Warning from US Goverment

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Buzzard

Well-known member
Feb 28, 2004
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Costambar
Just opened the following email:

Recently, two criminal incidents on highways have come to the attention of the Embassy.
In one case, two persons were pulled over on Carretera Sanchez just west of San Cristobal by a vehicle with
?police? markings and nine armed men in police and military-style uniforms.
The victims were forced into the back seat of their car and taken to an isolated area
where they were robbed of their valuables (money, jewels, computers, cameras).
Although they were threatened with harm, they were not injured.
According to the Dominican National Police, the men were not actual police officers, but imposters.

In another case, two persons stopped to purchase souvenirs along Autopista Duarte near La Vega
when three armed men took their rental car and drove away.
Again, they were threatened with harm, but were not injured.
The car was later recovered, but all their personal items were missing.
 
G

greydread

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Jan 3, 2007
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Mauricio said:
He's not buying the part of the police men being imposters. Me neither.
Click to expand...

Actually, there's a few items in the State Department advisory pertaining to varying degrees of lawlessness among Dominican police as well as police impersonators among the criminal element.

They don't use rumor in official travel advisories but rely upon multiple instances of similar crimes reported by U.S. citizens who have been victimized.
 
J

ju10prd

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Can anyone find the reported event west of San Cristobel in the local press. I've come up a blank on this story. Would like to know location of robbery.....before or after carretera joins autopista west of San Cristobel?

Nothing coming up on La Vega robbery too.

Don't foreigners report robberies to local authorities or perhaps the car hire companies involved are keeping things quiet locally?
 
caribmike

caribmike

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Jul 9, 2009
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markryan said:
Careful or not kinda hard to avoid this kind of thing
Click to expand...

I usually accelerate or avoid eye contact pretending I am looking at something on the other side or playing annoyed at the driver in front of me, past several "controls" that way so far. If there is a real stop, we have our Genaral and Colonel, lol.

Of course as a tourist or visitor one does not know better...
 
G

greydread

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Jan 3, 2007
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U.S. Embassy advice: When you see a roadblock ahead back up and GTHOOT in the other direction.
 
CristoRey

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
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greydread said:
https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/dominican-republic.html

I'm buying it and the folks at the US Embassy in Santo Domingo are buying it. Consider the warning heeded.
Click to expand...

Imposters, lol, ok sure, whatever helps these people sleep at night.
I?ve been living mostly in barrios since moving down here four years ago.
That I choose to live in these areas I?ve probably spent more
time interacting / dealing with the police then most of you because they are often
curious, yet confused as to why a ?rich?gringo would live this way.
I?m willing to bet the ?imposters? these expats at the Embassy are talking
about are very real PN.

Again, I ain?t buying the bs these folks are selling so.. might I add... buyer beware.
 
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D

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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ju10prd said:
Can anyone find the reported event west of San Cristobel in the local press. I've come up a blank on this story. Would like to know location of robbery.....before or after carretera joins autopista west of San Cristobel?
Nothing coming up on La Vega robbery too.
Don't foreigners report robberies to local authorities or perhaps the car hire companies involved are keeping things quiet locally?
Click to expand...

lots of attacks, assaults and robberies involving foreigners do not make it into the news. often when i research some particular event i have to go through local blogs, FB and sites dedicated specifically to particular city/area. if this happened within the last two weeks it's likely it was not covered at all as lots of local media was all about elections.
 
J

ju10prd

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dv8 said:
lots of attacks, assaults and robberies involving foreigners do not make it into the news. often when i research some particular event i have to go through local blogs, FB and sites dedicated specifically to particular city/area. if this happened within the last two weeks it's likely it was not covered at all as lots of local media was all about elections.
Click to expand...

Keep looking.

US Embassy got the details somewhere.
 
N

notreallyconfused

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Feb 18, 2013
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I thought this might be a good thread to tell a story that happened to me somewhere between Puerto Plata and Sosua way back. I was staying at an AI and it was my first time in the DR. Since I am very adventurous I decided to rent a couple of jeeps with a friend from a local dude he knew. We got our two old busted up suzukis and headed out to dinner and to party. My friend had his Dad and his wife, and I had a couple of people in my jeep. We went for dinner and drove to a couple of places that my friend had known of since he had been vacationing there often. After a night of partying we decided around 3am it was time go back. On the way I was following my friend and up in the distance I saw what appeared to be a fire in the road. As I got closer I could see it was a jeepeta burning. As we approached I started to slow down and my sixth senses started signaling DANGER. There were parts of the car all over the road as if it had exploded, or strategically placed all over the road. Realizing something was very wrong(apart from the car on fire) I started to roll to a stop because I didnt want to go any closer knowing I would be boxed in. At that same moment about 5 men came out of nowhere and started running up to my friends jeep reaching in the car. At that point I started to put the car in 1st so I could make a U turn. As I started to proceed, about 25 other people with Machettes and sticks on fire( like the ones you would see in some african village) came from behind the brush and started running towards my car. I started to feel stones hit the car and I didnt have time to do a K turn(I didnt want the jeep to tip in the ditch) so I just kept going praying that I would clear the ditch and not fall in....it was close...and we made it and got out of there. My friend was able to make the turn as well, but his wifes head was split open by a rock and she needed stiches. Both jeeps were a complete mess. I never told this story on this forum or any other. Those men would have killed us, I have no doubt in my mind even today. I was able to see the white of there eyes as I made the turn and started gunning it out of there. They looked possessed and crazy. Driving around a 3rd world country like its your own back yard isn't to smart.
 
P

pauleast

*** I love DR1 ***
Jan 29, 2012
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That's some crazy sheet. I try not to drive at all at night, its dangerous. Drunks etc.
 
Hillbilly

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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In that last story, I am willing to bet that you ran into a "popular" protest about something. They do get violent with anyone trying to pass by their
area of protest. I once had this happen in Santiago. I went forward--after all I had nothing to do with the protest--and some axxhole
threw a rock at my vehicle. I think that if I had been armed at that moment there might have been bloodshed.

Regarding the OP and the report of these crimes, I am reminded of a video that is circulating of a motoconchista who was picking up
a passenger when he was assaulted by two armed men. They took his motorcycle, his fare ducked back into the house, and he calmly
reached under his shirt, pulled out a weapon and shot both of the motorcycle thieves. He searched them and they both had
ID cards from the Polic?a Nacional.
You think the guy was in trouble? Nope, he was an off duty member of the Dominican Armada and had a legal carry permit and plus
the whole thing was caught on a surveillance video camera....
Much like the retired general that was assaulted on the front porch of his house...

Keep the faith

HB
 
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