Advice on what to do in the wake of a robbery.

Marlonious

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Jun 12, 2007
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Hi DR1 people -

I recently experienced my first Dominican robbery-at-gunpoint. I was in Villa Mella doing research a little bit too late (6pm or so) at the Fiesta de San Miguel, and on my way to the guagua 6 guys with pistols in hand robbed me and two friends of everything we had - recording equipment, cameras, documents (no passports luckily!), credit cards, my research notebook.... Well, I already know that its stupid to be hours deep into the barrios with all that stuff. Luckily, nobody was hurt and we found a friend who gave us the last RD$200 to his name to make it home to SD.

But I?m wondering what I should do now. The combined value of the stuff lost was, well, pretty high, and my work is kinda paralyzed without recording equipment. I would love to get some of this stuff back if possible. It is overly naive to think the police will be of any help, or that I might find my stuff (a lot of it is pretty conspicuous) by scouriung the surroudning compra-ventas? I went to the center of the Polica Nacional to do the denuncia the day after, but they were pretty incompetant and I don?t think their report was even entered into any system of any sort. Any thoughts?

On this topic, anybody know anything about pro-audio equipment availabillity in the country?

And if anyone is interested, the story of the robbery and of my life here in general can be found at marloniousthunk.blogspot.com.

Best,
Marlon
 
Jun 18, 2007
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advice

You already said you shouldn?t have been there at that time so accept your losses and see it as a lesson. Don?t go into the barrio if you?re not carrying a gun or don?t have the back up of some local tigres . It was stupid and be glad that it was just material losses.
 

Rocky

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Apr 4, 2002
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There's very little chance of recovering any of your goods.
It would be hard enough to find in a small town, let alone a big city.
 

jruane44

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Jul 2, 2004
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You already said you shouldn?t have been there at that time so accept your losses and see it as a lesson. Don?t go into the barrio if you?re not carrying a gun or don?t have the back up of some local tigres . It was stupid and be glad that it was just material losses.

I'm not so sure it was stupid. It was only 6 p.m.
 

Celt202

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May 22, 2004
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Have a sit down with an insurance agent and insure your equipment in the future.
 

Rocky

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The point is that if you?re not streetwise you should not walk into a barrio with "expensive" equipment you?re just asking for trouble.
There's always 2 sides to this argument, but out of respect and empathy for a person who is already hurting from the loss, how about we cut him/her some slack and stay on topic.
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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Marlon, from a quick look at your blog you appear to have musician friends here. Get them to put the word out in the barrio - you will pay something for the trouble of 'recovery' and you won't shop them to the authorities.
 

jruane44

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Jul 2, 2004
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You may want to go to the police and tell them that there is a reward for finding the equipment. You then may have a better chance of recovering some of the equipment. All cops have snitches.
 

Bronxboy

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Jul 11, 2007
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Marlon, from a quick look at your blog you appear to have musician friends here. Get them to put the word out in the barrio - you will pay something for the trouble of 'recovery' and you won't shop them to the authorities.

That sounds like a great idea;)
 

Marlonious

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Jun 12, 2007
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Heh, I thought those were the kind of responses I would get. Yeah, its pretty obvious to me that it?ll be impossible to recover the stuff. In my defense, I should say I forgot to mention that I work in that barrio a lot, am well known and respected by the most important people in the community there, and was lulled into a sense of security by having spent many peaceful days there. And that I normally am with Dominican friends ("tigueres", perahaps). And the lesson is learned - a barrio is still an impoverished and therefore dangerous place no matter how well you know it.

I?ve already got my contacts there searching in the bushes for my things, but I guess my question here is more about robbery patterns in DR- are theives likely to instantly take cameras/other valuables straight to the nearest compra-venta, or cover their tracks by going somewhere else to sell the goods? Its less about money, and more about it being mad difficult to get the equipment I need again.
 

