[sjm1580]

Scott,

This issue is clearly not run its course. There has been far more interest in this posting than any other in the recent past. Just analyze the number of postings versus others. I realize it is not comfortable for you and others to discuss, but I am assuming this discussion maybe very helpful to others considering moving to Costa Rica.

Thank you

[sjm1580]

Scott,

I appreciate your candor in the last response. I take everything I read with a grain of salt. Just because it is a written word does not make it, as they say Gospel. I think it is truly important for anyone reading articles on your website, your book (which I have not read) or any other media to take a objective look at what is written or said and decide for themselves if it makes sense. For anyone on this website to say crime in Costa Rica is not getting worse has been sniffing glue out of a paper bag (in my humble opinion) . This should certainly be one of the more important factors for anyone considering investing in real estate in Costa Rica and is certainly worth as much web space, as say promoting real estate sales people throughout Costa Rica.

Again my thoughts….

[sjm1580]

Scott,

You are welcome for the airport listings in Mexico. Are you still saying there are not ten times the Americans in Mexico? If you wish to denigrate my statements please respond with facts to back up your statements. Again, the rest is just dribble as the Brits say.

Did you remove the post with the question about the VIP members opinions of crime in Costa Rica? If you did, I question if this site is really an open forum or just your vessel to pedal books and Costa Rican Realtors (whatever Costa Rican Realtor means).

As your website states in it’s sub-title ” Expert Costa Rica Real Estate, Living & Retirement Information to help you live the good life”. Expert is an easy term to throw around but much more difficult to attain.

I wonder where the experts are on this site………

[sjm1580]

Scott,

You are obviously a smart fellow, starting this website, writing a book on how to buy property in Costa Rica without losing you shirt. Since I believe you are a smart guy, and as such, you should certainly realize it is not wise on your own website to pull your pants down in front of everyone and yell look at me.

Please tell me how many US Citizens are in Mexico compared to Costa Rica. Do “we all know that there are not ten times more”? Have you ever been to a border crossing in Mexico and see how many US Citizens cross the border each day just to visit? Not to mention the various international airports that accept international flights, such as:
Acapulco MMAA ACA General Juan N. Álvarez International Airport
Aguascalientes MMAS AGU Lic. Jesús Terán Peredo International Airport
Campeche MMCP CPE Ing. Alberto Acuña Ongay International Airport
Cancún MMUN CUN Cancún International Airport
Chetumal MMCM CTM Chetumal International Airport
Chihuahua MMCU CUU General Roberto Fierro Villalobos International Airport
Ciudad del Carmen MMCE CME Ciudad del Carmen International Airport
Ciudad Juárez MMCS CJS Abraham González International Airport
Ciudad Obregón MMCN CEN Ciudad Obregón International Airport
Ciudad Victoria MMCV CVM General Pedro J. Méndez International Airport
Colima Colima MMIA CLQ Lic. Miguel de la Madrid Airport
Cozumel MMCZ CZM Cozumel International Airport
Culiacán MMCL CUL Federal de Bachigualato International Airport
Durango MMDO DGO General Guadalupe Victoria International Airport
Guadalajara MMGL GDL Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport
Hermosillo MMHO HMO General Ignacio Pesqueira Garcia International Airport
Huatulco MMBT HUX Bahías de Huatulco International Airport
Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo MMZH ZIH Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo International Airport
La Paz Baja California MMLP LAP Manuel Márquez de León International Airport
Lázaro Cárdenas MMLC LZC Lázaro Cárdenas Airport
León Guanajuato MMLO BJX Del Bajío International Airport
Loreto Baja California Sur MMLT LTO Loreto International Airport
Los Mochis MMLM LMM Federal del Valle del Fuerte International Airport
Manzanillo MMZO ZLO Playa de Oro International Airport
Matamoros MMMA MAM General Servando Canales International Airport
Mazatlán MMMZ MZT General Rafael Buelna International Airport
Mérida Yucatán MMMD MID Manuel Crescencio Rejón International Airport
Mexicali MMML MXL General Rodolfo Sánchez Taboada International Airport
Mexico City Distrito Federal MMMX MEX Mexico City International Airport (Benito Juárez Int’l)
Minatitlán Veracruz MMMT MTT Minatitlán/Coatzacoalcos National Airport
Monclova Coahuila MMMV LOV Venustiano Carranza International Airport
Monterrey Nuevo León MMMY MTY General Mariano Escobedo International Airport
Monterrey Nuevo Leon MMAN NTR Del Norte International Airport
Morelia Michoacán MMMM MLM General Francisco J. Mujica International Airport
Nogales Sonora MMNG NOG Nogales International Airport
Nuevo Laredo Tamaulipas MMNL NLD Quetzalcóatl International Airport
Oaxaca Oaxaca MMOX OAX Xoxocotlán International Airport
Palenque Chiapas MMPQ PQM Palenque International Airport
Piedras Negras Coahuila MMPG PDS Piedras Negras International Airport
Poza Rica Veracruz MMPA PAZ El Tajín National Airport
Puebla Puebla MMPB PBC Hermanos Serdán International Airport
Puerto Escondido MMPS PXM Puerto Escondido International Airport
Puerto Peñasco MMPE PPE Puerto Peñasco International Airport
Puerto Vallarta MMPR PVR Lic. Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport
Querétaro MMQT QRO Querétaro International Airport
Reynosa MMRX REX General Lucio Blanco International Airport
Saltillo MMIO SLW Plan de Guadalupe International Airport
San Cristóbal de las Casas MMSC SZT San Cristóbal de las Casas National Airport
San Felipe Baja California MMSF SFH San Felipe International Airport
San José del Cabo Baja California Sur MMSD SJD Los Cabos International Airport
San Luis Potosí San Luis Potosí MMSP SLP Ponciano Arriaga International Airport
Tampico MMTM TAM General Francisco Javier Mina International Airport
Tapachula Chiapas MMTP TAP Tapachula International Airport
Tijuana Baja California MMTJ TIJ General Abelardo L. Rodríguez International Airport
Toluca State of Mexico MMTO TLC Lic. Adolfo López Mateos International Airport
Torreón MMTC TRC Francisco Sarabia International Airport
Tuxtla Gutiérrez MMTG TGZ Ángel Albino Corzo International Airport
Uruapan MMPN UPN Uruapan International Airport
Veracruz MMVR VER General Heriberto Jara International Airport
Villahermosa MMVA VSA Carlos Rovirosa Pérez International Airport

