Washington urges ‘precaution’ if traveling to DomRep

DR Solar

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Nov 21, 2016
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From: https://dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2018/01/10/washington-urges-precaution-if-traveling-to-domrep/

Washington urges ‘precaution’ if traveling to DomRep

Washington.- The US State Dept. travel section on Wed. updated “for reasons of criminality,” its recommendations for citizens visiting the Dominican Republic.
Despite the levels of crime affecting the country, of the four levels of travel recommendations from the US, with one being the lowest and four the highest, the country is at level two.

Level one means “normal precautions” for security; the second level “increased security precautions”; level three is “reconsider the trip”; and level four is “do not travel.”
Recommendations for traveling to the Dominican Republic:
Be careful of your surroundings.
Don’t physically resist any attempted robbery.
Don’t show signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive watches or jewelry.

Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and to make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
Follow the State Department on Facebook and Twitter.
To the traveler.
Crime continues to be the main safety concern in the Dominican Republic (DomRep) for both Dominicans and the US Embassy.
The most common type of crime is car theft (1 to 2 assailants (usually male) on a motorcycle, a scooter or even a bicycle).

-------------------------
Upped to Level 2? I've been at Level 2.5 for years. Have car-cam and in-home security cameras have become very affordable so now have a couple of those with cloud storage so I can spy on my wife and she on me.
 

Bob K

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Aug 16, 2004
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So what has changed????????
Same info and advice we have been living with for the last forever years and NO different than precautions you would take no matter where you traveled.
Using their system visiting places like New York, Las Vegas, Washington DC. among others would all be level 3s and 4s.
Bob K
 

LTSteve

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Jul 9, 2010
5,449
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From: https://dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2018/01/10/washington-urges-precaution-if-traveling-to-domrep/

Washington urges ‘precaution’ if traveling to DomRep

Washington.- The US State Dept. travel section on Wed. updated “for reasons of criminality,” its recommendations for citizens visiting the Dominican Republic.
Despite the levels of crime affecting the country, of the four levels of travel recommendations from the US, with one being the lowest and four the highest, the country is at level two.

Level one means “normal precautions” for security; the second level “increased security precautions”; level three is “reconsider the trip”; and level four is “do not travel.”
Recommendations for traveling to the Dominican Republic:
Be careful of your surroundings.
Don’t physically resist any attempted robbery.
Don’t show signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive watches or jewelry.

Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and to make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
Follow the State Department on Facebook and Twitter.
To the traveler.
Crime continues to be the main safety concern in the Dominican Republic (DomRep) for both Dominicans and the US Embassy.
The most common type of crime is car theft (1 to 2 assailants (usually male) on a motorcycle, a scooter or even a bicycle).

-------------------------
Upped to Level 2? I've been at Level 2.5 for years. Have car-cam and in-home security cameras have become very affordable so now have a couple of those with cloud storage so I can spy on my wife and she on me.

NO body cam. You're slipping me amigo.
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
From: https://dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2018/01/10/washington-urges-precaution-if-traveling-to-domrep/

Washington urges ‘precaution’ if traveling to DomRep

Washington.- The US State Dept. travel section on Wed. updated “for reasons of criminality,” its recommendations for citizens visiting the Dominican Republic.
Despite the levels of crime affecting the country, of the four levels of travel recommendations from the US, with one being the lowest and four the highest, the country is at level two.

Level one means “normal precautions” for security; the second level “increased security precautions”; level three is “reconsider the trip”; and level four is “do not travel.”
Recommendations for traveling to the Dominican Republic:
Be careful of your surroundings.
Don’t physically resist any attempted robbery.
Don’t show signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive watches or jewelry.

Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and to make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
Follow the State Department on Facebook and Twitter.
To the traveler.
Crime continues to be the main safety concern in the Dominican Republic (DomRep) for both Dominicans and the US Embassy.
The most common type of crime is car theft (1 to 2 assailants (usually male) on a motorcycle, a scooter or even a bicycle).

