.

Now, if somebody ever steals our rental truck battery & leaves us stranded at some remote dive site walking hours to get help, I reserve the right to scream bloody murder and come back on the forum pitching a fit about the crime problem.

Just say'in.

Richard.

 

[chogless]

Booties off porch in daylight. Car always gets rifle. Others places with less consistant petty crime.