Scott, listed above are just the international airports; How many international airports does Costa Rica have? Do you want to talk about international sea ports? I think you should really think before you type.

The term “total crime” is used by the same source, so a reasonable person would think “total crime” would mean the same in both places. You go on the say “Our VIP Members are naturally more concerned with the crime rates in the areas where they are living and where they might plan on living in the future”; Scott, you are the first one to mention Mexico, so to make sure VIP members would not get inaccurate information, I tried to correct your confusing statistical analysis.

You said “When someone plans to retire in the USA, they would be foolish to base their overall decision on the the crime rate in the worst city in the USA which is the nation’s capital Washington DC which has a murder rate of 35.4 per capita compared to San Jose, Costa Rica’s of 7.3 according to the OIJ)”. Who in the world is comparing this to any City in the Costa Rica or the US? I really can’t, for the life of me understand you listing the murder rates in certain US cities. I’m sure you will tell me, but who cares for the sake of this conversation. This has nothing to do with anything I have been discussing so far. I’m pleased you are now correctly using statistics. I’m guessing Nigeria has a higher murder rate, but who cares as it relates to our discussion. Remember, you brought up Mexico versus Costa Rica and now versus the US. I am trying to develop a discussion of the rising crime rate in Costa Rica, not Mexico, not the US or any other country.

Now you want to know my background. OK, I am 44 years old, retired, from hard work, no inheritance; just hard work and a little luck. I have homes in Montana and Florida and have been traveling regularly to Costa Rica since 1982 (26 years or so). I have traveled, surfed, and fished my way from one end of Costa Rica to the other. No, I do not live in a gated, guarded condo in Santa Ana.

If you have lived in Costa Rica for any significant period of time, certainly you have been to Dominical. If you have, then you must remember Memo of Rancho Memos (it is now called San Clemente). I remember talking to him in 1991 about the problem of rising crime in “his” Country. We were at the time in negotiations to buy Rancho Memos; back in 1991 we weren’t as fortunate financially as we are today, so it was not feasible for us. I have always been prepared to purchase property in Costa Rica, but the rising crime problem has prevented me from doing so (maybe to my misfortune).

Scott, Just because someone has lived in Costa Rica for 10 years, written a book and has a website does not make that person the exhaulted potentate of Costa Rican knowledge, nor does it me for traveling there for 26 or more years (by the way, you have a very good website).

Statistics are what they are, Costa Rica has a crime problem. Maybe or maybe not compared to Detroit, Mexico City, or Nigeria, but it does.

Please don’t pull your pants down in front of everyone again.

By the way, I Love Costa Rica, also…..

[sjm1580]

Scott,

Your statistics are poorly presented. Of course Mexico has a larger number of deaths than Costa Rica, it is a much larger Country. The homicide rate in Mexico (per capita) which is an apple for apple comparison is 19/1000 persons. Scott, guess what it is in Costa Rica? (19/1000 persons). A more interesting statistic is overall total crime on a per capita basis comparing Mexico and Costa Rica.

Total Crimes Per Capita: Mexico 39 crimes / 1000 persons
Costa Rica 41 crimes / 1000 persons

(reference: NationMaster.com)

Interesting when comparing apples to apples……..

