Robbery

[Walter]

It's not "whatever you want to call it." It's about effective communication. When you put "Robbery" in your title, I'm expecting to read about someone sticking a pistol in your face or putting a knife against your throat. I'm very sorry to hear you had things stolen from you, but I'm very happy that you did not experience any violence.

Continue to use incorrect terminology, you only reflect poorly on yourself, not on the other sky divers posting here.

 

[rjchandler]

One of the reasons Bonaire Talk has a rule about police reports --- they want to control the trolls who go there incessantly to pick fights.

You do not have to leave your truck unlocked on Bonaire. It is expensive to replace windows though. Rent from AB carrental and get their insurance. They tell you that you must lock the truck but they cover broken windows.

 

[cappyjon431]

It's not "whatever you want to call it." It's about effective communication. When you put "Robbery" in your title, I'm expecting to read about someone sticking a pistol in your face or putting a knife against your throat. I'm very sorry to hear you had things stolen from you, but I'm very happy that you did not experience any violence.

Continue to use incorrect terminology, you only reflect poorly on yourself, not on the other sky divers posting here.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you relying on the U.S./English definition of robbery? Since when are these the only "correct" definitions? You are "expecting" to read about violence because you are relying on a legal definition that is from the U.S. As someone who has lived in the Bahamas and caribbean for the better part of 15 years, I can tell you that "robbery" and "burglary" are used interchangeably both by the police and by the legal profession. One of my dive ladders was recently stolen from my boat. It was in the middle of the night and there was no violence involved, but the police report said I was the victim of a ROBBERY.

I think you might be stretching it a lbit to say "Continue to use incorrect terminology, you only reflect poorly on yourself, not on the other sky divers posting here." I read the title of the thread and did not expect to read about a violent act, I had no prejudgement on what the OP's post was about. I also did not feel it reflected poorly on him because of his choice of words.

 

[Walter]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't we using English? Since we are communicating in English, it seems to me that English definitions are appropriate. If we were using Spanish, I'd expect to use Spanish definitions. As for the difference between burglary and robbery in US law, that comes from English law which is also the basis for law in the Bahamas.

I read the title of the thread and did not expect to read about a violent act

Well, hopefully you've learned something and can now get more information from what you read.

 

[DandyDon]

New badge for SB posts...

Wear with pride​

ah Roatan. the only place where armed soldiers stopped my taxi to verify i wasn't being kidnapped.

Now there's top safety protocols!

Ok bottom line is, A robbery (what ever u want to call it), I took all precautions, hmm go figure, I locked the windows, doors and put a special bar in the track of the sliding door, they still came in . So no IT WASNT MY FAULt, all I wanted to know was

THERE ANYHTING BEING DONE ABOUT THE CRIME, hmmm answer NO!!!!!!!!!! all u can do is drink, relax and run around nude, there is then nothing to worry about being stolen, especially if ur not a virgin

:lol:​

One of the reasons Bonaire Talk has a rule about police reports --- they want to control the trolls who go there incessantly to pick fights.

You do not have to leave your truck unlocked on Bonaire. It is expensive to replace windows though. Rent from AB carrental and get their insurance. They tell you that you must lock the truck but they cover broken windows.

I can't say I accept that reasoning but it's their board. Just makes them less credible to me.

Thanks for that info, tho.

 

[cappyjon431]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't we using English? Since we are communicating in English, it seems to me that English definitions are appropriate. If we were using Spanish, I'd expect to use Spanish definitions. As for the difference between burglary and robbery in US law, that comes from English law which is also the basis for law in the Bahamas.



Well, hopefully you've learned something and can now get more information from what you read.

Obviously we are using English, but the OP was describing a crime that was not committed on U.S. soil. Remember that this crime was committed in a country where English is only one of the languages spoken there. It is very possible that the law enforcement officer there referred to the crime as a robbery . Would you say he was wrong? It sounds like you would, because obviously you believe the whole world revolves around the U.S. and U.S. legal definitions.

And by the way, I worked in the Bahamas for eight years and I still remember the only constable working in George Town, Exuma telling me about the recent "crime wave" in town. He told me about the theft of a crate of tomatos from behind the local market. He referred to the criminal as a "robber." Different country, same language, but a different colloquialism. Was he wrong? Only according to those who feel that everything revolves around the U.S.

Oh, and this is not a grammar issue. Take it from someone who taught college English and composition for many years, what we are talking about is the fact that English words have different meanings in different countries. To claim that one meaning is "correct" is extremely egocentric.

 

[spiritd1]

This is for dear Walter:
Robbery (Funk and Wagnall's) The act of taking away property of another unlawfully, by force or fear. Burgarly; The breaking and entering of a building (primarily of a dwelling, by night), with felonious intent. Felonious: criminal purpose; malicious; villainous. Looking at the definations These adjectives or action nouns (dont want to be wrong grammatically) this describes what happenend. As for a crime involving physical harm, well they couldve happened had we awoken from our peaceful slumber and it couldve escalated.

 

[DiverVince]

After reading this thread, I do believe some of you could use a good stiff drink. Between crime, robbery, burglary, correct grammar ..egads!

If Bonaire were really so terrible, why do so many folks visit her year after year after year?
Why do so many folks endure harsh and expensive airline flights to get to her?
Why does Bonaire have so many repeat visitors?
Why is Bonaire consistently rated as one of the top dive destinations?
Why are the Bonaireans considered by many to be some of the nicest folks you'll ever encounter in the Caribbean?
Why is Bonaire pointed to as one of the first islands in the Carib to establish a marine park? Also one of the first islands to ban spearfishing.
Why is Bonaire considered to be the home of diving freedom with some of the most economical diving in the entire Caribbean?

Personally, I think the answers are quite apparent.

 

[cappyjon431]

And dang those Brits for calling the trunks of their cars "boots." Everyone knows that a boot is something you put on your foot, at least it is here in the good old U.S. of A.

Just an example of how words can have different meanings in different countries. Now if I were to read the title of a post that says "Man Rubs Boot" I might assume that the article was about someone with a foot fetish, but I would not belittle the poster if his article was about someone polishing his car trunk.

 

[jd950]

One of the reasons Bonaire Talk has a rule about police reports --- they want to control the trolls who go there incessantly to pick fights.

Yes, that is the official position, but I don't buy it. There are plenty of fights on plenty of topics there, from Marine Park rules, to restaurants and lodging, to traffic and environmental issues. No one has to "prove" anything except when they want to mention a crime on the island. It is fine to mention your bags were stolen on the way there or back, but not if it happened on the island...then it has to be proven.

I would love to be convinced otherwise, but until then, I believe the rule is based on a desire to reduce the number of crime posts for public relations reasons. What percentage of tourists will first report the crime, then get a copy of the report, then save it and bring it home, then scan it into the computer and email it to a moderator just so they can mention they were a victim? Not so many, I think.

The rule also serves to completely ban anyone talking about something they saw or heard, since producing a police report would be virtually impossible in such a case.

Sure there are "trolls" there and here and everywhere, but there is also a tendency for some to call someone a "troll" simply because they make a negative comment, or argues, or says something that some don't want to hear.