Expats Victims of Theft

If you're an expat, have you been a victim of theft? (Read OP, then vote)


  • Total voters
    51

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
13,368
3,150
113
This poll was suggested by Givadogahome almost a month ago. I totally forgot about it, sorry about about that.

If you're an expat, have you been a victim of theft?

A) Yes, at home.
B) Yes, on the street.
C) Yes, at a business (clubs, hotels, restaurants, etc).*
D) Never


*Being a victim of a rip-off doesn't count.

For those that have been victims, explain:

1. For how long have you been an expat in the Dominican Republic?
2. How many times has it happened?
3. Do you think there's a good chance it will happen again?
4. Are you considering moving? If so, to another part of the country or abroad?
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
A. Yes, 3 times.

B. Yes, i1 time

Can it happen again, nadie sabe.

No plans to move from the DR.

Why move, no place is truly safe.

When I lived on my boat in Samana harbor, one morning when walking from the dock on the island at the end of the bridge to town to catch the employee bus to my job at Hotel Gran Bahia. This was early in the morning, abut 8 am. I was mugged by a guy who stepped out of some bushes. He hit me across the side of my head with his machete, breaking my jaw in 2 places and cutting off my ear lob. When I recovered consciousness, I walked back to the dock, called for my wife to get me in the dinghy and take me to the doctor.

Later I went to Boston for some dental work because my teeth weren't lining up properly making chewing difficult. While there I told my story to a local. After hearing my story he told hie his. He had been jogging in the largest public park in Boston a few days previously when a man stepped out of the bushes, stuck a pistol in his stomach and took his money and his watch.

He was not planning to leave Boston.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
982
113
1. For how long have you been an expat in the Dominican Republic?
12 years
2. How many times has it happened?
Once, wallet nicked from my bag in the supermarket
3. Do you think there's a good chance it will happen again?
Yes, no one is immune though I am more vigilant when in the city
4. Are you considering moving? If so, to another part of the country or abroad?
Yes, we moved to a safer part of the country, Punta Cana. The capital was getting scarier. No immediate plans to move abroad.
 

KateP

Silver
May 28, 2004
2,845
6
38
1. 15 years
2. Twice
3. Could happen but I do my best to be aware of things going on around me and taking precautionary measures.
4. Hell no, could happen anywhere in the world.

About 9 years ago when I used to live in Santo Domingo, I was walking down the left side of the street to work with my purse on my right shoulder when a motorcycle came up behind me with 2 guys, the passenger cut my purse strap and they took off with it. Just so happened to be payday and I of course had my passport in my purse along with my cards, cel phone, keys, etc. What a mess... :S Since then, whenever a motorcycle comes up behind me, I automatically turn around and make sure he's not up to anything. The second time was at the race track and I had left a backpack in a friend's truck and someone broke in and took it. Thankfully it only had my house keys, clothes and about 200 pesos. I felt worse for my friend who had to get his car door fixed.

Lessons learned: Leave the passport at home, only carry the credit/debit cards that I need with me, make sure a friend always has a copy of my house keys, don't leave bags and purses on the front or back seat of the car where anyone can see them and be aware of things going on around me.
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
5,485
338
63
1. For how long have you been an expat in the Dominican Republic?
eleven years
2. How many times has it happened?
once had chain ripped off neck when on bike with motoconcho. Once had hand bag nicked from restaurant. Once shot with attempted burglary at home
3. Do you think there's a good chance it will happen again?
Not if stay away from tourist areas and the capital
4. Are you considering moving? If so, to another part of the country or abroad?
I moved to a different part of the country but not because of the crime. Unlikely to leave the DR.
 

Acira

Silver
Sep 20, 2009
2,510
115
0
www.blazingfuries.com
1. For how long have you been an expat in the Dominican Republic? Almost 3 years
2. How many times has it happened? once
3. Do you think there's a good chance it will happen again? No
4. Are you considering moving? If so, to another part of the country or abroad? No
 

whirleybird

Silver
Feb 27, 2006
3,264
322
83
1. For how long have you been an expat in the Dominican Republic?
5 years, 8 months.
2. How many times has it happened?
Once, handbag stolen from back seat of vehicle - full story here http://www.dr1.com/forums/living/114474-adventure-capital-how-renew-residency-cedula-hard-way.html
3. Do you think there's a good chance it will happen again?
Learned a big lesson so hopefully not the same way but who knows.
4. Are you considering moving? If so, to another part of the country or abroad?
No, but would certainly NOT move to the capital.
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
Any way to know how long those who have never been a victim have actually lived in the DR?
 

expatsooner

Bronze
Aug 7, 2004
712
11
0
1. lived there nine years
2. happened twice (they climbed up building wall to enter into our third floor apartment windows - came back for second time before bars could be completed on windows)
3. won't happen again since we no longer live there - but probably wouldn't have happened again in the same way anyway - we had bars put on the windows and doors afterwards - but of course anyone can become a victim again - odds are lower if you take common sense precautions however
4. moving away wasn't related to theft - just got a bit of the wanderlust virus and desire to go somewhere different
 
Last edited:

Bob K

Silver
Aug 16, 2004
2,520
121
63
Before moving here had a chain ripped off my neck by a moto.
1. six years
2 Just that once before moving here
3 No as i don't wear any gold chains anymore
4. Never a thought of leaving as this is home and i feel safer here then many places i have been to in the US and else where.

