SAFE STOLEN OFF WALL IN BONAIRE / Important trip report

[Allspread Grapealo]

I am making my first trip to Bonaire in January 2008. We have reservations at the Belmar Apartments. I emailed the Belmar asking about the increase in crime on the island. They returned my email and admitted to an increase of recent incidents. The Belmar is even spending money to upgrade their security and surveillance equipment. The facts are a recent increase in crime has taken place on the island.

I appreciate knowing this information ahead of time. One interesting article I read was about a couple that moved from South, Florida to Bonaire in 2006. One thing they learned was home burglaries to be common on the island. They recommend living with only the basics and having bars on your windows or an alarm system. Sorry, folks I don’t have BARS on my windows where I live.

I was raised to view crime as an unacceptable behavior.

...but you will notice on your first trip to Bonaire that almost nowhere do you see barred windows and doors. It's pretty uncommon. Some of the tonier areas north of the dive operations, a few. Lagoen Hills, some houses. Drive around most of the neighborhoods and you see very few houses with barred windows and doors.

 

[scubabanker]

The rest of the story. I feel because of efforts from myself and others by not letting this matter drop there was a big arrest on Bonaire and a warehouse of items were found. I still don't know if my items are among those. Quietly in the background some of us who have been victims of the crimewave of the past two months have been bugging tourism office and the police dept about what was being done to stop the crime and bring the criminals to justice and this was the results.
From Amigoe today
From today 1/11/07 Amigoe

More arrests

KRALENDIJK – In connection with the investigation of the break-in cases that this paper reported yesterday, the detectives have arrested four more people for receiving. They also searched a home in Antriol, and confiscated three stolen laptops. The suspects that were arrested are L.A.d.l.S.-L. (25), W.F.C.-B. (23), R.F.M. (24), and the woman F.V.J. (23). Chief of police Jan van Straten invites all recent victims of break-ins to come to the meeting room of the police station in Kralendijk between 09:00 and noon, to see whether their stuff are among the confiscated items during yesterday’s raid. This applies to everybody, whether the break-in was reported or not.



Huge police action in Bonaire

De weapons that the police confiscated in five homes in Tera Korá and Antriol this morning.

KRALENDIJK – In a raid in Bonaire this morning, 48 police officers together with members of VKB, directed by the Public Prosecutor and police leaders arrested 10 suspects and confiscated stolen objects and firearms, among others 4 air pressure pistols, 1 shotgun, and a shotgun. The action took place in connection with the many break-ins of lately in homes, hotels, apartments, and cars at diving locations.

The corps leaders decided to set up a special team under direction of Melvin St. Jago and immediately started to investigate all the break-ins. The team gave the leaders of the OM a presentation on their investigation yesterday and this morning they arrested the in Bonaire born R.R.P. (29), F.C.W. (34), R.F.E. (24), R.P.S.E. (22), I.P.S. (27), J.F.B. (20), E.A.W. (17), and R.I.N.C. (24) from Colombia, I.J.P.P. (28) from Curacao, and the woman from the Dominican Republic A.L.C-S. (40). Public Prosecutor David van Delft’s top priority is getting the persons arrested today in jail, because there are not many police cells in Bonaire. Nevertheless, the suspects of the break-ins remain detained.

According to Van Delft, all the cells in the House of Detention and the police cells in Kralendijk and Rincon are full. He is currently negotiating with colleagues in Curacao to see whether he can use cells in the Bon Futuro jail in Curacao. According to chief of police Jan van Straten, what took place in the past two months is unacceptable. “With the support of Minister Elvis Tjin Asjoe, the Lt. Governor, and the Governing Body, the police could do his job this time. The police corpse could use all technical means to investigate the break-ins”, said Van der Straten.

 

[lmorin]

ScubaBanker--Thanks for the update and for all your (and that of others) behind the scenes work on behalf of all divers. Hope you recover your gear.

 

[Allspread Grapealo]

Would this be the safe in question in this picture?

http://www.extrabon.com/edishon/extra2007-11-01.pdf

Scroll down to page 4 and look at the picture on the upper right corner. The text of the article says police are trying to identify the owner of this "strong box" they recovered. Sure looks like a wall safe.

