Costa Rica discussion forums are always buzzing with security questions. They are occasionally answered with a flurry of scary stories. Some of you give up on Costa Rica after reading such posts. The good news is that securing yourself and your belongings in Costa Rica is not that difficult.

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Virtually all of these people on the forums were ‘victims’ of petty theft. Although, petty theft does occur frequently in Costa Rica, violent crime statistics are well below those of the United States and most other countries. The most important thing to remember is that these thieves want your stuff – not you!




The majority of Ticos are peace loving spiritual people. However, Costa Rica does have a noticeable poverty class. Many of you in North American suburbs do not live near the poverty class in your cities. Where I lived in Connecticut we did not even lock our house doors and we often left our car keys in the ignition at night.




So when some of you arrive here and drive by tin shacks, homes with window bars and barbed wire fences you may feel less than secure. As the ghettos in your cities in the USA fast become war zones, the occasional theft that does happen here appears far less threatening.




The reason for petty theft is simple — DESPERATION! These thieves are typically desperately poor or addicted to drugs.

Free Video: Costa Rica Crime & Personal Safety
By Attorney Rick Philps.





Securing yourself and your stuff in Costa Rica is best accomplished in layers. The first layer is moving to an area with a small poverty class. Areas like Atenas, Grecia, Palmares, and San Ramon thrive with working, middle, and upper class Ticos.




Some suburbs of San Jose like Santa Ana, Escazu, Cariari, and Cartago also have great neighborhoods. Not to say that theft never occurs in these areas, but it is far less frequent than some other areas.



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As Scott Oliver points out in his book, How to Buy Costa Rica Real Estate Without Losing Your Camisa, “Beware of mediocre neighborhoods! The area could improve, but then again, the neighborhood could go into a major decline.”









Once you decide on an area it is time to secure your house in layers. Buying in a gated community is a great start. Although you will pay more for these developments, and you can certainly find secure homes in other less expensive neighborhoods.




Next you may want to put a front gate to guard your driveway. This way thieves cannot back a truck up to your house and steal all of your belongings.

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In addition to gates these other layers will serve to protect your house:

  1. Alarm System
  2. Window Security Film or Bars
  3. Dogs (Many Ticos don’t like dogs)
  4. A Human Guard

You may want to implement all of those layers if you plan on keeping valuables in Costa Rica. Personally, my wife and I stored all of our valuables safely in Connecticut. Even my wife’s beloved TAG watch and diamond engagement ring.




With all that said, I do not have any of those layers at my house in Atenas — except for a 2-month-old Golden Retriever puppy who is hardly a guard dog. We feel very safe with no gates, bars, alarms or guards in our quiet Tico neighborhood.









Your car should be secured in layers as well. An alarm is inexpensive and a good investment. Tinting the windows is great for blocking the sun and prevents would-be thieves from seeing the contents of your car. The final layer should be The Club or some version of a steering locking device.




Securing yourself is basically common sense. The same tactics you use when visit big cities in your area apply here too:

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  1. Don’t go out at night wearing flashy jewelry.
  2. Keep your cash in 2-3 different places on your person.
  3. Leave unneeded credit cards at home when you go out.
  4. Always carry a certified copy of your passport and not the original.
  5. Other than helping the occasional pan handler, avoid eye contact with shady characters.

Again, most of this is common sense, but many ‘victims’ on the Costa Rica forums do not utilize these security techniques – as they say “common sense is not so common.” The more layers of security that you have the safer you and your stuff will be.




Finally, if you try to live a simple life and find ways to contribute to the community — Karma will take care of you. If you live a selfish and flashy life beware, Karma will take care of you too.




Good Luck! Be Safe!

Costa Rica Crime & Security. Securing yourself…

Article/Property ID Number 1428

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