Rental Truck Vandalized

[coldwaterlloyd]

I agree with OP perspective on petty crime .
Police are well aware of the culprits and ring leaders .
It is a part of Bonaires national economy , it will never stop , Just don't leave valuables in your truck and buy insurance .

 

[wwguy]

I've said it before(& irritated some here) but I'll say it again, it's overrated.....Not trying to knock the place, but I'm calling a spade a spade----IMO...

EDIT.:...I'm duckin' right now, so FIRE AWAY......

Thanks for the invitation. :ar15:

Your continued derision of Bonaire is irritating mostly because you persist with it here in the Bonaire forum. The energy you invest in it seems strange considering your stated apathy for the island. It appears you're on a self-appointed mission to save others from similar disappointment. This in spite of the more common enthusiasm expressed here and elsewhere by the scores of well-traveled divers like me who return to the island year after year.

Bonaire is what it is, but "overrated" isn't a valid description without context of comparison to something else like expectations or alternatives etc. I'm still waiting for you to identify any other tropical dive destination that offers 24/7 unlimited unguided self-paced diving with the number of sites and consistency of sea conditions found on Bonaire. Instead you just continue repeating "Bonaire is overrated" here in the Bonaire forum. It's tiresome.

---------- Post added April 15th, 2014 at 11:59 AM ----------

I agree with OP perspective on petty crime .
Police are well aware of the culprits and ring leaders .
It is a part of Bonaires national economy , it will never stop , Just don't leave valuables in your truck and buy insurance .

Your last visit to Bonaire was 5 years ago, which was before the island government change. How does it happen that you're suddenly privy to details of current police operation and criminal gangs on Bonaire? And how does petty vandalism and theft of rental trucks support Bonaire's national economy? Please be specific, because it appears to me that you're most likely Making Stuff Up.

I'm not an apologist for Bonaire's police or criminals, but spewing speculation as fact isn't helping anyone or anything.

 

[lmorin]

I have to say that, over the years I've been here on SB, I have read enough of the problems with Bonaire (not just truck break-ins, but theft from rooms) that it has gone to the bottom of my list of possible destinations. I wonder how many others have had that reaction?

This is a shame because thousands of divers experience Bonaire diving annually without any of the problems that worry you. Nothing is guaranteed, of course, but my wife and I now have hundreds of Bonaire dives under our belts with nary a problem, except the fact that on our most recent trip we were give an electronic truck key that could not get wet. IMHO, the decision to go or not to Bonaire should not be strongly influenced by the supposed negative activity on Bonaire. There are other, better, reasons, to be sure; the incidence of theft is not one of them. I have twice been the victim of car-related theft/attempted theft. Once in Providence, RI, folks attempted to steal the door off my VW beetle one Sat. night. They failed because one of the 4 bolts attaching the door was rusted solid to the body. The other was in NYC when someone broke into our car and stole a jacket I had hidden under a seat. I had obviously been watched while hiding it. We take all the usual precautions in Bonaire, but--knock on wood--thus far, nothing bad has happened.

I will quote a bit of what WWGuy wrote above, because it is true (with my bolding added):

...I understand your frustration, but think some of these claims aren't based on fact. There's nowhere else in the Caribbean, or anywhere in the world that I know of, where you can dive 60+ named and managed shore dive sites in the space of 15 or so miles. Tourism business on the island is increasing rather than decreasing, much to my dismay and sorrow. Many new restaurants have opened to take the place of those that closed. Most increases in food prices reflect increased costs of energy, transportation, goods, and services due to both local and worldwide economic changes. United and Delta have both added additional flights recently, and neither are suspending fall flights for the 2nd year in a row. Local officials are discussing where to build a new airline passenger terminal, as it's obvious the current terminal is at capacity now. Cruise ship traffic, which was almost nonexistent 15 years ago, continues to grow. Bonaire's tourism bureau just announced that Carnival cruise ships will begin visiting Bonaire next year, increasing cruise ship traffic on Bonaire to 250,000 people per year....

 

[morecowbells]

I have been to Bonaire twice and Curacao four times. I have followed the recommendations and fortunately have not been the recipient of any vandalism or theft. However, knowing the number of incidents does leave a sour taste. I understand that there is a problem with unemployed youth, drugs etc. but it would be encouraging if some of the marine park fees, airport taxes etc. actually went towards an individual to simply 'sit' at some of the dive sites along with security cameras. Hell, it may even provide some jobs.

A few years ago in Cozumel a tourist walking on the sidewalk was shoved down and her purse snatched. The locals were outraged and actually marched in a candle light peace vigil to the police headquarters. For years they have struggled with a decline in tourism due to the increase in violent crimes in other parts of Mexico. They also know that nobody will bail them out and it is UP TO THEM to not accept crime as as the norm. I wish other islands could adopt this mentality.

I still love the diving in Bonaire and Curacao. However, if I had to spend my vacation dealing with the rental car repairs and (along with apathetic and ineffective) police department, I am sure it would damper my enthusiasm significantly.

 

[diver 85]

Thanks for the invitation. :ar15:

Your continued derision of Bonaire is irritating mostly because you persist with it here in the Bonaire forum. The energy you invest in it seems strange considering your stated apathy for the island. It appears you're on a self-appointed mission to save others from similar disappointment. This in spite of the more common enthusiasm expressed here and elsewhere by the scores of well-traveled divers like me who return to the island year after year.

