canadian tourists robbed in POP

[dv8]

urbanization atlantico is not a crappy area.

the posters are saying this about padre granero.

 

[notreallyconfused]

Street smarts are a learned skill set. The skill set tourists employ at home is often not enough in a foreign country. It takes time and experience to develop a robust survival strategy. If you never look behind you to see if you are being targeted, you'll never see them coming. Here in the DR anything that catches the interest of a ladrone is more than enough provocation. All they then need is the opportunity and the desire to act (poverty provides more than enough desire).

If you provide the opportunity to become a victim then you have to accept that you may well become one. Unfortunately, most people aren't being stalked by tigers as prey most days, so it is understandable that they don't appreciate the nature of their environment when on vacation.

Not only that....It takes an intuition thats developed over a long period of time. tourists don't have these skill sets. Nor should they need them.

 

[kenthedentman]

Not only that....It takes an intuition thats developed over a long period of time. tourists don't have these skill sets. Nor should they need them.

Exactly. Most people see vacation as an escape from the grind, not a life and limb risking adventure in a quasi lawful land. Why cruise ships want to stop here is beyond me. But then again i dont get the whole floating holiday inn thing anyway so...

All I know, is that when family tell me they want to visit the DR, I strongly suggest the AI's. Most of my friends can handle themselves outside the AI. And I think most would just assume go to vegas. Sure it cost more but you are more likely to return home whole.

 

[Rustxko]

While it is wrong to blame the victim in my opinion, the thief and lack of systems to catch and appropriately punish him that would deter thieves are the issues.

But there is some common sense that you should apply when travelling in a different country. You have to be conscious of the wealth disparity. Would you be more on your toes back home carrying around a month or month and half's salary in large bills? Most probably would. I know I would. A lot of tourist just don't realize that is what they doing, so they're not.

I don't get the jewelry thing. I've told a couple of tourist guys before not to wear their gold chain. One of them got it right away when I said you'll get charged more at best or get killed and robbed at worst. The other blew me off. He was a tough guy.

I'm super paranoid. I rarely ever carry a phone. I wear no watch/jewelry of any kind. I never carry a large amount of cash. Larger bills are separated.

 

[wrecksum]

There has been a systematic destruction of tourism along the North coast with lack of investment,poor urban and transport infrastructure and the deliberate removal of important sources of revenue from the tourist sector.
The dream of the cruise port millions remains just that at present and will not employ many idle hands or buy leche and Pampers.

Unemployment breeds poverty.Poverty breeds want.Want breeds social breakdown which leads to increased crime.Combine this with the macho culture and the desire to emulate the rich folks,and there's a powder keg.


This is not a DR phenomenon.

But Hey! This is DR1 ,blame the victim for being stooopid, not like us clever residents,, right?

 

[dv8]

But there is some common sense that you should apply when travelling in a different country. You have to be conscious of the wealth disparity. Would you be more on your toes back home carrying around a month or month and half's salary in large bills? Most probably would. I know I would. A lot of tourist just don't realize that is what they doing, so they're not.

i disagree here. back in europe or america many people wear bling and watches that may have quite large monetary value. take decent engagement rink and a wedding band and it already adds up. most tourist come here for sun and beach and they stay in AI. they don't know about wealth disparity. they don't know much about DR, full stop. they came here for nice holidays because it was close, cheap and warm.

 

[Rustxko]

i disagree here. back in europe or america many people wear bling and watches that may have quite large monetary value. take decent engagement rink and a wedding band and it already adds up. most tourist come here for sun and beach and they stay in AI. they don't know about wealth disparity. they don't know much about DR, full stop. they came here for nice holidays because it was close, cheap and warm.

True. I should have pointed out that tourist who go unescorted through local areas who aren't staying in AIs should be aware. I'll give you the AI folks can be clueless but this stuff did't happening in a AI.

In regard to the bling, a $300 gold chain is more valuable when you make $300 a month versus $3000 a month was my point. Also, more advanced countries have a more robust criminal justice systems to punish crime which is a deterrent.

