Robbery

[DandyDon]

okay where do you buy this "used" camera. I am curious DandyDon. Have you ever had someone come up to you offering such a thing on Bonaire?

Haven't put together a trip yet, and it is discouraging to boys with toys. Where do you think things go? Some to family, some to local drug dealer, middle range to flea market? Some locals are paying gas money to acquire the items; gotta go somewhere rewarding...?!

 

[chauncy19]

I am sure they are going somewhere. But its a small island and I doubt its going to tourists who are mostly divers themselves. But I am curious where does it go? Much of the crime I've heard about is more petty crime and I would guess that just stays local. Someone stealing from rooms etc rather serious and I am guessing stuff is going off island to be sold. The thing that is very curious to me about crime on Bonaire is that the island is so small. So its hard for me to understand how the problem continues and seems to escalate. the puzzle continues....

 

[FlyinV]

I am heading there next year - and the crime problem gives me pause but I will just bring nothing I don't mind losing and hopefully the safe in the room doesn't get ripped out of the wall.

Perhaps its a new spin could be its visitors stealing from each other and blaming the locals

I also wonder where all this stolen stuff goes ... I will keep an eye out on the flea markets for a fancy new-2-me camera or people downtown selling gear from the back alley

 

[DiverVince]

I've read (what I consider) a lot of whacky things on this board. So here's my take having traveled the Caribbean for some 35 years. I used to own on St Croix back in the 80's for 6 years..Really no comparison to Bonaire. It was "the wild west" when I was on the island (& I don't mean petty stuff). Anyone dare remember "Fountain Valley"? I sold because of the crime situation.

Been on all the Caymans & the safest one was Little Cayman. Had someone scale up the wall on a 2nd floor unit I rented on Seven mile beach on Grand Cayman (also on St Croix).

Jamaica?? You've got to be kidding me with this one. Jamaica was the only island I've ever been on where I regretted not packing my .380 semi automatic Beretta in my back pocket! We rented a place on the north shore over Christmas one year & I almost kissed the ground at landing back at Kennedy airport in NYC I was so glad to be back on US soil.
Curacao.. rest assured Bonaire is far safer.

From my point of view, Bonaire is one of the safest islands in the entire Caribbean which is why I bought property there. Been traveling to Bonaire since '85 and have only had a knap sack lifted with suntan lotion inside in all that time.

Again, as others have pointed out on countless occasions, use common sense (no matter where you chose to visit).. If you're traveling to Bonaire, enjoy it!

 

[Papa_Bear]

Just got back from a week of great diving and fun times! I always leave the windows down enough so no one has to break in! That being said for the first time we were checked at Tolo by park rangers who were patrolling and on the north coast on the same day was a security patrol cruising all the parking areas! So maybe they word is getting out! The Dive Resorts can ban together and hire private security for little cost and it goes a long way in stopping this activity! It is possible they are getting smart about the impact with the world economy in the tank visitors are harder to get and keep happy!

 

[Belgo1]

It's been a long time since I have visited a scuba board... We went to Bonaire 10 years ago (I don't remember the exact year, but it was pre-Lenny), and it seems the problem has gotten worse, if anything, rather than better. While we didn't get anything stolen, we decided not to go back until the island decides to take care of its crime problem. When we went to Saba a few years ago, not only were we told there was no need to lock our hotel rooms (I'm not even sure if we were given room keys), but we were instructed to leave our BC's, regs, and dive computers outside our rooms when we went to bed at night so the dive shop's truck would pick it up in the morning and have it ready for us on the boat.
Given the size/population of the island, it's obvious that the local police are at best allowing these crimes to happen, or, more likely in my opinion, in cahoots with the thieves. IMHO, diving in Bonaire isn't so unique that no alternatives exist. These thefts will in all likelihood continue until the diving community gets together and decides they will cease supporting the island and its criminal unit.
If divers stopped coming, the local government would get the message, and the thievery could be stopped in a matter of days or weeks at the most. The notion of blaming tourists for getting their windows smashed because they lock the doors seems silly to me. I've never heard of anyone being offered these stolen items for sale, so there is obviously an organized system of selling off-island, of which I'm sure the police is fully aware.

 

[highdesert]

We had money stolen out of our room in Bonaire WHILE WE WERE IN THE CONDO. We had an electrical problem, called they front desk, they sent the maintenance guy up. While four of us were in the living room of the condo, the maintenance guy went through some stuff in our bedroom and went away with US$$. When we checked out (next day), we told the front desk not to look for any tips for housekeeping, etc.... just ask the maintenance guy for it.

We also have friends who retired and bought property in Bonaire. They just sold it and moved back to the US after being broken into while they were away.

I agree with Belgo 1 ... not anything so unique about Bonaire diving that you can't find it someplace else. It's gonna take a lot more people just saying "NO" to Bonaire before they feel the economic pinch and get their act together.

 

[rlskill1]

We had money stolen out of our room in Bonaire WHILE WE WERE IN THE CONDO. We had an electrical problem, called they front desk, they sent the maintenance guy up. While four of us were in the living room of the condo, the maintenance guy went through some stuff in our bedroom and went away with US$$. When we checked out (next day), we told the front desk not to look for any tips for housekeeping, etc.... just ask the maintenance guy for it.

We also have friends who retired and bought property in Bonaire. They just sold it and moved back to the US after being broken into while they were away.

I agree with Belgo 1 ... not anything so unique about Bonaire diving that you can't find it someplace else. It's gonna take a lot more people just saying "NO" to Bonaire before they feel the economic pinch and get their act together.

Agreed!!!

 

[CheddarChick]

How truely sad....I know when we were broken into on Curacao, even the cops said they can't control it...I told them BS.....If you wanted to you could.....

 

[Jupiter31]

How truely sad....I know when we were broken into on Curacao, even the cops said they can't control it...I told them BS.....If you wanted to you could.....

Agree w/ you 100% and hate the cop out (no pun intended) attitude by incompetent, lazy, law enforcement.

These are ISLANDS, for Christ sakes - where almost everyone knows each other - someone knows something - you will never convince me otherwise.

We have been crime victims - Freeport, Grand Bahama Island - we had our 31' Contender stolen twice - 1st time we got it back w/out engines - you will never convince me no one knows who's doing these crimes.

Bahamas' loss - we have not been back (W/ the boat) in 3 years; we went for 10+ years before; spent money on dockage, fuel, lodging, airfare, food, and on and on - we will never bring the boat back.

Law enforcement "knows", believe me - they just tend not to want to rock the boat.