Thief Caught

heliace

On Vacation!
Mar 27, 2004
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Hi folks;
Here is a nice story for all of us that have been robbed.
I was returning home last night from a 3 month contract in Chile.( I fly helicopters on forest fire contracts) I flew in to Santo Domingo and took a Caribe Tours bus to Sosua where I live with my Dominican girlfriend. At the second stop in Santiago I got off the bus for a quick smoke. I was standing about 10 feet from the bus when I noticed a young Dominican getting off the bus with a laptop bag very similar to mine. I grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and informed him that I believed the bag he was carrying belonged to me, at which time he handed it back to me and mumbled something about grabbing the wrong bag. He then proceeded to re-board the bus, in search of his own laptop bag.Now, I was somewhat tired after my journey of nearly 24 hours,but, I started thinking about how an 18 year old Dominican would mistake my heavy laptop bag,(containing a top of the line laptop and a digital camera) for his own. I must have had a strange expression on my face, because a fellow traveller with whom I had been conversing since S.D.(also a Dominican) and who also had exited the bus to stretch his legs, noticed the look on my face. I explained what had just transpired and he asked me for a description of the young fellow. He then called for the watchman and proceeded on to the bus, where he dicovered the thief tring to steal a backback belonging to him. My new friend threw a few great punches and with the help of the watcman, dragged the s.o.b. off the bus. Police arrived quickly and hauled him away, but, not before my friend got in a few more solid punches. What a nice welcome back to the D.R.
This was not my first such experience. Two years ago, there was a break and enter in my apartment( about $ 2000.00) and my girlfriend had 5 pairs of jeans stolen off the washing line on two seperate occasions this winter.
These experiences,combined with those that others have had, have squashed my dreams of buying a piece of property on the beach and building a house.
The Dominican Republic is a pesthole where one must live in a jail( bars on windows and doors, trained attack dogs and armed guards) in order to feel somewhat secure. I know that the overwhelming majority of Dominicans are wonderful, warm and honest people, but, for me, the pros are quickly being outweighed by the cons and I am making plans to complete my dreams elsewhere.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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And find a better neighborhood. I would not trade what I have here in the DR for anything less than two million-gazillion dollars! Why?
I sleep well.
I eat well.
I enjoy myself a ton.
My family has grown and prospered.
I have literally thousands of friends and one or two true friends.
My kids and grandkids are doing well...

While I happen to have a deep appreciation for chopper pilots of all types, you need to know that if you leave a laptop bag on any transportation in any country in the world, it will get legs real quick....
Nobody leaves clothes on the line overnight.

And move to a better neighborhood....there are some nice homes in Sea Horse Ranch for sale...

HB
 
C

Chip00

Guest
I'm glad they got the sob. When I travel with my laptop you would think the thing is permantly attached to me by surgery or something! I even have two shoulder straps unless one breaks. I won't hardly even leave it in my car alone!

Take the necessary precautions and things won't be as bad - the thiefs will go after someone less prepared.
 

heliace

On Vacation!
Mar 27, 2004
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Hmmm...maybe more details are in order.
I stayed by the door of the bus in case someone tried to walk off with my belongings.
The clothes were stolen off the line in broad daylight.
I don,t know any chopper pilots who can afford a house at Sea Horse Ranch, and even if I could, it would be one of my last choices.I do not enjoy hiding behind a guarded gate.
I have worked and travelled in many countries, and the D.R. is by far the worsed, in my experience, as far as thieves are concerned.
I have owned a house in Canada for 14 years. It sits empty for 11 months of the year, does not have a guarded gate and I have never been robbed.
I am not asking for advice with this post...only wanted to share my experience.
 
Sep 19, 2005
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hello Heliace.

If you were to rent a chopper and fly around Li Cey(all within 10 miles of the STI airport....and you were also to charge a few passnegers to do that...what would it be?

I want to get some photos of the area all around where my GFs family lives and it shouldnt take more than 30 minutes total.........

thanks

bob
 
C

Chip00

Guest
Hmmm...maybe more details are in order.
I stayed by the door of the bus in case someone tried to walk off with my belongings.
The clothes were stolen off the line in broad daylight.
I don,t know any chopper pilots who can afford a house at Sea Horse Ranch, and even if I could, it would be one of my last choices.I do not enjoy hiding behind a guarded gate.
I have worked and travelled in many countries, and the D.R. is by far the worsed, in my experience, as far as thieves are concerned.
I have owned a house in Canada for 14 years. It sits empty for 11 months of the year, does not have a guarded gate and I have never been robbed.
I am not asking for advice with this post...only wanted to share my experience.


Well forgive me if my original post here sounded judgemental - I live here and think there are a lot of positive things the DR has to offer and was hoping to add something so that you would reconsider your original stance.
 

heliace

On Vacation!
Mar 27, 2004
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Thanks Chip,
You are right that the D.R. has a lot to offer. I have been coming here for 14 years and other than working out of country, have lived here for about 3 years. I love the country...but the few rotten apples are ruining it.

