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Yikes! What is going on there?? I saw a very disturbing post on a vacation rental website(www.casteofthesea.com)then read the recent article at A M Costa Rica..
“The murder comes a little more than a day after the head of the Judicial Investigating Organization said his agency was overwhelmed by street crimes and home invasions. He said there were 212 home invasions already this year.”
Any thoughts out there? (Other than the obvious that it is worse other places…)
Wish we could hear the other side of the story, sounds shocking and scary based upon the info. given in that article. While I am in no way suggesting that the owner has done anything wrong it might be a lesson for people who move to CR to think about building smaller and more in tune with the country and its way of life. A huge house like that can evoke a lot of envy and attention.
212 home invasions and 4 million population. Bet the stats are much higher in the US. Anytime we draw attention to ourselves by being flashy, whether it’s our home, car, jewelry, clothing, expect that someone who will never ever in a lifetime have those things to want to take them from you.This isn’t just true in CR, but anywhere in the world.
… not forgetting that there are plenty of ‘flashy’ Ticos too who love to show off their toys and leave the empty box of their new fangled 350″ flat screen TV on the kerb to be picked up by the garbage man.
Scott Oliver – Founder
WeLoveCostaRica.comUnfortunately, I have seen Costa Rican crime rate change for the worse in the last few decades and sometimes it’s not a matter of flashiness, as lower and middle income neighborhoods can attest to, but I can tell you that you have to be aware of your surroundings and still be grateful to be in a country where the people generously come to your aid if anything should happen. In context, I’m sure the crime rate is much worse in many US cities and you wouldn’t find the solidarity that your Tico neighbors and friends will surely offer you in a time of need.
Folks
crime here is most definetly on the rise here.. please dont let anyone that benefits from telling you otherwise. criminals here know that basically they can get away with robbing. they even admit it publicy.
i have seen wealthy people and poor people get robbed.. yesterday in san jose.. while at a traffic light some guy came behind a woman at a corner and from behind ripped out her earings and took off. leaving her clutching here ears with blood.. i was in my car. i was just dumbfounded before it sank in what had happened.
i dont care to compare stats between the U.S. and here. the problem here is that the infrastructure here is weak and they do not catch the majority of criminals. they know this and Im sure they sit and laugh as they watch on TV the keystone cops fumbling around trying to appear busy.
the conclusion is personal and everyone has thier own ideas.. but you have to protect yourself.. and always try to blend in to your surroundings… me.. god protect that person that comes into my home.. i already have acids that will dissolve any evidence if it ever comes to that.
pura vida
HarlonHarlon, I agree that crime is on the rise and that can’t be ignored (as I said previously), but to be fair, it also depends on the area of Costa Rica you’re in. Most city areas anywhere have higher crime rates, in CR and everywhere else. As much as people talk about the lack of safety in Limon, although I don’t care to venture too long in the city of Limon, I’ve never felt safer than when I’m in Puerto Viejo thru to Manzanillo–Most people only have screens as their windows, minor locks on their doors and the locals couldn’t be friendlier, but I also wouldn’t walk the streets alone late at night, there or again, anywhere else! As far as the acid goes…well I hope you never resort to that for your own peace of mind. By the way, this is how I’ve seen the law handle home intrusion cases in CR, if you catch a criminal inside your house–he’s fair game (you can stop him to defend yourself), if he’s in your driveway–then you better have a really good lawyer if you hurt him in any permanent way. I agree that the laws need to be re-addressed, but I also think that this is possible in CR because I’ve seen them revamp other laws (i.e. traffic/driving laws) and have that make a huge difference. Stay well, Rebeca
Maravilla, I enjoy reading your post, but Please…. Higher in the US! So what, I chose to live here in CR…
The fact that crime is higher in the US only serves to quell our insecurities about leaving. Rehashing worn out crime stats arguments is either a fool’s errand or a self serving sugar high …
We Love Costa Rica, Yes…. We put our money, time and passion into it… We filled ourselves with dreams of a better life for ourselves and our kids. Quoting US crime stats might help sell condos in CR, it does nothing for me and my kin….The son of Tico friends in Grecia recently had his old nissan clunker stolen for ransom in San Ramon… They’re not well off and could not pay the 1000 usd requested by the well mannered professionals… Now he takes the bus. Should we have advised him not to be flashy?.