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Note From Moderator – According to sjm580’s own source – NationMaster – his ‘total crime numbers’ are WRONG.

[ http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_tot_cri_percap-crime-total-crimes-per-capita ] the total crimes per capita in Mexico is 12.8406 per 1,000 people – Costa Rica is at 11.9788 per 1,000 people but I am guessing that with Mexicos population [ http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/peo_pop-people-population ] at 103,089,100 versus Costa Rica’s at 4,327,228 – Mexico’s reporting structure is a little more complicated

[sjm1580]

From 2008 Jane’s Information Group:

“Renowned for being one of the safest countries in Central America, Costa Rica is beginning to suffer from increasing rates of violent crime and murder. An April 2008 opinion poll indicated that Costa Ricans view insecurity as the most important issue facing the government, even above the rising cost of living.”

“Crime rates are still low on a comparative basis; in 2007 the murder rate was 6.6 murders per 100,000, the lowest in Central America. However, violent crime is rising more rapidly, with the government stating in early 2008 that robbery rates have risen by 700 per cent since 1990, while drug-related crime is up 280 per cent in the same period. Moreover, crime is becoming more visible; the execution-style killing of five Panamanians in Costa Rica in January 2008 sparked widespread concern about the impact of drugs trafficking on crime rates in the country. Indeed, the police stated that the murders reflected a growing trend for contract killings connected to the drugs trade.”

[sjm1580]

Scott,

You think your thoughts are right on target and I think mine are. Costa Rica has a real crime problem, whether you are prepared or not to acknowledge that fact. I know this is not comfortable for you to talk about but it is a fact (by the way I am sorry about your stereo). It conflicts with you promoting Costa Rica realtors and real estate and I apologize for that, but the reality is theft is a big problem in Costa Rica.

Comparisons? Why not tells us the “hundreds” of the Tico homes that have not been broken into. I would be very interested in you producing that list….. Then we can talk about comparisons.

The Costa Rican Government is whom I speak of, that is not able to provide basic security for their citizens (by basic security I am referring to the lack of private property security, not some gringo shooting people from his rooftop).

My thoughts….

[sjm1580]

GringoTico:

Finally a realistic view of the crime issues facing this beautiful Country. It is a shame that the Government of Costa Rica has been unable to get a grasp of crime in their Country, which at the end of the day everyone pays for. Everyone pays including the realtors this site promotes, the gringos investing in Costa Rica and most importantly the Costa Rican people. I know it’s hard to believe, but I get a kick out of the people on this site who say crime is worse in New York City, Chicago, Nicaragua etc.; they miss the point completely. Sure you can look anywhere and make ridiculous comparisons, but crime in Costa Rica is a real problem (#1 problem facing their Country according to Costa Ricans polled) and anyone who argues that point is out of touch, or has a agenda that makes acknowledging this fact in conflict with that agenda.

Again my thoughts, but I think they are right on target.

[sjm1580]

Sprite,

Why don’t you start your own Why I Love Costa Rica thread, and you and all your buddies can sit in Chicago and stroke yourselves about your love of the Tropics. You might get a lot of attention that way (“a much longer thread”).

[sjm1580]

I have received my answer from Lotus, Sprite and others that there is not a lot of crime in Costa Rica. I am now ready to invest my hard earned money in real estate in Costa Rica. I like many others “Love Costa Rica” and have now gotten enough assurances from subscribers that there is not a crime problem in Costa Rica (except for the stolen sock and Imperials) that I am ready to take the plunge.

Thank you for your input.

[sjm1580]

vbcruiser, you are to kind to Sprite…..

“Sprite: I can’t believe you stooped to driving a car. What’s up with that?

Once again you missed the point… “

vbcruiser; Sprite not only misses the point, he misses the boat, train, plane etc…

You summed it up:

1. crime is the number one concern for Costa Ricans
2. a national emergency

vbcruiser, I just wanted to see if the folks that frequent this discussion board get it like you do, and obviously the Costa Ricans do….

[sjm1580]

I can tell from Sprite’s postings that he has been scarred from that experience.

[sjm1580]

Scott,

Thank you for your reply. Would you say crime such as theft is as bad in London, Georgetown, Grand Cayman and New York City as it is in San Jose?

[sjm1580]

Mr Editer, I can see from your response you have the ability to edit up to the 12th grade. I am very impressed with your abilities. You have seemed to miss the point all together. My opinion of Ticos is very high and fortunately as I am sure you know, being the exalted potentate of Costa Rican affairs, the percentage of the population of Ticos that are criminals is low, however the small percentage seems to be going unchecked.

Good luck in San Isidro, I am certain the locals are going to love you and your editing abilities.

[sjm1580]

Lotus,

You are correct Argentina and Chile are very nice places as is Costa Rica. I believe my perspective is quite clear and I hope yours is also.

Thanks for your concern.

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