Laura;
Probably the best helicopter to suit your needs would be a Robinson r-44. It can take 3 passengers plus the pilot and is relatively inexpensive.( about 400 to 500 U$ per hour) I am not sure the exact tariff as I have never worked in the D.R. The pay is to low and cuts in to my beer drinking.
 
Sep 19, 2005
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Thanks Chip,
You are right that the D.R. has a lot to offer. I have been coming here for 14 years and other than working out of country, have lived here for about 3 years. I love the country...but the few rotten apples are ruining it.

Laura;
Probably the best helicopter to suit your needs would be a Robinson r-44. It can take 3 passengers plus the pilot and is relatively inexpensive.( about 400 to 500 U$ per hour) I am not sure the exact tariff as I have never worked in the D.R. The pay is to low and cuts in to my beer drinking.

I am thinking a one time flight....not a second jog for you!!!!!!!! ha ha ha

I took one up on the north coast for a 45 minute ride...and got lots of great photos.

Looking to do that closer to my Gfs house

bob
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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www.ginniebedggood.com
VP of FEDOGOLF

Or Casa de Campo maybe?
But wait....
Diario Libre Online

m'frog

Yes Casa de Campo is certainly a better neighbourhood. And the victim may be known to HB.............? He is Vice President of Fedogolf & nephew of the Chief Supreme Court judge, Jorge Subero Iso, ( and ???? godson of Pepe Goico, or maybe 'compadre' just means 'friend' in this instance). In any event, instances are obviously happening in good neighbourhoods.

Bienvenidos al Hoy Digital

Glad you spotted your bag, heliace. That was fortunate. Jos? Miguel Subero was fortunate, too. Injured not killed.
 

fender

*** Sin Bin ***
Dec 9, 2006
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paradise jail

I know that the overwhelming majority of Dominicans are wonderful, warm and honest people, but, for me, the pros are quickly being outweighed by the cons and I am making plans to complete my dreams elsewhere.

Glad to hear you nipped one in the bud heliace.
You got some 'classic' responses from the faithful but the bottom line is 'you can't polish a turd' !!
and CCCCCCC is so on the money.
 
Sep 19, 2005
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helioace......realistically speaking...what transpired on the bus shouldnt astonish anyone. It makes more sense for a young male in Santiago to resort to stealing than many many other places you prbably have visited.

can assure you the chances of the briefcase being stolen off a bus in NYC is much more likely....but i bet few would write about "how bad" it is getting in any NYC forum.

due dilligence(sp?) si certainly needed.

we cant hide from crimes of opportunity, and frankly they dont worry me much.

It is the corrupt police and very desperate criminals that should worry people in the DR.

It is just beyond the scope of most people to try and counter crime perpetrated by the POLICE!!!!

would your fellow travelor punched a cop trying to steal his backback.

a criminal with a gun who is so low on the totem pole he figures his best chance to stay free is to kill anyone who impedes his get away.

The DR needs to clean hous ein the police dept, and start paying them a good wage worthy of putting their life on the line.

bob
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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I've played golf with the guy. He was at my son's funeral. Did you see where it was a "close associate" that did the deed?

Compadre means that he has baptized one of Pepe Goico's kids or visa versa.

I am so glad he is gonna make it.

HB
 
C

Chip00

Guest
The DR needs to clean hous ein the police dept, and start paying them a good wage worthy of putting their life on the line.

bob

I agree, cut off all of the deadbeat politicians retirement pay and otherwise reduce salaries of politicians to decent standards and clean house and increase the pay of the police to create a real professional cadre like in the US.
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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I've played golf with the guy. He was at my son's funeral. Did you see where it was a "close associate" that did the deed?

Compadre means that he has baptized one of Pepe Goico's kids or visa versa.

I am so glad he is gonna make it.

HB

Yes. Godfather/godson to us Brits. means just that: the one who did the naming at Baptism.

The only 'close associate' bit I saw was that Police interrogated the chauffeur. With regard to perps. it said 'desconocidos'. The El Caribe report looks more accurate: it was 7000 dollars not pesos (more likely because he was due to go to US today). It also says he walked 3 kms. after being shot & put out of the car, in order to get help. One tough guy.
http://www.elcaribecdn.com/articulo_multimedios.aspx?id=118721&guid=0FFAE475EB2646B0B0A89811FAF59A3B&Seccion=63
 

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
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I've played golf with the guy. He was at my son's funeral. Did you see where it was a "close associate" that did the deed?

Compadre means that he has baptized one of Pepe Goico's kids or visa versa.

I am so glad he is gonna make it.

HB
I'm also glad he's going to make it.

I guess this mean that Casa de Campo is still among the safest places in the DR. People need to be weary who they include in their circle of friends, but that's true anywhere.

-NALs
 

Ringo

On Vacation!
Mar 6, 2003
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What?

Maybe I'm missing something? I've read this thread many time and I am having a problem with the connections after post #14.