The Bad Guys Won!!!

eastcoastmike

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Jul 18, 2004
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After 11 years on the Samana penninsula Im outta here.In the past year things have gone downhill quickly.2 break-ins.The watchman knows nothing.This is the 2nd watchman by the way.The first was fired after the first break-in.Luckilly I wasnt home for either one.The police cant solve anything.Nor do they seem interested.I had dogs but the watchman managed to kill them due to his lack of interest to feed them and give them water when I was back in the states.So after this latest break-in I said thats it.Im paying for this?So I loaded up a truck and handed the keyes to the real estate agent.
If anyone is reading this and thinking of buying a private home here forget it.It is impossible to keep theives away.Youre only hope is a gated community or a condo with 24 hour security.But as others have posted,when does arming ones self,guard dogs,gates etc become just too much and a good alternative might be to find and inexpensive retirement location in a developed country,pay your taxes,and have police,lights,medical services and peace of mind.There is no accountability in the DR.Youre ****ing into the wind my freinds.It has a lot to offer but when I come back,Ill check into a guest house,enjoy myself for a week and leave!!!
So bad guys,now you have no work,no food from me.Steal the roof if you like.Im back in NY and I just sent off my tax bill.And this time I didnt mind paying it so much!!!!
ECM
 

Funnyyale26

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Dec 15, 2006
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Asi se hace! And they did not win, you won more than them because you stated that they lost their job.
 

mountainfrog

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Dec 8, 2003
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Revolving Door

After 11 years on the Samana penninsula Im outta here.....So bad guys,now you have no work,no food from me.

You most likely did the right thing.
Many oldtimers are leaving and they are benefitting from a RE bubble.
People from certain places are paying 180 US$ (and more) for a square meter of land at the beach. No infrastructure, no security, no policing, thieves in plenty.

People here do not care to lose a job.
Experience has told them that the steady flow of idiots continues, it's a revolving door. Some leave, others come.
The money stays here...
The gringo trap functions.

m'frog
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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Sorry about your dogs, eastcoastmike. That's unforgiveable. I'm assuming from what you say that you didn't live here all the time? There's no way I'd be an absentee owner here, nor would I advise others to do so. It's all a matter of perceptions though, isn't it? I've just been away from here for 3 weeks in UK & couldn't wait to get back. For me the good still outweighs the bad. But I agree with mountainfrog about the gringo trap (can we put that to music? Remember The Tender Trap?). What I ponder about is the experienced folk who know how to handle themselves leaving & being replaced as froggie so graphically describes by 'the steady flow of idiots'. That changes the gringo dynamic quite a bit....................
 

jackieboo

On Vaction without a return ticket!
Mar 18, 2006
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I?m really sorry to hear that the urchins of the island got the better of you. Life here isn?t for everyone and probably even harder when you are away for weeks and months at a time.

Like the poster above I was just in the States for a few days and it drove me crazy. Everyone driving (SLOWLY) in their own lanes, people looking at you like you?re an indigent because you want to buy something in cash and everyone?s afraid they might get a ticket?.

Security is an issue anywhere and I can assure you that if you trusted your house and dogs? lives to someone in the states that was making $150.00USD a month not much would be left when you returned. Before anyone goes off I don?t condone any sort of crimes, I?m just stating a fact, you get what you pay for.

The thing that really disturbs me is that you felt oddly safe leaving the lives of your dogs in charge of one person. Not even asking friends or neighbors to double check what was going on. For this I?m glad you?re moving back to the states because at least there are laws in place for animal cruelty.

Bye-bye
 

pyratt

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Jan 14, 2007
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wow....I'd have taken a job as your house sitter/ care taker....security assured......anyone else with a property in SD wanting someone to watch over it for extended periods please PM me......

Dogs too

References provided
 

eastcoastmike

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Jul 18, 2004
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Well the house was so isolated that freinds were miles away.That was the beauty of the place in the beginning but turned out to be a curse when things turned bad.The watchman was the 1 and only choice to care for the dogs and he assured me the dogs were to be well cared for as they were his protection as well.

Someone hit the nail on the head.These locals dont care about keeping a job,as poor as they are.Some idiot Gringo will be just around the corner to hire an alleged Hombre Serio.
 