-------------------------
Upped to Level 2? I've been at Level 2.5 for years. Have car-cam and in-home security cameras have become very affordable so now have a couple of those with cloud storage so I can spy on my wife and she on me.

Not surprising at all. There is a lot of petty crime and theft in the DR. Another factor is police corruption and the lack of real concern to solve these problems.
 

josh2203

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Dec 5, 2013
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Be careful of your surroundings.
Don’t physically resist any attempted robbery.
Don’t show signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive watches or jewelry.

I recall something like this being mentioned when there was this "crime wave" in POP... I'd just like to understand, why on earth people travel to countries where there are unfortunately a lot of poor people just to show off their jewelry? Then it's presented as a big news that they got robbed.

A couple of weeks ago, we drove through close to the the cargo port in Puerto Plata, and we spotted a group of very obvious tourists with relatively fancy clothing walking on the non-existent sidewalk. My wife could not believe that and just said that what on earth are they doing here on foot. We don't even enjoy passing through that area by car...

I just wish that travelers would have more common sense in regards to security...

The most common type of crime is car theft (1 to 2 assailants (usually male) on a motorcycle, a scooter or even a bicycle).

Keep your windows shut, doors locked at all times and prefer slightly tinted windows. If children on board, use the button that you cannot even open the windows, and use child lock in the backdoors. I'm not saying that will prevent everything, but an advice that we always follow.
 

Russell

Well-known member
Jun 17, 2017
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He who lives in a glass house should not cast a stone.

When crap like this is posted look up the statistics.
DC and Baltimore City are regarded as the Murder Capital of the USA, Interesting.

North Shores of DR have one of the lowest crime rates in the DR.
It is all on the nefarious Internet... must be true, eh!
 

judypdr

Active member
Jul 23, 2011
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This is nothing new about the DR, just a new notification system from the U.S. government. It was announced some time ago and is now in effect. Being a #2 is good.
 

Catseye

Member
Nov 7, 2009
163
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Rio San Juan, Dominican Republic
anyone in Washington using the word “criminality” is hysterical

Washington is crime central in the US

they rob me and other taxpayers blind constantly, even by just using a mailbox, glad I left 

muggings are preventable, a good ole Washington screwing isn’t

still waiting on that swamp drainage . . .
 

drstock

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Oct 29, 2010
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Keep your windows shut, doors locked at all times and prefer slightly tinted windows. If children on board, use the button that you cannot even open the windows, and use child lock in the backdoors. I'm not saying that will prevent everything, but an advice that we always follow.
When I feel I have to drive around like that, I'll leave the country.
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
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When I feel I have to drive around like that, I'll leave the country.



Our car locks all doors as soon as the car is put into drive, I thought most do that.  Our windows always closed because AC normally on.  We did have driver and passenger windows tinted.

Mr AEs brother had his window down on a cool day in SD.  A guy on a moto pulled next to him at a light, reached in and ripped a chain and medal off his neck before he could react.  
 

drstock

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Oct 29, 2010
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Mr AEs brother had his window down on a cool day in SD.  A guy on a moto pulled next to him at a light, reached in and ripped a chain and medal off his neck before he could react.  
Maybe that's the difference. I don't go around wearing shiny things, especially medals as I have never been in a war.
 

rfp

Gold
Jul 5, 2010
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What is the US 3 or 4? I’m thinking 4.  

Sorry that is an uneducated comment. The US is a democracy with strong leadership, murder and crime rates per 100 k are a fraction of what you see in Latin America. There are rough ares that you need to be careful in but that comment is a glib sheeple opinion. I think that the warnings re Dominican Republic are very reasonable
 

cbmitch9

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Nov 3, 2010
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He who lives in a glass house should not cast a stone.

When crap like this is posted look up the statistics.
DC and Baltimore City are regarded as the Murder Capital of the USA, Interesting.

North Shores of DR have one of the lowest crime rates in the DR.
It is all on the nefarious Internet... must be true, eh!

You are correct on your points but I guarantee you that more of those crimes are solved than those that occur in the DR. I would feel safer walking in the worst neighborhood in DC than the worst barrio in the DR.