Bob K
 

Reidy620

Bronze
Mar 30, 2008
620
59
0
61
www.casaellie.com
During last day of holiday in October 2010 had gold chain ripped from my neck at the very top end of PC on the small road back towards the main highway.
1. For how long have you been an expat in the Dominican Republic?
Still in the "visiting as many times a year as we can" stage but has visited many, many times.
2. How many times has it happened?
Only the once, thank goodness.
3. Do you think there's a good chance it will happen again?
No, I took the advice of not wearing jewelry at all; apart from a cheap watch.
4. Are you considering moving? If so, to another part of the country or abroad?
N/A at the moment.
Tropical Regards
Ian & Ellie
anpalmisl.gif
 

pelaut

Bronze
Aug 5, 2007
1,089
33
48
www.ThornlessPath.com
Yup. I got 32 years and never been heisted, burglarized, mugged or vandalized.
I'm sure tomorrow will be my lucky day.

You're right, Ken. Time in grade needs to be weight averaged into the stats for any real meaning.
 

La Profe_1

Moderator: Daily Headline News, Travel & Tourism
Oct 15, 2003
2,293
868
113
Lived here over ten years. Had two incidents - one when a burglar entered second floor apartment before bars were installed and once had a guy on a motorcycle try to rip a chain from my neck. Obviously, something could happen again, but I now have bars and gates and am very careful about walking or wearing any jewelry except for a silver watch and cross.

I have been told that most moto-ladrones look for yellow gold since they think that anything white metal is silver - even if it happens to be white gold or platinum.
 

CFA123

Silver
May 29, 2004
3,512
413
83
1. For how long have you been an expat in the Dominican Republic?
9 years
2. How many times has it happened?
Twice. 1) Cabarete - Pickpocketed on street & 2) Santiago - Personal items stolen while police using house for command center during kidnap investigation
3. Do you think there's a good chance it will happen again?
Same crimes, no. Other problems, potentially. It's usually possible to avoid high risk areas or activities. The problem is when trouble comes looking for you - and that can happen unexpectedly anywhere.
4. Are you considering moving? If so, to another part of the country or abroad?
No intent to move.
 

caribmike

Gold
Jul 9, 2009
6,808
202
63
1. For how long have you been an expat in the Dominican Republic? Almost 15 years
2. How many times has it happened? once - cellphone ripped from belt while on scooter
3. Do you think there's a good chance it will happen again? cellphone thing not
4. Are you considering moving? If so, to another part of the country or abroad? No
 

VJS

Bronze
Sep 19, 2010
846
0
36
1. Not a true expat but spent about 70% of the last 1.5 years in DR

2. Once. Was travelling in a car between San Francisco and Cabarete when a car broke down about 20 minutes before Gaspar Hernandez. I thought I ran out of gas and a guy passing on a moto offered me a lift to the nearest colmado to buy some gas - they sell them in 1 gallon bottles. I went leaving my girlfriend in the car. When I got back in 10 minutes, a bunch of guys who were repairing the road nearby were around the car trying to "help" to start it - one of them must have snuck in and stole items from a bag on the backseat including a macbook pro laptop and a digital camera - I only noticed hours later unfortunately (lots of presidente was consumed while on the road). The next day I went back to the road crew and was able to buy my laptop back for 5K pesos. Never got the camera back though.

3. Probably.

4. No.
 

laurajane

Bronze
May 23, 2005
1,230
214
63
www.thecircusofdreams.com
1. 8 years
2. Once, Intruder in the house in the middle of the night.
3. Yes I do think there is a good chance it will happen again.
4. Yes we are strongly considering a Move to the UK as my husband was held up at gun point directly outside our home last week. I have not included that in poll as it did not happen to me directly. I do not feel safe here, never have really but now I have two young children to consider and I feel I am doing them an injustice not giving them a safer country to live in.
 

minerva_feliz

New member
May 4, 2009
458
22
0
Any way to know how long those who have never been a victim have actually lived in the DR?

5 years. Never been a victim of theft, robbery, or burglary.

I attribute that equally to luck, location, a little common sense and simple proactive safety measures.

Have had a few other not-so-pleasant experiences but those are not the topic at hand.
 

donluis99

Bronze
Jul 12, 2004
721
16
0
1. For how long have you been an expat in the Dominican Republic? 12 years
2. How many times has it happened? House broke into 2x, both times right after returning to work from lunch.

1st. time they came over an 8' block wall, they took about blew the bars of the window very easily and took about RD$75,000 woth of stuff, that was 2006 so RD30 - US$1.

We reacted with electrified barbed wire around the top of the wall, but

2 years later they came through the chain link fence middle of the afternoon, nieghbor seen from her balcony, started screaming, call ed the police, 6 hooded houdlums took off, they still carried away about RD$60,000 of electronics and wifeys jewelery.

3. Do you think there's a good chance it will happen again? Could but now harder for them, now 12 foot perimeter wall topped with 6 lines carring 17,000 volts
4. Are you considering moving? Yes 2017 repatriate to the USA finish raising my kids there.

g'luck