 

[dv8]

In regard to the bling, a $300 gold chain is more valuable when you make $300 a month versus $3000 a month was my point. Also, more advanced countries have a more robust criminal justice systems to punish crime which is a deterrent.

what i meant is that my set of gold rings i wore in poland is easily more than an average monthly salary there. omega watch my friend from london wears also cost more than a minimum salary in the UK. people wear bling like that back home without thinking of it's monetary value. it's something many folks put on almost unconsciously. you wake up, you put on a watch or a set of rings. there is no fear or paranoia in using them.

and unfortunately, AI tourists go out all the time: excursions.

 

[Lobo Tropical]

Street smarts are a learned skill set. The skill set tourists employ at home is often not enough in a foreign country. It takes time and experience to develop a robust survival strategy. If you never look behind you to see if you are being targeted, you'll never see them coming. Here in the DR anything that catches the interest of a ladrone is more than enough provocation. All they then need is the opportunity and the desire to act (poverty provides more than enough desire).

If you provide the opportunity to become a victim then you have to accept that you may well become one. Unfortunately, most people aren't being stalked by tigers as prey most days, so it is understandable that they don't appreciate the nature of their environment when on vacation.

So it's better for normal tourists to skip the DR altogether, or stay in Punta Cana.

 

[Lobo Tropical]

what i meant is that my set of gold rings i wore in poland is easily more than an average monthly salary there. omega watch my friend from london wears also cost more than a minimum salary in the UK. people wear bling like that back home without thinking of it's monetary value. it's something many folks put on almost unconsciously. you wake up, you put on a watch or a set of rings. there is no fear or paranoia in using them.

and unfortunately, AI tourists go out all the time: excursions.

Exactly,
I wear my Omega watch in Europe and North America(excluding Mexico) all the time.
Never in the DR.
In the DR some people (family members) are so low as to steal the wedding ring and engagement diamond of a sister.
And dumb enough to sell them for a few thousand pesos.
Dominicans deserve a special place on the scale of human evolution.

 

[Kipling333]

In the capital and in la Romana ,when a cruise boat arrives, there are almost wall to wall police as the passengers walk from the boat to the zona Colonial or to the centre of la Romana ..What happens in Puerto Plata ..are there not many police looking after the tourists??

 

[dv8]

In the capital and in la Romana ,when a cruise boat arrives, there are almost wall to wall police as the passengers walk from the boat to the zona Colonial or to the centre of la Romana ..What happens in Puerto Plata ..are there not many police looking after the tourists??

yes, there are but only on cruise days and only in the city centre where cruise tourists go.

 

[malko]

I kind of fail to the see logic in some of the comments.

"Dont wear a gold chain ". How would one know its gold ? Also should I also take off my wedding ring when I go to POP ?

Seems to me they steal the chains ( or cellphones, or handbags, or whatever ) because its EASY and FAST.
Also, they target a tourist because the chances are his chain IS gold, and not some knock-off POS or his phone is an apple and not some plastic chinese crap......
Imagine ALL the tourists/expats were street smart.
Think the ladrones will scratch their chins and bugger off and find a real job ? Or not........

Comes down to the impunity of crime in general.


I had a great idea. We could commercialise POP survival packs in the AI's.
Mismatching shoes, greasy stained jeans, ripped T-shirts with a special logo, something like I sacrificed my first born to the NRA, for the normal pack.
Deluxe upgraid would include false facial scars.
And the anti-chica option would see you outfitted with pretend herpes outbursts.......

 

[Wishing you well]

I had a great idea. We could commercialise POP survival packs in the AI's.
ripped T-shirts with a special logo, something like I sacrificed my first born to the NRA, for the normal pack.

I will fit right in, this translate into no ladrones right?

 

[GringoRubio]

I live in padre granero because I love the people. I don't know why but I'm comfortable around the extremely poor.

True story is that my dad recently died and I brought my dad's stash of diabetic supplies because I know my neighbor suffers terribly from the disease. I was almost too late as she nearly died. Her family couldn't afford the insulin. It was touch and go, but she literally walked away from her death bed.

So, think about somebody entering the neighborhood with the equivalent of your mother's life hanging around their neck. What would you do? Nothing and go home to watch your mother die for the equivalent of 800 pesos or take the chain?

It wouldn't be an easy answer for me.

And, yeah, the victim should know better. You might as well walk around naked with $100 bills for pasties. I don't think most Westerners can wrap their heads around how poor these people really are.

 

[josh2203]

So it's better for normal tourists to skip the DR altogether, or stay in Punta Cana.

