highlandfarmwv
Contributor
Was in Bonaire last week--nothing stolen. Left truck unlocked ALL the time. Didn't find the room safe till the next ot last day. Stayed at Divi Flamingo
Who has had something stolen in Bonaire
- Thread starter NDH
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Spike_Digger
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A number of people have mentioned that when they were in Bonaire, they followed the recommendation of leaving their rental vehicle unlocked with windows down and no valuables inside. I'm curious how other people have interpreted these instructions when shore diving in Bonaire. This will be my first time shore diving, so this is new territory for me. When shore diving from a rental car, I imagine that I would want to bring at a minimum such things as a change of clothes, towels, bottled drinking water, plastic cases for our masks, a container of antifog solution, spare batteries/bulbs for our dive lights, and perhaps our dive bags to carry it all. After reading the posts about leaving the windows down, I wonder if I need to rethink this strategy? Are thieves likely to steal my shorts and towels while I'm diving? Our dive bags are nice, so maybe I need to load everything in my car and bring the bags back to my room? The other things are of nominal value, but it would be a hassle to lose them. We're going to Bonaire next year, so I appreciate any thoughts along these lines.
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Spike_Digger:
Literaly. Leave nothing you would care about if missing. That's the easiest answer.
Again, In terms of crime, Bonaire is no different than any other Caribbean island.
They have great shorediving, that's the only real difference.
If you shore dove other islands and could be found predictably to be leaving your car and belongings in remote locations, unwatched.... it would happen on any island. Cayman, Roatan, any and all of them.
Take precautions, but do not think that there is high crime on Bonaire. Understand what you are doing differently that presents an easy, soft and ideal target... and you do it often!
Kids will be kids.
I rarely bother with extra cloths, no need really. I take a towel to dry off with and to set on on the ride back. I do suggest a 2L bottle of water to rinse off with and quick dry swimsuits are nice. Car keys, credit cards and cash can be carried in waterproof (yea right 
) cases. I keep sun glasses and prescription glasses in plastic glass cases and carry them along in my BC pocket, they are made to take sweat so a little saltwater will not hurt them. Same goes for dive bags, really there is no need for them. Throw the stuff in the back of the truck and go. Spare batteries and bulbs are also not really needed, you should have a backup at night and no big deal if it goes out during the day. The dive site are rarely more than 4 or 5 miles from the resort so running back for spare items is really not that big of a deal.
) cases. I keep sun glasses and prescription glasses in plastic glass cases and carry them along in my BC pocket, they are made to take sweat so a little saltwater will not hurt them. Same goes for dive bags, really there is no need for them. Throw the stuff in the back of the truck and go. Spare batteries and bulbs are also not really needed, you should have a backup at night and no big deal if it goes out during the day. The dive site are rarely more than 4 or 5 miles from the resort so running back for spare items is really not that big of a deal.
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a change of clothes - you could but we didn't. I went to lunch in the same shorts/t-shirt I dive in. Even dinner at casual places like City Cafe. The normal attire on Bonaire is shorts/t-shirt/flip-flops. I have microsuede shorts so they dry fast. They also have nice velcro pockets for stuff.
towels - bring the ones from your resort. Or old ones.
bottled drinking water - that's a good idea, freeze it the nght b4 and you'll have a cold drink post-dive.
plastic cases for our masks - leave at the resort.
a container of antifog solution - goes in your BC pocket.
spare batteries/bulbs for our dive lights - can't help with this one - maybe a small Otter box clipped to your gear.
and perhaps our dive bags to carry it all - leave em at the resort.
What we basically did is throw all our gear loose in the back seat of the truck. Most of the trucks are 4door small pickups so the back seats are padded. Extra tanks go in the bed, most have tank racks. No one steals tanks since no diveop will refill another's tanks - minimizes theft.
I also have a small plastic box with a flip lid that's got a waterproof seal. Made by Witz. It's wide enough for a couple of credit cards or some cash. LeisurePro sells them as do some LDS's. Here's a link to one. A little o-ring grease on the seal does wonders, I've had one 4 years now w/o a leak. And if it does, wet money spends in Bonaire.
There's even one big enough for a pair of glasses. Although I just went to the dollar store and bought 3-4 pairs of cheap sunglasses and left them in the truck. Nothing was touched in our week of diving and we drove to some pretty isolated sites.