 

[scubabanker]

I am not sure but I am pleased to report that I got an email from the police dept and at least the passports were recovered. I am trying to find someone on bonaire talk that can translate for me the article. I want to thank you for showing me the article. I don't remember there being a push buttons on our safe in our hotel it had a key because it was funny that the people we were sharing condo with gave me such a hassle about carrying the safe key everywhere even underwater to only have the safe drilled off the wall go figure.
But my husbands says maybe the thing on that safe outside was the criminals way of trying to blow safe open. If that is not our safe then that means that they drilled off more safes and someone else had to go through what we did.

 

[116fire]

The population of Bonaire is about 14000. Its a small town, if you think that they don't know who is behind all this theft of tourists, think again. Its probably somebody with influence son.

 

[mike_s]

I am trying to find someone on bonaire talk that can translate for me the article. .

here is a poor translation assuming it's Papiamentu

from the Papiamentu Web Translator (note it doesn't know all the words is is almost so poor that I didn't even post it here....)

today among 9’or for 12’or of morning at keep of police beach víktimanan of ladronisia can happen for acknowledge they pertinensianan

kralendijk — provided that connection with detenshon of one are big of sospechoso with last time owing to make they self culprit at various ladronisia much in home, bedroom of hotel and apartamentu and one entrance hudisial with miembronan of kuerpo polisial owing to make at various home much in ground red as antriol waystreet various artíkulo prosedente of ladronisia owing to stay confiscate, boss of kuerpo polisial boneiru, jan van der straten, everybody with last time of one as or another owing to become victim of ladronisia for happen at keep of police beach for look at if they can acknowledge they pertinensianan prosedente of ladronisia. this is count for much for esnan with owing to make denunsia as esnan with for one or another account not owing to make denunsia. also is ask for esun with can acknowledge the box strong with have on the photograph with is accompany the artíkulo here for happen at keep of police beach.

the day and orario with can happen for acknowledge pertinensia is today thursday ayá of november among 9’or for 12’or of morning in sitting-room of meeting at keep of police beach.​

 

[dvrliz1]

Mike, et al:

We just got back on the island, and stopped by to see the recovered items. We too have beefed up security, with a 24 hour security guard presence, Ed bolted safes to the walls and to each other so they cannot get the safes out and installed a bunch more security measures, but cannot elaborate as they would not be "secure" anymore.

I was at DEMA when the arrests happened and it just so happened that one of the ministers was also there. I got to speak with him, and he confirmed the above info. If it helps with the above, some of the words that didn't translate in the context of the article:

ladronisia: robbery (robberies)

Antriol (the neighborhood where they found they made arrests and found items.

The other words I think others can figure out by pronunciation. Also, the minister stated that the "big suspect" was the person who was the head of the ring...which is very good. The article is also asking for those to identify their items as identification can put the theives in jail.

Also, the strong box was identified.

If you know of ANYONE who had something stolen in the last few weeks, have them contact me. I have an email address for one of the lead detectives, who would like to hear from anyone so they can go ahead and get the items returned to their rightful owners.

Mostly recovered was cameras, camcorders, some jewelry, cell phones and other things.

Thanks.

Liz

 

[scubabanker]

Liz, thank you for you offer someone that was on island from bonaire talk went about our passports and turn up our safe they found but inside was our burn credit cards and passports. None of the electronic items in the safe.
Our things were stolen in the beginning of Aug so they are probably long gone. But detectives are still trying to find out who they sold the stuff too. So I have pretty much written everything off. I was just happy about passports but can't travel on burn passports so going to have to pay for new ones.

 

[BTravlin]

Theft of material items is certainly a bad thing but robberies of occupied rooms is a whole different matter which displays a level of brazen behavior that is truly worrisome. Too much potential there for things to go seriously wrong.

I'm glad to read that Bonaire has taken serious steps to crack down on theft and hope they maintain their vigilance. Keep your island safe and friendly and the divers will continue flocking their for many years to come.