Yes they were on Abraham Lincoln and 27th de Febrero at 0730 this morning as we were driving to the Acropolis center. Lots of them.
- Thread starter Drperson
- Start date
Bandits posing as police at checkpoints
Yes they were on Abraham Lincoln and 27th de Febrero at 0730 this morning as we were driving to the Acropolis center. Lots of them.
There are two motorbike cops who are not P.N. but have the correct uniforms, they go up and down 27th February in the capital and stop any foreigners they can find. Once they stopped me and told me I was driving too slowly. Luckily I was around the corner from the PN headquarters, so I just said it was fine, I would pay the fine but I wanted to do it in the PN headquarters. I drove off in that direction, they followed until it was clear that I knew where I was going and then headed off.
On another occasion I was driving with my 80 year old mother and her 82 year old friend in the back. We were stopped by a police roadblock, told that I had to pay a US$ 200 fine and if I didn't pay it they would take the car. I said I didn't have the money with me, so my mother and her friend got out of the car and went and stood in the road by the other PN officer. And then they started a huge argument between themselves, lots of swearing, one officer basically saying "OK so you get these two older American ladies out the vehicle and what happens next, we all lose our jobs". Practically started hitting each other. It was hysterical. The boss then escorted my mother and her friend back to the vehicle, apologised, "verrrrry sorrrrey laydee" and off we went.
On another occasion I was driving with my 80 year old mother and her 82 year old friend in the back. We were stopped by a police roadblock, told that I had to pay a US$ 200 fine and if I didn't pay it they would take the car. I said I didn't have the money with me, so my mother and her friend got out of the car and went and stood in the road by the other PN officer. And then they started a huge argument between themselves, lots of swearing, one officer basically saying "OK so you get these two older American ladies out the vehicle and what happens next, we all lose our jobs". Practically started hitting each other. It was hysterical. The boss then escorted my mother and her friend back to the vehicle, apologised, "verrrrry sorrrrey laydee" and off we went.
Years ago it was common place in the DR for the police to flag over gringos driving rental cars. Of course, back then they had no vehicle and probably weren't armed. After a couple of these I found out that you simple drive on by while twirling your hand in the air signifying , I will catch you on the return trip, suckaaa!
I never stop for roadblocks no matter where they are at, but just act like I don't see them. One day I was returning to the capital from work and came down Maximo Gomez from Kennedy towards the Malecon where I live. At the corner of 27th de febrero and maximo gomez I was stopped behind traffic and pinned in. A fat ball of a policia came walking up to my car window and motioned for me to open the window. I couldn't help noting that he had the biggest friendliest smile and when he started talking I couldn't help liking the guy. Very nice and agradable.... he then proceeded to tell me he was a little short of funds and could I please give him 50 pesos for a pic a pollo.... just the whole way he asked and his smiling face made me want to give a lot more but I controlled myself and handed over the 50 pesos he asked for. Such a great experience that I took this route quite a few times (normally I went another route) just to see him and give him another 50 pesos. He always lit up when he saw me coming in my jeepeta and would stop me even if the light was green. For him I always stopped to talk and give him his 50 pesos. Never saw him do any police work other then ask for money... but what a personality.... love that guy...
When you dont stop you risk the chance of some getting hit with some bullets, its entertinment when I get stopped.I just wait for the magic moment when i told I can pay the fine now because the police station is far away..... thats why i always keep pesos in the visor .. I have made some good friends after I pay my fine for being A GRINGO IN RD.... even been offered their cell numbers for if I get stop again..... no where in usa will a traffic fine cost you so little.....
I am always entertained by the guys who say they will never pay "screw them", they can "stick it". You do that to the wrong group of PN on the wrong evening and you might end up as sugar cane fertilizer with your family back home hiring that guy DamageCEO trying to figure out what happened to you.
My suggestion is that you substantiate any of your posts.................... before posting.
Case #1. You get stopped in a big town, lets say santiago or pop or any other town. The risk of ending up as sugar cane fertilizer is minimal borderline non-exsistent. Its not Bagdad...... Assuming you have all your docs in order, no reason I see to cough anything up.
Case # 2. You get stopped on the guananico-imbert road, in the middle of the night. Well if you do stop,,for whatever reason, 50 or 500 pesos aint going to cut it anyhow....... this is the kind of situation where you just might end up as sugar cane fertilizer.
My advice, anywhere along the navarette-imbert-guananico road, at night, is DO NOT STOP under any circumstances !!!! To bo on the safe side/ if you feel the need to be a law abbiding citizen , drive to a PN station, in your village if possible. And explain you didnt stop and why, that you are a normal guy, etc, etc........ In my experience, they wont blame you, lol.
Why ? Even w/o details, it can be of intrest to the people travelling the STI-navarette-imbert road.
Sure isnt the first time its happened around here, and sure as hell isnt the last........
Do not stop ever is dangerous advice, on the road outside Santiago on the way to Los Almacigos they set up on a blind turn. Not stopping might very well be interpreted as you attempting to run them over. I am not going to risk my vehicle or safety over a few hundred pesos.
Yes, I understand. IF its a regular/really a PN control....
The issue, as I understood it in the OP, is bandits posing as PN ( or worse, PN "freelancing" ), in that case, a couple of hundred pesos is the least of ones worries....... think your car, your gun, your clothes, your passengers, even your life......
Sadly, around here ( i think the OP lives nearby my....sorry i am terrible at remembering handles
), there has been a few cases of this happening Yes, I understand. IF its a regular/really a PN control....
The issue, as I understood it in the OP, is bandits posing as PN ( or worse, PN "freelancing" ), in that case, a couple of hundred pesos is the least of ones worries....... think your car, your gun, your clothes, your passengers, even your life......
Sadly, around here ( i think the OP lives nearby my....sorry i am terrible at remembering handles
this is correct.
little common sense goes a long way. regular military/police checks are normally well staffed and equipped: few policemen, cars, motos, shotguns, all the works. those are the ones i have seen on main roads and the ones where miesposo always stops without fail. normally he would not stop for one or two cops on a moto. i guess like most dominicans he learnt from experience what is a legit stop and what is not.
on the other hand, secondary roads, late afternoon or early morning? unless the check point is in the area close to the border or is a large operation as described before (few vehicles, several people) the chances are that it's a robbery attempt. in september 2015 well known farmer from el cupey was stopped by 5 men dressed as police and shot dead at point blank to rob him (he was carrying money to pay wages). he was not the only victim of such attack in DR.
sometimes to stop or not feels like being stuck between scylla and charybdis. use common sense and derive from experience.
on the other hand, secondary roads, late afternoon or early morning? unless the check point is in the area close to the border or is a large operation as described before (few vehicles, several people) the chances are that it's a robbery attempt. in september 2015 well known farmer from el cupey was stopped by 5 men dressed as police and shot dead at point blank to rob him (he was carrying money to pay wages). he was not the only victim of such attack in DR.
sometimes to stop or not feels like being stuck between scylla and charybdis. use common sense and derive from experience.
They should give these 20 years
https://dominicantoday.com/dr/local...bs-7-for-operating-bogus-militarycheckpoints/
https://dominicantoday.com/dr/local...bs-7-for-operating-bogus-militarycheckpoints/
But of course! He would be COWering behind the bushes expecting the worst. It could have been udderly distrastous. The banditos could have milked it for what it was worth. Don't get me going. I got a thousand of them.It depends on the breed.
On a serious note, the Hindus have a god with the head of a cow. Who know? Maybe they do have some mystical power.
What this article fails to mention some of these guys are probably active or
retired military. This would explain why the PN are not releasing their names.
Criminals in this country often carry a badge and ID.