I just got back from my second trip to Bonaire in three years, and was there when the bust hit the front-page news. Unfortunately I couldn't read the articles since all I found were Dutch papers, but there were many photos of the large amount of items recovered.
It was nice to see such major coordinated police action after reading so much about increasing theft there from trip reports the past few years. Honestly it had me wondering whether it was worth planning a return trip to Bonaire, that such worries would dampen enjoyment of a trip. But after I returned this time, I realized I did not even think much about this stuff except when reading about the bust - it was as carefree a vacation as any other dive destination.
I noticed there were a lot of stolen items in the photos that did not appear to be "tourist stuff" - guns, desktop PC's and monitors, etc. I think it corrects some tourist misimpressions that locals residents and government are lax or turn a blind eye to theft because it doesn't affect them. I grew up on an touristy island (Oahu) with little violent crime but lots of petty theft against tourists and locals alike indiscriminately (primarily from cars).
It was nice to see such major coordinated police action after reading so much about increasing theft there from trip reports the past few years. Honestly it had me wondering whether it was worth planning a return trip to Bonaire, that such worries would dampen enjoyment of a trip. But after I returned this time, I realized I did not even think much about this stuff except when reading about the bust - it was as carefree a vacation as any other dive destination.
I noticed there were a lot of stolen items in the photos that did not appear to be "tourist stuff" - guns, desktop PC's and monitors, etc. I think it corrects some tourist misimpressions that locals residents and government are lax or turn a blind eye to theft because it doesn't affect them. I grew up on an touristy island (Oahu) with little violent crime but lots of petty theft against tourists and locals alike indiscriminately (primarily from cars).