Once you've done the BMP orientation and clipped your tag to your BC, you'll never need to show your c-card again at any other diveop/boat so leave it in your room.
sea nmf
Contributor
I just want to point out that when I managed a U-Drive operation on Oahu (Hawaii) in the MID-SEVENTIES, we also advised customers not to lock their vehicles and not to leave valuables in their cars.
I visited Bonaire once, stayed in a house in a neighborhood, had all our stuff out in the front yard for all to see while drying, and never had anything stolen. We may have been lucky but I bet it isn't more prevalent than anywhere else.
I visited Bonaire once, stayed in a house in a neighborhood, had all our stuff out in the front yard for all to see while drying, and never had anything stolen. We may have been lucky but I bet it isn't more prevalent than anywhere else.
Martha
Contributor
We've been to Bonaire twice, done a lot of shore diving, and never had anything stolen from our vehicle. We leave the doors unlocked and windows down (unless it looks like it's going to rain). We bring the bare minimum with us and only leave stuff in the vehicle what we wouldn't be too upset about if it disappeared (comb, water, mask defogger, cheap sunglasses). We also use a small waterproof (supposedly) case for keys and money that goes diving with us. If I remember, I also bring towels along.
We have been to Bonaire 12 times over the last 8 years, this equates to around 24 weeks on the island and no problems. we feel very safe and are careful to use the room safe and not to leave things unattended. We are back in 10 days time for 18 nights stay.
I have been to Bonaire numerous times and will be going back again. We dive both by shore and boat. Up until this past week, we have never had anything stolen while shore diving.
We had two cars parked at Angel City with the doors unlocked and the windows down. While we were diving, we had some Tee Shirts, jams and ball caps stolen from the cars. Also, one pair of expensive prescription sunglasses. I'll tell you, when someone steals something from you, (no matter what it costs) you feel like you've been raped.
The person who had the sunglasses stolen called the police to report the theft, but they were 'too busy' to come to the resort to handle it. When he went to the police station to get the report for his insurance company, there were 6 policemen standing around.
There was another group who locked their car and one of their windows was broken and some clothes were stolen from their car at the same time. The theives are Bonarian, because there are no programs for kids on the island. When 80% of the business in Bonaire is tourism, you would think that problems regarding tourists would be solved quickly.
Take the Marine Park Police for example. It used to be $10 per year to dive Bonaire. Now it's $25. The government says the money is to be spent on moorings and the upkeep. However, the Marine Police don't even have guns. There is no way for them to protect themselves against the illegal spearfishermen, plus the fact that with such a small community no one will rat on their neighbors.
1. to lock my car
2. the police are going to come take my report
3. the police should be patroling the area
4. to watch the punks with the gold chains/teeth who have a status problem
I take groups to all parts of the world and have been in all kinds of situations. Someone in the Resort Business in Bonaire needs to step up to the plate and take action on this worsening problem. Otherwise, you'll find divers taking their business elsewhere.
We had two cars parked at Angel City with the doors unlocked and the windows down. While we were diving, we had some Tee Shirts, jams and ball caps stolen from the cars. Also, one pair of expensive prescription sunglasses. I'll tell you, when someone steals something from you, (no matter what it costs) you feel like you've been raped.
The person who had the sunglasses stolen called the police to report the theft, but they were 'too busy' to come to the resort to handle it. When he went to the police station to get the report for his insurance company, there were 6 policemen standing around.
There was another group who locked their car and one of their windows was broken and some clothes were stolen from their car at the same time. The theives are Bonarian, because there are no programs for kids on the island. When 80% of the business in Bonaire is tourism, you would think that problems regarding tourists would be solved quickly.
IMO, as long as the Dutch government is making money off Bonaire, it won't change. It will take at least 5 years for any significant changes to take place.dvrliz1:
Take the Marine Park Police for example. It used to be $10 per year to dive Bonaire. Now it's $25. The government says the money is to be spent on moorings and the upkeep. However, the Marine Police don't even have guns. There is no way for them to protect themselves against the illegal spearfishermen, plus the fact that with such a small community no one will rat on their neighbors.