Three weeks ago an elderly Tico couple was car jacked in “El Centro de Grecia”, they were dropped off on the “autopista” (shaken, but un harmed). What indiscretion should we accuse them of..
Should I hang my laundry on the front hedge so as to not let on that I have a dryer… (not)
Yikes is right….Lets cut the cr@p, get off our kiesters and do something about it… Yes, it’s higher in the US.. We burned the ships there is no going back.
Until we realize we’re all part of the problem and the solution, it can only get worse. If not, we’ll eventually end up one of those stats you love to quote (or worse run around in cammo, keeping vats of acid)Thanks for your comments. I knew someone couldn’t resist saying”yeah, its bad-but it is worse in the U.S.”. ~smile
I moved to CR in the early 70’s and our car was broken into from the hotel parking lot (and all of our possessions stolen) the FIST NIGHT WE WERE IN TOWN-and that was over 30 years ago. What is so scary is the escalation in violence from petty to downright fatal. Yes, it happens all the time in the U.S., but usually in the U.S. the police are not powerless to stop it and the criminals are most eventually caught (and if punished severely) possibly discouraging others. I agree with the post that something needs to be done to control this. If not, CR will start to develop the “lawlessness” reputation of Mexico, Nicaragua, and the like. We are in the process of looking to buy a part-time residence there again, but I have to say…this really did make me feel a little nervous. Another problem I heard of was the youth…that it was very hard to stop them because even if they are caught there is little punishment-and if you (as an adult) try to harm them (i.e. trying to get your stuff back when you know who did it) …YOU can face prosecution. We have been to CR 6 times in the last 2 1/2 years and were robbed for the first time last May. We stopped for gas in Cartago on our way to Dominical and apparently someone knifed our tire at the station. About 10 minutes into our trip thru the mountains, we got a flat and when we stopped to change the tire we were robbed. Keep in mind we were FAR from flashy…NO jewelry, wearing T-shirts & shorts etc. They took my bag (which had all 4 passports, money, credit cards, etc). It more a hassle than the monetary loss (having to re-route our whole trip to go back to the embassy 2 days later) but the biggest loss I felt was the sense of security I had always felt. When we got to Dominical we reported it. The policeman (who was all of about 13) said they had never heard of that happening. The locals however, said it has been happening ALL THE TIME with increased frequency. We have our next trip already scheduled, but needless to say, I don’t know if an 8th trip or a home purchase would occur if the same thing happened again.It has to be all about where you are, what you appear like to others, and the time of day or night you are there. It has to be all about probabilities, not possibilities. I have lived the last 25 years in crime ridden Miami and have never been personally assaulted. I don’t frequent places where such things happen. Period.(I have had my home, in a very good area, broken into once.)
When I am in Costa Rica, I am uncomfortably aware that petty theft crimes are supposed to be rampant and I am uncomfortably vigilant all the time I am at the airport. Once I get to San Ramon, I maintain a lower level of vigilance. I have lowered the probablity of a personal experience to crime. It definitely puts an edge on things for me. But so far, I have only read about crime rates and incidents. I hope I can keep it that way by not straying into an area where these things happen.
I am sure someone is going to tell me these things can happen anywhere and anytime, but that is a POSSIBILITY. I am more concerned with PROBABILITY. Nobody can do anything to avoid possibilities, but we CAN manipulate our exposure to probabilities with some common sense. Now, if I could just detach myself from this crazy, american attachment to things, I might be able to relax more.
Well put. My daughter said it best….at least none of us were hurt.
