Securing "accessories" while out diving

[wwguy]

I wouldn't - you're just making it more tempting (and easier) for them to grab and go with all your stuff in a neat bag.

I agree with this. I even like to spread my stuff around the backseat and bed of the truck a bit to make it more challenging and interesting for them. So far we're only out a pair of $8 sunglasses.

Although don't buy into all the paranoia that's posted here either.

I figure I'm arguably the most frequent and vocal contributor to the ongoing topic of crime in this SB forum. (Anyone else can chime in if they'd like to claim this dubious title.) I can't help but wonder what you mean by crime "paranoia that's posted here"? Paranoia by definition implies elements of irrationality and delusion. All I've seen here is an ongoing discussion of facts, police reports, and speculation about what current crime means for future risk to tourists. Most discussion I've seen discusses awareness, response by police and community, and suggested cautious behaviors to minimized risk.

I left a video camera between the seats with the truck parked in a public lot in town, windows down for a couple hours while we walked around. Forgot it was there and it still was when we got back.

Though unintentional on your part, this is exactly the behavior that conditions thieves to target tourist vehicles. Same with the recent dive site incident I shared in my previous post. You were lucky your camera was there when you returned. It could be that there were just no bad guys wandering nearby at that particular time, or that a thief wouldn't think to look into an unattended truck with windows down for such an expensive item. Who would be dumb enough to intentionally leave something expensive like that in an open vehicle? Being lucky isn't the same as being safe, so I don't see how you can use this experience to support logical discussion of likely pilferage.

We did a lot of the more remote dives afternoons by ourselves - no one even within visual range and nothing was touched/taken. Often we never passed another vehicle on the ride back to town from the south. And it was Dive Week so it was obvious that there'd be a lot of divers all over.

Again, not being a victim of crime doesn't mean you, the area, or your activity is safe... or that others will be too. It just means it didn't happen to you at this place and time. There are plenty of facts and first-hand reports that support that there's plenty of stuff being stolen from other people, including the quote I shared previously in this thread. For more recent examples you can click through my link and read about theft of items and car parts from 5 additional vehicles and one apartment in just the 2-day span between November 26th and 28th. Most of them were from the main streets in tourist-occupied areas. This is life on Bonaire today. Denying it is, well... denial.

We're looking forward to another great trip to Bonaire in a couple of weeks.

 

[Hintermann]

Thanks for the tips people. I was thinking whether it would be practical in Bonaire (diving with VIP Divers) to do what I did earlier this year in Tulamben, Bali, albeit for entirely different reasons. There also the dives were mostly off shore but the guide decided that it would be more convenient to pull the wetsuit & boots in the resort and go to the dive site (they used pick-up trucks too). The dive kit minus suit rode at the back of the pick-up and we completed kitting-up on arrival. It worked fine and I only left the water bottle in the truck.

The key alone is not a problem as I remembered that I have a nice clip on BCD pocket that would take it (in a waterproof mini-case) and the lens cap. The rest I could leave at VIP dive shop.

 

[Steve_C]

And you travel with it?

Bonairean dive rental trucks don't have 2" hitch receivers anyway.

My bad. I was going through "What's new" with a head cold and missed that this was a Bonaire section as opposed to a general diving section.

 

[diversteve]

I can't help but wonder what you mean by crime "paranoia that's posted here"?

You're probably too new to SB to have experienced the Pilotfish era... Some of it still shows up in the links at the bottom of these threads occasionally. I certainly was not referring to you.

Who would be dumb enough to intentionally leave something expensive like that in an open vehicle?

It was a $40 8mm e-bay special that just happened to fit my old dive housing. I think I could absorb the loss...

There are plenty of facts and first-hand reports that support that there's plenty of stuff being stolen from other people, including the quote I shared previously in this thread. For more recent examples you can click through my link and read about theft of items and car parts from 5 additional vehicles and one apartment in just the 2-day span between November 26th and 28th. Most of them were from the main streets in tourist-occupied areas. This is life on Bonaire today.

I figure I'm arguably the most frequent and vocal contributor to the ongoing topic of crime in this SB forum.

Maybe you are...

No doubt stuff is stolen there. Just about everywhere else in the world that tourists go to also. Taking precautions while Cenote diving seems to be mentioned here also. Thieves are opportunistic - leave expensive stuff out in the open and leave for a guaranteed hour and I'm pretty sure it could be gone in many dive locations. Except Cayman where apparently crime isn't allowed...

Let's look at it a different way. How many dive resorts are on Bonaire? 20+? How many rooms? - several hundred or more not counting all the private villas/apts that have no security at all.

How many people fly there weekly and dive without experiencing any theft - probably thousands. Besides multiple full U.S. flights there's the European visitors. Or the cruisers but they really don't count since most don't leave the city except for a few that dive/snorkel or go on tours.

Really by posting your 3-4 examples you are adding to the hysteria. Because statistically the problem is no worse than other tourist frequented areas. Been to Roatan lately? How about Jamaica? I'll take my chances on Bonaire.