This problem has been getting worse and it's not the off-islanders creating the situation for the rest of the good people of Bonaire. The last group caught was from Rin Con and ages ranged from 7-17 years old. The police know who's doing it. When they put them away, the crime rate drops off.dvrliz1:
Most Bonairians don't like water and have no desire to live near it. That makes it a great place for dive resorts to operate. I have a great time diving there, but not if people are going to continue to get ripped off.dvrliz1:
Common sense tells me;dvrliz1:
1. to lock my car
2. the police are going to come take my report
3. the police should be patroling the area
4. to watch the punks with the gold chains/teeth who have a status problem
I take groups to all parts of the world and have been in all kinds of situations. Someone in the Resort Business in Bonaire needs to step up to the plate and take action on this worsening problem. Otherwise, you'll find divers taking their business elsewhere.
dvrliz1
Guest
Randy,
Points taken, but some not agreed upon. Honestly, I think the current police department is to "poco-poco" and Bonhata is in meetings with the police department to make sure that when the government change happens that all of our concerns are addressed as they should be. In the meantime, we as resort operators are doing all that we can to get the police force to pay attention. It is being worked.
There are many programs for kids such as the sports programs at the sports complex on Kaya Amsterdam, or Jong Bonaire, just to mention a few (there are also some that encourage children to become part of the tourist sector, training in snorkeling, diving, etc)
The police force do carry guns, and as far as the marine park, they have caught spearfishing people without the use of guns.
The children from Rincon, let me tell you how it works. It is not Bonairean's who are the masterminds. These theives pay the Bonairean children to climb into small windows, open doors, etc. I'm not saying it is right, it is wrong. The problem is that the law does not allow currently for prosecution of children under the age of 18. This too is changing. There are 2 plans that are being worked right now, one which is making the parents responsible for the children's behavior.
I hope a Bonairean doesn't read the post about the water. I have been coming to Bonaire for over 15 year prior to living here, and my husband for 30...they love the water, they rely on it for food! Have you ever driven past "Donkey Beach", across from the airport on the weekend? Wall to wall Bonairean families who "camp" out for the weekend and enjoy the beach and water. Next time you are on the island, check out Cha-Cha beach, or Fisherman's pier, or on Sunday head over to Lac Cai.
Don't lock your car, the mentality,not only on Bonaire but on many Caribbean islands is that if you lock the car, even if they can't see anything, there must be something in the car you are trying to protect, hence the break in. I've where vehicles have been side by side, the locked ones got the windows broken and ransacked, but the unlocked one were not ever touched!
You are right about the police, like I said we are working on that. Programs such as patrols, etc are in discussions/works.
I wonder what one of my employee's who sports a gold cap tooth, and is extremely responsible, married, 2 kids would think of your stereotyping....not fair...
Liz
Points taken, but some not agreed upon. Honestly, I think the current police department is to "poco-poco" and Bonhata is in meetings with the police department to make sure that when the government change happens that all of our concerns are addressed as they should be. In the meantime, we as resort operators are doing all that we can to get the police force to pay attention. It is being worked.
There are many programs for kids such as the sports programs at the sports complex on Kaya Amsterdam, or Jong Bonaire, just to mention a few (there are also some that encourage children to become part of the tourist sector, training in snorkeling, diving, etc)
The police force do carry guns, and as far as the marine park, they have caught spearfishing people without the use of guns.
The children from Rincon, let me tell you how it works. It is not Bonairean's who are the masterminds. These theives pay the Bonairean children to climb into small windows, open doors, etc. I'm not saying it is right, it is wrong. The problem is that the law does not allow currently for prosecution of children under the age of 18. This too is changing. There are 2 plans that are being worked right now, one which is making the parents responsible for the children's behavior.
I hope a Bonairean doesn't read the post about the water. I have been coming to Bonaire for over 15 year prior to living here, and my husband for 30...they love the water, they rely on it for food! Have you ever driven past "Donkey Beach", across from the airport on the weekend? Wall to wall Bonairean families who "camp" out for the weekend and enjoy the beach and water. Next time you are on the island, check out Cha-Cha beach, or Fisherman's pier, or on Sunday head over to Lac Cai.
Don't lock your car, the mentality,not only on Bonaire but on many Caribbean islands is that if you lock the car, even if they can't see anything, there must be something in the car you are trying to protect, hence the break in. I've where vehicles have been side by side, the locked ones got the windows broken and ransacked, but the unlocked one were not ever touched!
You are right about the police, like I said we are working on that. Programs such as patrols, etc are in discussions/works.
I wonder what one of my employee's who sports a gold cap tooth, and is extremely responsible, married, 2 kids would think of your stereotyping....not fair...
Liz
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