Unfortunately, we were on the main highway at 2pm….we had to pull up a driveway to get off the road to change the tire-not much choice involved in that scenario. They were waiting for us. I am sure they had followed us from the gas station where I am assuming one of them had knived the tire (there was a slit in the sidewall-we had not run over any thing.) My husband had read about a number of happenings on that stretch of road, but it’s not like CR is loaded with a plethora of road options to get from one point to another.
Ironically, I am 41 years old, have traveled to probably 10 different countries, and have only been robbed twice in my life-both times in CR.
The government needs to take a tough stance on this though as it has the potentional to damage tourism which (last I checked) was a large percentage of the GDP. Nobody wants to go on vacation and go thought the hassle and expense of being robbed. Since we had this happen, we have heard more and more stories about these type of things happening to others (there were 2 others on our flight-and that was just the few people I spoke with…the embassy was loaded with them.
Funny story….I have a plastic watch that I bought to wear to CR that actually cost more than the gold-colored one I usually wear, but I kid you not when I say we go to great lengths to avoid being flashy.
Well said Sprite… No need to overreact… Probability over Possibility works for me…
But, can we still raise awarereness (pardon the cliche) to an ugly trend. Can we agree that it’s not OK… refuse to accept this fate… Maybe find like minded individuls willing to take action vs standby. I’ve seen Tico neighborhood crime watch committee signs popping up. It can’t hurt. Maybe I’m being naive.
I grew up in Miami, I know the before and after. My parents never thought twice about sending me to the Farm Store, 7 Eleven or Winn Dixie. It was like an episode from Leave it to Beaver. Like the one when June sends the Beave to buy a pair shoes… Beave was 10 at the time. If June did that today in Miami we’d know she was on crack…
It might be too late for San Jose and Miami… But in San Roque de Grecia I know I can still send my 10 year old to the Pulperia for Bread… The day I start to fear for her safety will be a sad day in TV Land…. I’ll know then I let another paradise slide by. Where to then New Zealand ?
There’s crime everywhere, but less crime in Costa Rica than a lot of places. That in itself should be comforting. Personally, I hate stats because I know they can be manipulated anyway you want to get the outcome you want, but to get all crazed over 214 incidents seems a little unbalanced. If the article had said 50,000 home invasions, then I’d start to wonder what the hell I was doing there? We have more than 214 incidents in Denver on any given DAY! I’m very heavily invested in Costa Rica too; there aint no going back for me either. Do I worry about crime in Costa Rica? No, because everytime I turn on the TV and catch the local news in Denver, it’s a freaking bloodbath! Am I vigilant in Costa Rica? You bet. But I don’t worry about crime as much there as I do in the States.
Costa Rica has a wonderful sense of magic realism, and just like in literature & art, the most incredible things can and have happened there. Where have you ever heard of a little no name groups of people taking on economically & politically powerful entities? I can quickly name a few instances in CR and there’s plenty more: Stone Container Corp in the Golfo Dulce area vs. small/remote rural communities and Harken Corp vs. indigenous people in Limon. In spite of probabilities, the little guy beat out an international goliath. I really believe that communities can and are taking action. Costa Rica should be for those who want to be part of the construction of her dreams and not those who are part of this nightmare; consequently, be aware for your own sakes, but I would hope that those that choose to live there, also choose to make it a better place to liveMy bet is on Costa Rica and the people that love to live there!
…PS. I have a good Tico friend living in NZ and he misses Costa Rica tremendously!After so many years of living in “the great monster of the north” as Cuban poet, Jose Marti called the United States, I don’t have much faith left in what the common citizen can do to change things for the better beyond keeping integrity in his personal behavior.
Wealth disparity is what moves things like increases in crime. I suspect all the neighborhood watch organizations and increases in police that can be mustered won’t do as much as you think to curb this crime trend. It will take a macro economic boom in the country to diminish crime enough to satisfy most of us.
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