What are the police doing to end the crime on Bonaire? - thread split

[Herk_Man]

Has nothing to do with what is being talked about, but you are letting emotions get the best of you. (and making PF's day too)

Emotions? I'm a sociopath. Be careful.

 

[Papa_Bear]

Interesting! Has he been there or not? He states he saw no crime but listened to others! He forms his opinions by talking to others even though he never had a problem???? If it walks like a Troll, talks like a troll, acts like a Troll, it must be a Duck?????? I wonder if he has ever Dived there?

 

[JeffG]

Interesting! Has he been there or not? He states he saw no crime but listened to others! He forms his opinions by talking to others even though he never had a problem???? If it walks like a Troll, talks like a troll, acts like a Troll, it must be a Duck?????? I wonder if he has ever Dived there?

He has all of "you guys" all riled up.

 

[Herk_Man]

Don't worry, I'll quit when I'm no longer having fun. Donut box denizens like this dude eventually stumble on their own faulty logic and I reap great satisfaction from being there to watch them fall on their faces. Maybe I should change my name to Troll Slayer.

Oh wow, a beautiful white dived just flew past my window!

 

[Papa_Bear]

He has all of "you guys" all riled up.

I personally ignore him! If all you do is take away then you have nothing to add!

 

[FastEddy]

The reason this thread was my first post is because I found this site and thread by googling: broken glass theft bonaire. After seeing all the broken vehicle window glass at the various dive sites and remarking this as unusual compared to past visits, my wife and I started to theorize that crime must have augmented since our last visit in 2004. Locals tell us that this is, in fact, the case. When we got victimized yesterday, I became more interested in researching the situation so see if other divers have experienced the same; hence the internet became my research tool.

We are here in Bonaire for 3 weeks, staying at the Sonrisa and diving and renting tanks with Bruce Bowker. Like I said before, it is our fourth stay on Bonaire.

I am happy to report that I finally saw the Police Trafiko today, after 11 days of being here. Unfortunately, they had to be called by the women who was in the middle of renting us bicycles when 2 tourists got t-boned by a truck while riding their bicycles. So, yes, apparently the police are available upon request. The 2 cyclists pulled out of the Divi Flamingo right into the path of a truck doing about 60km (WAY TOO FAST for that street which is rife with speed bumps). My wife admonished the driver for driving so fast prior to the police getting there. Bikes were damaged but the couple did not appear to have sustained any broken bones.

In my experience, the character of Bonaire has changed since I first came in 2000. My wife stopped by the Sunshine Market last night and the women there told her than her dog had puppies. She kept two of the litter. Some creep broke into her place recently and stole both of the puppies. Not even dogs are safe from these low life scum bags.

It is really quite sad because the diving is still spectacular. Webcams should be installed at some of the dive sites with the highest crime stats to catch these retards and send them straight to hell.

I have another 11 days on the Island; I hope they will prove crime free. I`ll report back in any event.

I have yet to report the theft on Red Beryll but will do so, not that I am expecting any return of the glasses. I am just glad they did not actually steal the truck and I now lock it with the club that the rental guy gave me. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that they tried to pull out the car radio too - the cover on it was loosened but not taken. Pure scumbags.

 

[Herk_Man]

Hmm, I'm going to assume by the length of your post that this is not a troll attempt. And I apologize. It just seemed really suspicious given the volatility of this thread and the fact that it was your first post. Sorry you had such an experience.

I will still stand by my assertion that "broken glass on every beach" is a gross over-statement. I was there just a month ago and saw not a single piece of broken glass and did not talk with a single person who had any problem with crime there.

Wish I were there now.

 

[pilot fish]

Sad to hear that but, as Bonaire crime goes, you got off lightly. I assume you will be assaulted soon by the Bonaire apologists?

You're right, they have given up and almost handed the island over to the crooks. very sad.:depressed:

I am now on Bonaire for the fourth time. The crime appears to have gotten worse over the years. This is the first time I have seen broken window glass at EVERY SINGLE SITE I have been to so far. You can not even wear sunglasses to the dive site anymore. I surfaced on Red Beryll yesterday to find mine stolen from the truck. At least they left my wife's prescription glasses or she would have been blind for the rest of the trip.

I have yet to see one police car on the road in 12 days.

I guess the state does not really care about maintaining law and order here on Bonaire. Maybe they can charge divers a special "crime prevention fee" for police protection, like the marine park fee of 25 dollars or the airport exit fee of 35 dollars? Perhaps someone will make a special sunglasses attachment for BCDs and market it here on lawless Bonaire.

In summary, I am very disappointed with the lack of visible authority on this island. They also appear to have a street racing problem on the island, as evidenced by all the skid marks and noise of racing cars in the wee hours of the morning keeping us awake some nights.

Next year I will pass on Bonaire and go to a secure resort in Cozumel.

 

[pilot fish]

Sadly, that's just making excuses for crime. That's why it will never change.

New member, 1st post... hmmm... I'll take it for what it's worth..

The special sunglasses attachment is called a pocket. You were given the intro that told you not to leave anything (anything) in the vehicle and leave the windows down or the windows might be broken during your 1 hour dive, correct?

Most dive sites on Bonaire don't have glass windows in the area unless you are talking about car windows where divers didn't follow the simple rule of keeping the windows rolled down?

We were there two years ago for 4 days and saw at least a dozen police cars up and down the roads. Have you traveled past your own house reef?

Bonaire is not a state, it is a country that has an economy and everything. To state they must not care about crime is very short/one sided and... without knowing more about your first post, I am inclined to claim sock puppet. Most people's first post is in the introduction area stating they are new to this forum and hello. I am not saying you are a sock puppet, only that it is very strange that your first post is here and is SO negative on Bonaire

 

[pilot fish]

Sounds like too much of an assumption of risk for the usual diver to have any relaxed time at all?:shocked2: Minimize? How about eradicate?

Eddy, I am sorry this happened to you, and anyone else that has been victimized by a crime on Bonaire. However, I also stand fast about not leaving ANYTHING of value in a car while diving. As a victim of losing a reg, fins, and my favorite mask of all times on Bonaire, I can sympathize. We forgot to bring them in from the drying tables out back, before going out to dinner one time. I just got back from Bonaire last week. I know there is a crime problem on Bonaire. However, through my 22 times on Bonaire, and the great diving I have encountered there, I have learned to take precautions to minimize the crime.
On BT, we are having a discussion about this under Trip Reports, with a sub of "Crime on Bonaire." If you care to read what is being said there, please go to it. My point is not to stay in a rental that is not secure. As I said there, "It is up to the owner, both morally and humanistically, to protect their clients. If they don't, shame on them. If it does not have deadbolts, unsecure windows, sliding glass doors without bars in the tracks, etc. I won't stay there. Living in a suburb of Philadelphia, I have them in my own house. I would expect no less anywhere in the world. With that said, I have never been a victim of crime, after my incident at the Dive Inn, which is no longer in existance.