Maybe all the problems aren't being caused by the locals? I mean..Bonaire isn't that big. Surely, if it were a local problem the police would be able to find out who the theives were yes? UNless of course they're involved...
Leaving your truck windows open and expensive gear inside is asking for it to be stolen just about anywhere. Having your room broken into and the safe cracked? that's got nothing to do common sense.
Mike,
It is recommended that you leave nothing of value in your vehicle and leave the windows open. That is a pretty good indicator to possible thieves that there is nothing of value in the vehicle. If it is the rental vehicle that is stolen, you can be sure the rental company will have police looking for the vehicle.
No one has stated that having your room broken into and the safe cracked is common sense or even a common experience. Just like your home can be broken into, your vacation unit can be broken into... There are however, common sense rules that will help keep you and your gear safer. Things like (But, not limited to):
- keeping your gear in the designated areas recommended by the resort (not on a table or balcony) when not in use. I don't even keep mine in my driveway at home to dry in case someone should come by with sticky fingers
- Stay situationally aware of your surroundings (just like I do at home)
- Park in well lit areas at night and visible areas during daylight (just like I do at home)
- Travel as a couple or group at night and/or in areas where you are unfamiliar. You are in an area that is unfamiliar. When you are at home, you can readily avoid areas you know to be unsavory. It can be a little tricky when you don't know the area
- Lock your doors and windows when you leave your villa and at night when sleeping (This doesn't completely stop crime, just like it doesn't completely stop crime at home, but it is a deterrent)
- Just like any vacation spot, don't leave valuables, money or any expensive items out in the open... I don't trust the room staff at Holiday Inn in the US, so I certainly won't trust the house staff anywhere else.
- If you stop in an area and you are not comfortable, leave the area immediately (Just like at home)
- Another deterrent is to add those travel alarms for doors and windows to your vacation spot. I use them in the US as well as when travelling abroad.
I don't care where I go on vacation... I do some research and find the areas I want to visit and the areas I am sure I don't want to be stranded (Watts, areas of Washington DC, etc). To me, this includes housing in compound areas that offer a little (read that as "a little") more security
What I can't understand is where some people responding on this thread use these "common sense" measures at home to stay safer, but believe it is completely unrealistic to think anyone should do the same thing on Bonaire. OR, that authorities on Bonaire should be doing it ALL for everyone
Again, following these measures does not guarantee that your valuables, room and person will remain safe and unharmed. Just like at home, there are times when these measures don't work, and chit happens.
Reports of B/E and burglary seem less at home, but that is because we have a much larger violent crime issue here... Are these crimes minimized by me? No! They are not good, but I put them into some type of perspective with the norm of things (no, I don't call them normal... only in perspective of "the norm" of things). Some posts on this thread have given them no "norm" in the perspective of the world and blow them to proportions equivalent to "Manson murders", and I feel that is doing real harm to the discussion
