I happened to be visiting the local massage parlor, not as a patron (of course) but visiting the owner, in Boca Chica last Wednesday night. When there was a hell of a disturbance out front and one of the "medical specialists" asked me if I had a phone and to call 911.
Turns out two desperadoes with pistolas are robbing the place and slugged two girls with their guns. NO gunfire though.
So, as to the 911 request - I do and I did, getting in this order: Operator "emergencia" - tell her I need the Boca Chica PN. OK, ring, ring - PN - Santo Domingo. No help there. Operator, again, whoops wrong city - just a minute - ring ring, PN - San Pedro. Yipes, wrong again - once again, ring, ring - PN, Andres (close but no cigar).
So I tell her - Politur, Boca Chica - (some of them have guns at least) -ring, ring, no answer.
So then I hang up, call my hotel and tell the night manager to call the PN/Politur on their local numbers and send them running. As far as I know they either didn't understand him or didn't come none too quick.
So....I hide my wallet and keys (other than RD$500 to be "found" and taken from me if they were there) and peek out front - the banditos are long gone so I go to the street where the "medical specialists" are sobbing and shaking, etc.
So I flag down and promise 2 motoconcho drivers $RD100 to the first to succeed and to go to the PN and/or Politur stations and BRING the cops back. Needless to say it was like Mario Andretti vs. Paul Tracy.
Politur arrived first. I say "arrived" as meaning they overshot the doorway by 100 yards at 75 km/h and had to be called to a stop so they didn't drive into the autopista and get hit by a gua-gua.
Moral of the story, save the Codetel card time and use the 911 motoconcho service. FYI- as a public service and unlike anywhere else I have been Codetel charges for the airtime to call 911.
Like the Shadow, I slipped into the night without a statement etc. No sense in them discovering my alter ego.
Turns out two desperadoes with pistolas are robbing the place and slugged two girls with their guns. NO gunfire though.
So, as to the 911 request - I do and I did, getting in this order: Operator "emergencia" - tell her I need the Boca Chica PN. OK, ring, ring - PN - Santo Domingo. No help there. Operator, again, whoops wrong city - just a minute - ring ring, PN - San Pedro. Yipes, wrong again - once again, ring, ring - PN, Andres (close but no cigar).
So I tell her - Politur, Boca Chica - (some of them have guns at least) -ring, ring, no answer.
So then I hang up, call my hotel and tell the night manager to call the PN/Politur on their local numbers and send them running. As far as I know they either didn't understand him or didn't come none too quick.
So....I hide my wallet and keys (other than RD$500 to be "found" and taken from me if they were there) and peek out front - the banditos are long gone so I go to the street where the "medical specialists" are sobbing and shaking, etc.
So I flag down and promise 2 motoconcho drivers $RD100 to the first to succeed and to go to the PN and/or Politur stations and BRING the cops back. Needless to say it was like Mario Andretti vs. Paul Tracy.
Politur arrived first. I say "arrived" as meaning they overshot the doorway by 100 yards at 75 km/h and had to be called to a stop so they didn't drive into the autopista and get hit by a gua-gua.
Moral of the story, save the Codetel card time and use the 911 motoconcho service. FYI- as a public service and unlike anywhere else I have been Codetel charges for the airtime to call 911.
Like the Shadow, I slipped into the night without a statement etc. No sense in them discovering my alter ego.