Andy B

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Jan 1, 2002
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Mike,
Where on the peninsula is your house located? I think that had a lot to do with your problems plus that the watchman and neighbors didn't respect you or the firepower you could bring down upon them. BTW, the watchman is RESPONSIBLE for any theft or damage while he's on the job. You could hang him/them for this. Just press charges via the local Fiscal.
BTW, we leave our hotel and go on vacation (sometimes long ones) with a local guard (our gardener) and he takes good care of the property, our dog and our cats. He lives on the property and is here 24 hrs a day.
 

mountainfrog

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Dec 8, 2003
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Gringo Loco

... if you trusted your house and dogs? lives to someone in the states that was making $150.00USD a month not much would be left when you returned.... you get what you pay for.

What a foolish comparison!
If you paid US wages here you'd have a reputation of a 'gringo loco' and anybody would feel loco himself if he'd NOT rob you.

m'frog
 

miguel

I didn't last long...
Jul 2, 2003
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Una pregunta.....

Eastcoastmike:

Why not move someplace else instead of saying goodbye to the country?.
 

BushBaby

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Jan 1, 2002
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The thing that really disturbs me is that you felt oddly safe leaving the lives of your dogs in charge of one person. Not even asking friends or neighbors to double check what was going on.
I would have thought that the security guard (who knew the dogs well & more importantly they knew him) was perhaps the BEST person to leave the dogs with. Why on earth would the OP need to organise others to check up on the dogs - unless of course the OP knew that the security guard would not look after the dogs correctly? Are you suggesting he DID?

For this I?m glad you?re moving back to the states because at least there are laws in place for animal cruelty.

Bye-bye
THAT is an very immature & ill considered comment to make - are you suggesting the OP was guilty of animal cruelty? ~ Grahame.
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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Some idiot Gringo will be just around the corner

Including those accusing you of animal cruelty..............:rolleyes: It speaks volumes to me that you ignored the foolish jibe by a poster with far far less experience of living here than you have. And I think reinforces my concern about the exodus of those who know how to handle themselves and the ingress of those who don't.................
 

Chichiguita

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Dec 30, 2004
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Its sad

I have not frequented the tourist areas...so I am probably silly even to reply. But...I just can't imagine someone letting an animal starve to death...ugh...

I feel for you in this. What an aweful place to be in. You must be outraged!

I love the country and culture. I am certain you do too--otherwise, you would not have invested so much into it.

Would a different area be better?

I feel silly even posting, because I don't actually live there and visit the same place every time I am there (about 3 times a year).

Best of luck, EastCoastMike...what a crappy decision to have to come to.

I don't live there, yet...dunno if I ever will...but I hope to at some point.

I'm sorry what you hoped for didn't come true. I can't imagine how angry/sad/outraged you were to come home and find your dogs dead and you home robbed.

I just know that people kinda suck all over--not just in less developed countries.

I pay high taxes too--big-ass-suburb taxes...people still suck when they want to...

sorry

I still think the good outwieghs the bad...but that's from a gringa who only visits--and visits the same little community every time...so really--you know what is best for you. I'm just sorry for your trouble and your sad decision.

Sorry. lk
 

jackieboo

On Vaction without a return ticket!
Mar 18, 2006
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Why not look at the big picture?

Including those accusing you of animal cruelty..............:rolleyes: It speaks volumes to me that you ignored the foolish jibe by a poster with far far less experience of living here than you have. And I think reinforces my concern about the exodus of those who know how to handle themselves and the ingress of those who don't.................

Yes I am implying animal neglect by the OP.

To me, Bushy and Lambada, you are the ones that are immature and misguided as you obviously share the OP?s lust of material goods over a living creature?s welfare. So before you get on that incredibly tired routine of how experienced you are think about the entire picture and not just the injustice of someone getting robbed.

What could one do in the OP?s situation?

Make friends even if they are many miles away so you have a contact to check on your animals and property.

Hire a house sitter/care taker that comes with references. References that can be checked out.

Pay someone other than the watchman to care for your dogs while you are away.

And finally, find a good caring home for the dogs if you?re unable to guarantee their safety.

The above are real solutions that offer foresight to those in a similar situation, unlike the immature jibes of some posters that only offer inane comments of sympathy and retaliation because of their simple mindedness.
 

eastcoastmike

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Jul 18, 2004
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Andy,I was up in LLana Del Medio.Its past La Guazuma before the Mina De Caliche.Up a dirt road to the left as you head out of town.Unfortunatley for me everyone is family or close freinds up there.Mafia style.To bring the law down on someone would mean facing possible reprisals as I would have to see these people daily.The 2nd watchman was from that area.I thought this a good choice because his wife lived 100 yards from the property and the proximity would keep someone vigilant(even though he was not suppose to be 100 yards away,he had a watchman house ON THE PROPERTY).Its too isolated to fight with these people.They kill for nothing and I didnt want to be a statistic.


