- Thread starter Mcinbrass
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Crime in Santo Domingo
Haha bienamor!
We've never had that happen, but back in the 70s my husband [who wasn't my husband yet] came into his bedroom after showering to get dressed, just in time to see his tuxedo jacket being pulled towards the window on the end of a stick. He grabbed the jacket, but the stick-man got away.
Oh jeez. I almost got a place near there and o was about to close on an apartment until I mentioned it to my family and they looked at me like I had some sort of death wish. Haha
You are in the big city. There will be crime. To avoid it you need to have "street smarts". Do not carry a lot of cash or a big purse. Do not wear a lot of expensive jewerly. Stay away from suspect neighborhoods. Vary your routine and be aware of your surroundings. Sounds like common sense but many people are so focused walking and talking on their cell phones they lose touch with what is happening around them. Bad move if you live in a big city. If you go out to bars don't go by yourself. If you look for trouble it will probably find you in SD. All else fails carry a taser.
Thank you for the corroboration, however someone coming and stealing a pair of shoes with a long stick is quite different than having someone scope you out and gain your trust only to end up robbing and murdering you like what happened to Van Teasley and that Spanish Couple in Gascue recently. And in response to the poster who said move to a different area. Isnt Gascue one of the better areas of the city?
Any thing can happen anywhere! you can get robbed or shot in Gascue or Naco bella vista, or villa milla just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Watch where you are and be aware of your surroundings same as you would in Chicago Newyork City of Minneapolis.
True but it does sound as if you would like to at least try that long stick invasion.
So true. I have had friends robbed in broad daylight in Piantinj, Naco, etc. If you get robbed however, just let it be. A phone or some money is not worth a life. I have walked along these streets here in SD alone and in my barrio back in Cotui, Even at night. It's just a matter of being as cautious as you can be. I feel alright walking there because the whole town knows me and my family, but I also know not to be too naive. If someone wants to rob you, they will rob you. Just don't make it a life or death situation.
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I would guess if it happens it happens, but you might try not leaving valuables in front of your door, where they can be reached with your long stick. Or maybe closed enough that crap won't fit on the way out. goes for both doors and windows.
I've been seeing this alot in this forum and to be honest, this does more harm than any good. Saying that you have to behave in Santo Domingo "just like you would in New York" is extremely misleading. I see this time and time again in this forum and to be honest, this advice can be very dangerous.
Santo Domingo is alot more unsafe than New York. Of course, some areas are better than others, but i've lived in both cities and i know for a fact, that in NY you can walk anywhere you want talking on your phone, using expensive clothing and sometimes even wearing jewelry or whatever and most likely no one will notice or care. Even if you're talking on an Iphone 7. Of course, it can happen that you get robbed, but there are police everywhere and the chances of it happening are very low compared to Santo Domingo.
As for Santo Domingo, using your cellphone in the street, flashing money, looking like you're lost and using expensive clothes is a HUGE no no. You should be aware of your sorroundings at all times, there are "atracadores" everywhere looking for naive people like you and these people won't just snatch your purse or just rob you, they will stick a 9mm to your head and threaten to kill you if you don't do as ordered and no, it's not exageration, it has happened to me and many other relatives/friends. I'm dominican, not an expat by the way.
Zona Colonial, Ciudad Nueva and Gazcue are by far the safest and most touristy parts of Santo Domingo. This area is also where most expats and foreigners hang around, which is probably the reason why these misleading comments like "it's just like New York" are popping up so much in this forum.
Naco and Piantini are also pretty safe.. Outside of these areas, you should be extra careful and if you have to use your phone, stand in a corner or go inside the closest business.
Also, Cristo Rey is livable depending on what part of Cristo Rey you live in, because it's big, but again, extra careful. It's most definitely NOT a touristy area and some parts of Cristo Rey are baaaaaaaaad!!
As for Chicago and Minneapolis, i've never been to these cities, so i have no idea about how they compare to NY or SD. I'd have to see the murder rate.. Santo Domingo (Distrito Nacional) murder rate is at 29 per 100,000 according to the "Consejo Nacional de Seguridad Ciudadana" and New York's murder rate is at 3.9 per 100,000 inhabitants according to NYPD. So yeah, the difference, at least in murders, is abismal.
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Excellent post and perspective. I live in NY and can attest that NY is 100% more safe than Santo Domingo. At the root though is dishonesty as a whole on the part of Dominicans. For example if you leave your cellphone on the table at a restaurant 9 out of 10 times in NY it will be returned to you. In Santo Domingo 9 out of 10 times it will not. Apart from sheer robbery, things tend to grow legs there as well.
another thing contrary to common advice given here....
Many say -
Step out... visit the country... leave the resort
Yes & No on that (IMO)...
know where you are and where you're going.
As NATU says, some places are safer than others..
I have said the same for a long time.
Scams in tourist areas are one thing - murder is another.
We have too many times here where a person/couple get feeling too comfortable with their newfound 'acceptance'
It rarely ends well....
Good analysis NATU
Many say -
Step out... visit the country... leave the resort
Yes & No on that (IMO)...
know where you are and where you're going.
As NATU says, some places are safer than others..
I have said the same for a long time.
Scams in tourist areas are one thing - murder is another.
We have too many times here where a person/couple get feeling too comfortable with their newfound 'acceptance'
It rarely ends well....
Good analysis NATU
I always tell any of my friends that come here that yes they can enjoy the resorts and the tourist stuff, but I tell them when they want to see more of the country, find a trustworthy guide or have family or friends here (like me). I have take friends to cotui and many other places. In any place you should at least have a general idea of where you're going. I also don't believe we should all be living in fear traveling to New lands just because some are not accustomed to things. We just need to exercise more caution and to not be too comfortable with everything around us as things can get bad real quick. I just walked down tiradentes this morning and saw an obvious tourist looking lost with their phone out. I would of told them if they weren't on the other side of the street.
He's my father yes. I know he's been around since the beginning of dr1 haha. I'm just now starting to participate more after just reading posts all of the time.