Marlonious

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Jun 12, 2007
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Oh and I do think I?m pretty streetwise, growing up in the outer bouroughs of New York City and consistantly avoiding trouble. Thats why its hard to see what lesson is learned- be afraid? I?ve noticed that a lot of people in this country and on this forum talk alot about security - I understand this is not a particularly safe place, but I want to find a state of mind where I can be careful without being paranoid. Its kinda hard though after you?ve had a gun pointed in your face.
 

Rocky

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I guess my question here is more about robbery patterns in DR- are theives likely to instantly take cameras/other valuables straight to the nearest compra-venta, or cover their tracks by going somewhere else to sell the goods?
Only a thief could answer that properly, or maybe a good DR cop.
 

Bronxboy

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Jul 11, 2007
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. And that I normally am with Dominican friends ("tigueres", perahaps)

I have a feeling you could have been set up by your tiguere friends.

You mention you come from NY. You can not trust anyone my friend;)
 

Chris

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Oct 21, 2002
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... are theives likely to instantly take cameras/other valuables straight to the nearest compra-venta, or cover their tracks by going somewhere else to sell the goods?

Depending on how clever they are ;) I had a laptop stolen and all the compra-ventas and local computer stores called me for months after whenever they even had an inkling of a laptop. Alas, mine never turned up.

Enough beating up on the fellow! OK.
 

cuas

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May 29, 2006
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Now I understand why my sister when we ask her to go the bank with dollars she takes a motoconcho in front of her house to the bank and forht because she is a tiguere. We laugh at her but she says I know what I am doing. Calling a taxi would have avoid you all this headache.

Maybe the people at the party know some of the tigueres, I wish you good luck. This is very painful.
 

Beads

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May 21, 2006
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Heh, I thought those were the kind of responses I would get. Yeah, its pretty obvious to me that it?ll be impossible to recover the stuff. In my defense, I should say I forgot to mention that I work in that barrio a lot, am well known and respected by the most important people in the community there, and was lulled into a sense of security by having spent many peaceful days there. And that I normally am with Dominican friends ("tigueres", perahaps). And the lesson is learned - a barrio is still an impoverished and therefore dangerous place no matter how well you know it.

I?ve already got my contacts there searching in the bushes for my things, but I guess my question here is more about robbery patterns in DR- are theives likely to instantly take cameras/other valuables straight to the nearest compra-venta, or cover their tracks by going somewhere else to sell the goods? Its less about money, and more about it being mad difficult to get the equipment I need again.

Something you have to realize is unless these guys have a decent amount of money lying around they will probably want to get rid of your stuff and make the windfall money quickly.

If they looked really down and out and possibly drug users they could either trade the equipment to someone for drugs or sell it off quickly to get whatever they need for their habit. If it was traded to someone who has a lot of money im sorry to say but they acquired a new toy which will probably be difficult to locate.

I would also try to find some people who live in the area and see if they can't put out word that your possibly looking to pay a reward for the return of your equipment. If the reward is higher than what someone else is willing or able to pay your odds of finding the equipment should be better. Even if it was in fact already sold at some low price maybe the person who now has it would like to make a small profit.
 

holita

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Jun 6, 2006
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I know Villa Mella is dangerous....but I would not walk around with that sort of equipment in any part of the city. I do not even use my cell phone in the streets in Piantini, let alone Villa Mella!!! Anyway, sorry that happened...but you have to learn that is you play with fire you will eventually get burned...and walking around with anything worth money in any part of this city is playing with fire!

PS I gre up in New Orleans and it is the same thing there...where there is poor there is Crime!
 

margaret

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Aug 9, 2006
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And if anyone is interested, the story of the robbery and of my life here in general can be found at marloniousthunk.blogspot.com.

Sorry about your experience, I hope to read about your research on another thread or in your blog. You might want to read this blog and contact the author. The Spark of Accident

He's a member of the board as well, maccocael and a very interesting guy I might add. I think you have many interests in common.

Best of luck,

margaret