Bonaire is what it is, but "overrated" isn't a valid description without context of comparison to something else like expectations or alternatives etc. I'm still waiting for you to identify any other tropical dive destination that offers 24/7 unlimited unguided self-paced diving with the number of sites and consistency of sea conditions found on Bonaire. Instead you just continue repeating "Bonaire is overrated" here in the Bonaire forum. It's tiresome.

---------- Post added April 15th, 2014 at 11:59 AM ----------



Your last visit to Bonaire was 5 years ago, which was before the island government change. How does it happen that you're suddenly privy to details of current police operation and criminal gangs on Bonaire? And how does petty vandalism and theft of rental trucks support Bonaire's national economy? Please be specific, because it appears to me that you're most likely Making Stuff Up.

I'm not an apologist for Bonaire's police or criminals, but spewing speculation as fact isn't helping anyone or anything.

So, If I were you I'd not read any of my post, who's holding the gun to your head???.& ..I don't go to that forum BUT answer to posts I see in "What's New?"...You have any idea what I'm talking 'bout........

 

[boat sju]

I have to say that, over the years I've been here on SB, I have read enough of the problems with Bonaire (not just truck break-ins, but theft from rooms) that it has gone to the bottom of my list of possible destinations. I wonder how many others have had that reaction?

Seriously? Well, then again, I won't dive in the PNW because of the way I hear they bully divers/hunters out there.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I don't frequent the Bonairetalk forum or otherwise keep up with what those who live on Bonaire are doing, but have people who live there tried to persuade the local government to improve security at dive sites and come up against the proverbial brick wall? If truck crime is really that bad, you'd think some of the people with vacation homes there would try to do something. I know someone with a place there who uses it a couple of times a year--in fact he's a retired policeman--and I haven't heard him mention anything about increasing crime. But next time I see him I plan to ask for his thoughts.

 

[coldwaterlloyd]

Thanks for the invitation. :ar15:

Your continued derision of Bonaire is irritating mostly because you persist with it here in the Bonaire forum. The energy you invest in it seems strange considering your stated apathy for the island. It appears you're on a self-appointed mission to save others from similar disappointment. This in spite of the more common enthusiasm expressed here and elsewhere by the scores of well-traveled divers like me who return to the island year after year.

Bonaire is what it is, but "overrated" isn't a valid description without context of comparison to something else like expectations or alternatives etc. I'm still waiting for you to identify any other tropical dive destination that offers 24/7 unlimited unguided self-paced diving with the number of sites and consistency of sea conditions found on Bonaire. Instead you just continue repeating "Bonaire is overrated" here in the Bonaire forum. It's tiresome.

---------- Post added April 15th, 2014 at 11:59 AM ----------



Your last visit to Bonaire was 5 years ago, which was before the island government change. How does it happen that you're suddenly privy to details of current police operation and criminal gangs on Bonaire? And how does petty vandalism and theft of rental trucks support Bonaire's national economy? Please be specific, because it appears to me that you're most likely Making Stuff Up.

I'm not an apologist for Bonaire's police or criminals, but spewing speculation as fact isn't helping anyone or anything.

Glad you are following my travels ww , believe it or not I do have friends who travel to Bon every year , government change ... the more things change the more they stay the same , I actually like Bon and will return to shore dive , but I do not expect it to be crime free when I do return , I will just play by the rule of leave nothing you wish to retain etc etc

 

[gypsyjim]

I don't expect anywhere to be crime free when I travel there. Anywhere.

While I was on St Thomas diving I heard the cops had just discovered a man shot and killed in a parked car, and had no clues to the motive.

There are resorts where we were surrounded by fences and armed guards, and or warned to avoid traveling in various parts of the town or city. Some resort you are talking AK47 wielding perimeter guards, and high fences, which would NOT make me feel particularly safe so I have avoided visiting those island completely.

Two customers of ours were robbed by machete while walking on the beach in the day time, just out of sight of the guards who watched the leave their high end resort without saying a word of warning. They are pretty sure the guards who had watched this couple stroll past them for three days without warning them, had set them up, but there is no proof.

Cozumel, which competes with Bonaire as the one of most other most popular dive destinations in the Caribbean has high violent crime rates and we were warned to avoid stopping in some isolated areas with the rental car. The entire tone on Cozumel and on the mainland of Mexico seems to be just how badly you can rip off the tourist.

We have NEVER felt that we were getting THAT treatment on Bonaire, no matter where we went.

So, yes, there is a crime problem on Bonaire, but compared to many other Caribbean vacation destinations, and even huge portions of our own nation, the crime on Bonaire is mostly a low level, irritating petty vandalism type of theft. Note: there are some reports of violent crime and break ins of rental homes, but again when you compare the size of the island and the rate of this type of crime with other islands, Bonaire still ranks quite high in safety for travelers.

 

[wwguy]

Glad you are following my travels ww , believe it or not I do have friends who travel to Bon every year , government change ... the more things change the more they stay the same , I actually like Bon and will return to shore dive , but I do not expect it to be crime free when I do return , I will just play by the rule of leave nothing you wish to retain etc etc

I'm not following your travels so much as remembering your oft-repeated story of contracting dengue on Bonaire in 2009 and your resulting decision not to return for a while. This is why I'm surprised that you suddenly claim to have knowledge about criminal "culprits and ringleaders" on Bonaire and the police knowing who they are yet not doing anything about them. This is a bold accusation that smacks of police corruption and/or collusion in criminal activity if taken seriously. You never answered my previous question: Do you have specific knowledge of this, or are you making unsubstantiated accusations from 4000 miles away? It's an easy question to answer.