I simply reached the point that enough was enough.Not to mention the police and some very nice local freinds tell me the stealing is getting worse by the day in Las Galeras due to drugs.I dont see this problem getting better any time soon.Years ago I walked those country roads at night with a flashlight and a bottle of beer in hand.At the end I was locking my front door to take a shower.Ill be back to visit one day but itll be in a hotel with 24 hour security.Not what I had planned but I truly feel lucky to get out of there alive!!
 

Mirador

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Apr 15, 2004
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Andy,I was up in LLana Del Medio.Its past La Guazuma before the Mina De Caliche.Up a dirt road to the left as you head out of town.Unfortunatley for me everyone is family or close freinds up there.Mafia style.To bring the law down on someone would mean facing possible reprisals as I would have to see these people daily.The 2nd watchman was from that area.I thought this a good choice because his wife lived 100 yards from the property and the proximity would keep someone vigilant(even though he was not suppose to be 100 yards away,he had a watchman house ON THE PROPERTY).Its too isolated to fight with these people.They kill for nothing and I didnt want to be a statistic.


I simply reached the point that enough was enough.Not to mention the police and some very nice local freinds tell me the stealing is getting worse by the day in Las Galeras due to drugs.I dont see this problem getting better any time soon.Years ago I walked those country roads at night with a flashlight and a bottle of beer in hand.At the end I was locking my front door to take a shower.Ill be back to visit one day but itll be in a hotel with 24 hour security.Not what I had planned but I truly feel lucky to get out of there alive!!

Pardon me for saying it, but if I was you, I would have myself checked to see if I had my cap on backwards. It must be hellish to go about your business with an uncanny feeling that you're being watched or they're after you. However, always keep in mind that just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you... ;).
 

Andy B

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Jan 1, 2002
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Andy,I was up in LLana Del Medio.Its past La Guazuma before the Mina De Caliche.Up a dirt road to the left as you head out of town.Unfortunatley for me everyone is family or close freinds up there.Mafia style.To bring the law down on someone would mean facing possible reprisals as I would have to see these people daily.The 2nd watchman was from that area.I thought this a good choice because his wife lived 100 yards from the property and the proximity would keep someone vigilant(even though he was not suppose to be 100 yards away,he had a watchman house ON THE PROPERTY).Its too isolated to fight with these people.They kill for nothing and I didnt want to be a statistic.


I simply reached the point that enough was enough.Not to mention the police and some very nice local freinds tell me the stealing is getting worse by the day in Las Galeras due to drugs.I dont see this problem getting better any time soon.Years ago I walked those country roads at night with a flashlight and a bottle of beer in hand.At the end I was locking my front door to take a shower.Ill be back to visit one day but itll be in a hotel with 24 hour security.Not what I had planned but I truly feel lucky to get out of there alive!!

Now, there were two Mikes that lived up there and I know them both. Which one are you? Mike that worked for the airlines (and who I gave a dog, Bola, to) or Mike that made off our waitress Maria some years ago? That area up there does not have the area's finest citizens living there. We've had problems with girls from that area trying to steal while working here at the hotel. There are just several families up there (as you know) and we won't hire anybody from those groups anymore. I'm surprised you didn't have trouble before now.

Crime in Las Galeras is not getting that much worse than it always has been. Small stuff. And yes there are more drugs available. What I hear is there is more theft out in the campo, not an area where tourists normally visit. I walk the back roads around Las Galeras daily and do not feel threatened at all.
 

eastcoastmike

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Jul 18, 2004
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Im Mike from the airlines Andy.And yes,Im not paranoid.Those are bad families up there.I wish the best for the other Gringos up on the hill.Views of paradise but surrounded by animals.I wonder if the new Cove residents will have problems living adjacent to El Frances.Another garden spot!Well who knew.I fell in love with the view only to learn later what trouble the locals on the hill are.You live and learn!Like I said,its mafia style up there.Bring down the law on anyone and one might pay the price.Dont get me wrong,lots of wonderful places in the DR but buy into a gated,24 hr security deal.