Why do you feel like you can dismiss my anecdotal experience because it points out the good that happened to me on Bonaire - not the bad that you do seem to have an agenda about? Denying it is, well... denial. Ever had anything stolen from you personally on Bonaire? In any of your visits? No? Then anecdotally your experience mirrors mine...

The rest I could leave at VIP dive shop.

Do they have one now? I thought they met you at the site - or somewhere identifiable nearby. No matter what dive you do you're probably no more than 10-15mins. from your resort since it's in town - 5mins. from many of the south sites. I wear my boots and spread everything else out loose on the back seat of the truck - apparently so do others. Most trucks have some sort of tank rank in the back (usually a grid of 2x4's.) but they're often pretty beat up so I didn't want my other gear to get smashed.

 

[oldschoolto]

Crime is every where... Left towels , sandles and water bottles in the truck... No problems... And no big deal if its gonna get stolen...

And I wonder how much is stolen by other divers ? when we were there a couple said they had their stuff gone through... To young guys were coming out when they were headed in to the water... They felt it was them who went through their stuff.... Just be smart and don't let a towel or a cheap pair of sunglass getting stolen ruin your trip...

Jim...

 

[diversteve]

Someone (gypsyjim?) recently posted that someone took the inflator hose off his wife's Halcyon rig while it was in the dive locker area at one of the resorts.

What are the chances of that being anyone other than another diver who wanted it? There doesn't seem to be a big theft ring targeting inflators there.

 

[wwguy]

@diversteve: You're right. I've only been active in this forum for 3 years or so. But I have heard of the Pilotfish days and even browsed through a few of those old threads. They're one of the reasons I felt motivated (and still do) to try to portray Bonairean crime as it is. I get your logic about incident frequency measured against the number of tourist visits. Bonaire gets about 70,000 overnight visitors a year, which is about 1,300 a week. I never said that everyone will be a victim, I said anyone can be a victim. Sure, 1,290 people had a great trip last week, but 10 didn't (perhaps a few more if you factor in friends or families travelling together etc.)

I don't care how much your video camera actually cost, and didn't think you did either when you made your original comment about it. Your point appeared to be that you got away with leaving something valuable in an open vehicle downtown for a while. My point was that even dumb thieves know it's dumb to do that intentionally, so that may have been one of the reasons you got away with it.

The "just stay home if it bothers you so much" rhetoric is BS. The reason that it does bother me so much is that we love the island and it's (mostly) wonderful people. We've been visiting for 17+ years and have been spending about a month a year there for the past several years. I concluded my previous post with mention of looking forward to our return soon because I was hoping to avoid exactly this type of comment.

@Hinterman: You can certainly wear your wetsuit while driving around in your rental truck. Many do. But don't be surprised or complain too loudly if you discover stained seats, rotting foam cushions, rusted seat springs, or inoperable seat belts in your rental truck. That's the effect of regular contact with salt water on these items.

 

[diversteve]

The "just stay home if it bothers you so much" rhetoric is BS.

Sorry about that, I retracted it probably while you were replying.

Your point appeared to be that you got away with leaving something valuable in an open vehicle downtown for a while.

My point was that while I did it inadvertently - it was probably the last thing on my mind at the time to worry about it based on what I'd observed on Bonaire all during the previous week. In fact 10 minutes before that, I'd been standing on Town Pier filming so I probably was aware that I had the camera, just not bothered enough to remember 10 minutes later to take/conceal it.

Although in all honesty I just forgot it was there. It kind of slipped down alongside my seat and my buddy (driving) didn't notice it when he got out either.

We've probably hijacked H's thread enough for one day so I'm out...

 

[Jersey]

"On Monday November 24th, police received a report of the theft of goods from a number of vehicles parked at Larry's Lair Dive Site. The stolen items include:an Omega Seamaster wrist watch, Rayban sunglasses, Prada Sunglasses, a yellow mask, a pair of purple sandals, a black leather handbag, an Evo diving suit and prescription spectacles. The thefts took place between 14:45hrs and 15:40hrs."

I saw this on FB. As Dr. Phil would say 'what were you thinking???' Rayban and Prada? Said it before - no need to take the expensive trinkets on vacation. I wear 1 decent watch dressy enough to go out and built to dive. No designer shoes - just flip flops. Not a lot of jewelry - 1 pair of earrings that stay in at all times, everything else is home locked in the safe. Bring a couple $4 pair of polarizing sunglasses from Walmart.

Don't want to belabor the point, and certainly no PF, but crime appears to be escalating on Bonaire. A few years ago guns were unheard of, now becoming more common (though illegal). Carjacking and robberies in broad daylight. Last trip a neighbor lost their room key and came back to find the room ransacked (including the wall safe which was pried open and off the wall containing passports, cash and credit cards). Travel light and smart.

 

[Hintermann]

Just be smart and don't let a towel or a cheap pair of sunglass getting stolen ruin your trip...

Jim...

Towels OK but my "sunglasses" are really expensive varifocal photogrey-plus prescription lenses mounted on designer John Lennon frames. They are exceedingly comfortable and convenient while travelling. I have had those quirky frames for 22 years and am very fond of them. Fortunately, I do have a waterproof case for them and can clip it to my BCD. Or even leave them behind at Blachi-Koko - I can do everything but read without them.