To be honest, while I do have respect for Puerto Plata for being somewhat safe environtment to live, as it?s been confirmed by other posters as well, for a normal tourist, beyond the usual (teleferico, Amber museum) there?s close to nothing to see or do here.

We used to travel extensive as a family when I was a kid, and before entering the soil of the DR, I haven?t even heard of an AI concept. I think they existed in the countries (Asia, African coast) we visited, but we never stayed in them. We were far from poor and we traveled everywhere, but catched zero attention. So I can safely say may parents were street smart.

However, the usual hotel concept does not, in my opinion, even exist properly in POP region, so people coming here are not even encouraged to see what?s local outside of excursions. Almost all tourist zones in POP are outside of the city, and it?s been made difficult to get to the city thanks to the friendly taxi unions. Were things different, I believe more street smart people would arrive to POP.

 

[jruane44]

I live in padre granero because I love the people. I don't know why but I'm comfortable around the extremely poor.

True story is that my dad recently died and I brought my dad's stash of diabetic supplies because I know my neighbor suffers terribly from the disease. I was almost too late as she nearly died. Her family couldn't afford the insulin. It was touch and go, but she literally walked away from her death bed.

So, think about somebody entering the neighborhood with the equivalent of your mother's life hanging around their neck. What would you do? Nothing and go home to watch your mother die for the equivalent of 800 pesos or take the chain?

It wouldn't be an easy answer for me.

And, yeah, the victim should know better. You might as well walk around naked with $100 bills for pasties. I don't think most Westerners can wrap their heads around how poor these people really are.

There must be a lot of people with mothers, on their death bed, with all the crime going on. Keep blaming the victim.

 

[dv8]

So, think about somebody entering the neighborhood with the equivalent of your mother's life hanging around their neck. What would you do? Nothing and go home to watch your mother die for the equivalent of 800 pesos or take the chain?

this is a tired argument. the thieves in this case could afford a moto. and gas for it. and clothing on their back. contrary to your argument they are not poverty stricken hungry skeletons with barely a sheet covering their groin who have explored every other option of providing the food for their disease ridden family members. they are young, dumb and lazy. yes, poor. yes, lacking opportunities. but not forced into a life of crime due to unspeakable destitution. they chose a life of crime because it's easy. kinda like my maid says: esa mas facil a planchar con la espalda de con la plancha. life of hooking and life of stealing are simple and easy choices that require no skill, no training and no effort. get real. if every poor dominican was to attack and rob the rich ones there's be a revolution here long time ago.

 

[Harleysrock]

I live in padre granero because I love the people. I don't know why but I'm comfortable around the extremely poor.

True story is that my dad recently died and I brought my dad's stash of diabetic supplies because I know my neighbor suffers terribly from the disease. I was almost too late as she nearly died. Her family couldn't afford the insulin. It was touch and go, but she literally walked away from her death bed.

So, think about somebody entering the neighborhood with the equivalent of your mother's life hanging around their neck. What would you do? Nothing and go home to watch your mother die for the equivalent of 800 pesos or take the chain?

It wouldn't be an easy answer for me.

And, yeah, the victim should know better. You might as well walk around naked with $100 bills for pasties. I don't think most Westerners can wrap their heads around how poor these people really are.

There is never an excuse to be a thief and I don't care how poor you are, there are ALWAYS other ways to deal with things.

 

[the gorgon]

this is a tired argument. the thieves in this case could afford a moto. and gas for it. and clothing on their back. contrary to your argument they are not poverty stricken hungry skeletons with barely a sheet covering their groin who have explored every other option of providing the food for their disease ridden family members. they are young, dumb and lazy. yes, poor. yes, lacking opportunities. but not forced into a life of crime due to unspeakable destitution. they chose a life of crime because it's easy. kinda like my maid says: esa mas facil a planchar con la espalda de con la plancha. life of hooking and life of stealing are simple and easy choices that require no skill, no training and no effort. get real. if every poor dominican was to attack and rob the rich ones there's be a revolution here long time ago.

say no more. this is everything in a nutshell. when these rodents rob someone on the malecon, they are not heading off to the mercado to get abuela a piece of yuca. by later in the day ,they have bought 4 Aeropostale shirts. ok..so they are counterfeits..