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stolen stuff
In my 13 plus years...........
ANYTHING ***AND*** EVERYTHING YOU CAN AND CAN'T IMAGINE!!! :bunny:
ANYTHING ***AND*** EVERYTHING YOU CAN AND CAN'T IMAGINE!!! :bunny:
J
John Evans
Guest
Yeah, I'm missing a few things.
Snow.
Excessive taxes.
Excessive laws, rules and regulations.
Stress.
Girlfriend with PMS.
In 15+ years one Dominican flag and one soft top for a jeepeta. Also 'missing' - my ability to get wound up about it. 
On day one, several small things missing from my bag: cologne, sunblock, shampoo, conditioner - at first I thought it might be because they were liquids, but they left a bottle of aloe cream, so the verdict is stolen. Asides from that, 1000 pesos picked from my pocket at JetSet. It cost $800 to get in, didn't expect that - and there were a bunch of millionair ballers there - I was like the poorest guy there. Why me?
Thats about it, and I guess overtime I paid a little rubio tax - you know where they don't give you change, or add $20 - $100 extra, depending on the item.
Thats about it, and I guess overtime I paid a little rubio tax - you know where they don't give you change, or add $20 - $100 extra, depending on the item.
$1100 USD stolen from our bedroom in our previous Metro rental (out of a golf ball box!) dedicated to our rent at that time...various garden tools permanently borrowed, extension cords, "extra or spare" parts from our Jepeta (esp while at the repair shop), nice pair of jeans off our wash line, and a cell phone pickpocketed from my shorts but I twisted the guy's wrist so hard that he dropped it (into the open sewer). Oh yes, can't forget the items taken from my suitcases on various trips in. They seem to really like Hershey's chocolate and certain medical supplies so now I take those as carry on!
What is proper justice for the thief?
Has anyone ever caught the thief red handed and what was done? Anyone ever catch the thief on camera and what was done?
If they were an employee, do you still have to pay them a severance?
Has anyone ever caught the thief red handed and what was done? Anyone ever catch the thief on camera and what was done?
If they were an employee, do you still have to pay them a severance?
Caught a Customs guy at airport (long time ago) trying to purloin some tablets from my suitcase. When search was over I repacked case, did it up, smiled, held my hand out to the offender & said 'dame' & stayed there despite being told to move on. He pretended not to notice so my extended hand still outstretched went right up under his face. Tablets were returned.
I think the girl that pick-pocketed me at JetSet was caught on camera - it was part of the ploy. She started talking to me, and was telling me how it was her birthday, and yadayada, about 2 min later, a guy with a polaroid came by and asked to take a photo, I said no, but she insisted - she did a wrap-around hug thing. Then when the guy asked for his money, it had disapeared from my back pocket - the polaroid hadn't developed yet - but I'm pretty sure he must have taken the shot at the exact moment she reached into my pocket. I didn't make a fuss, I didn't want to cause a scene, and alone, I think that the situation could have turned against me somehow - luckily my usual taxi driver was able to pick me up, and let me pay him back next time I saw him.
The only real loss was my wallet fished out of a shoulder bag I now realise was totally impractical. This was about four years ago. I was at the supermarket and a woman asked me to help her read a product label - this happens to me quite a lot, usually because the products are labelled in English and many people can't read much anyway. She succeeded in diverting my attention sufficiently for her accomplice to relieve me of my wallet. There was not much in it in the way of cash - RD$800 or so - but the hassle of making police reports, stopping bank cards and getting a replacement passport, c?dula, drivers licence, residencia card was definitely not an experience I'd like to repeat. I don't normally carry my passport around but that day I just happened to need it for some legal procedure, and I was supposed to travel less than a week later. The British Embassy were great, as was Pib and another friend who instantly came to my rescue and helped me through all the process.
Computers - 3 over 5 years and 1 cell phone.
- 1 laptop with new backup disk just when the backup was done - dammit! (our fault, we left the door open and left for an hour or so - the builders next door thought it was Xmas but we came back just too soon to make it really worth their while, they took off with the laptop and the backup disk)
- 2 desktops - one cpu brand new in its box worth about 300 bucks, waiting for delivery to a customer and one older one worth about 100 bucks from the office ... mouse, monitor, network cables chopped of with a machete and left behind - burglary
- good digital camera with lenses and all - same burglary
- box with historical accounting information - same burglary
(bad neighbor we had!)
- one big propane tank, an orange one! ... stolen by a DR1 poster's sankie in front of my eyes. I was too stunned to open my mouth.
And one time I got out of the car in Puerto Plata near to the POP shipping docks .. forgot my cell phone was on my lap and it got flipped out over the road ... Before I could pick it up, a motoconcho driver came screaming by at an amazing speed, grabbed my cell phone in a daring move while the phone was skittering all over the road and roared off! I cursed and spat! The community around just about applauded me for my extreme bravery in standing in the middle of the road and shouting and cursing at the driver! A few hours later, I called my phone and someone answered, saying it is in Bonao and I can get it back if I paid 300 dollars.
Not stolen ...
My husband left his computer bag (backpack type) with computer with money with wallet, with passports, with lots of stuff many times in many offices. Each time we got it back with nothing lost ...
- 1 laptop with new backup disk just when the backup was done - dammit! (our fault, we left the door open and left for an hour or so - the builders next door thought it was Xmas but we came back just too soon to make it really worth their while, they took off with the laptop and the backup disk)
- 2 desktops - one cpu brand new in its box worth about 300 bucks, waiting for delivery to a customer and one older one worth about 100 bucks from the office ... mouse, monitor, network cables chopped of with a machete and left behind - burglary
- good digital camera with lenses and all - same burglary
- box with historical accounting information - same burglary
(bad neighbor we had!)
- one big propane tank, an orange one! ... stolen by a DR1 poster's sankie in front of my eyes. I was too stunned to open my mouth.
And one time I got out of the car in Puerto Plata near to the POP shipping docks .. forgot my cell phone was on my lap and it got flipped out over the road ... Before I could pick it up, a motoconcho driver came screaming by at an amazing speed, grabbed my cell phone in a daring move while the phone was skittering all over the road and roared off! I cursed and spat! The community around just about applauded me for my extreme bravery in standing in the middle of the road and shouting and cursing at the driver! A few hours later, I called my phone and someone answered, saying it is in Bonao and I can get it back if I paid 300 dollars.
Not stolen ...
My husband left his computer bag (backpack type) with computer with money with wallet, with passports, with lots of stuff many times in many offices. Each time we got it back with nothing lost ...
Yes, I should ADD...that in spite of having the thefts listed above, I too have had MANY kind, concerned Dominicans help me in this regard. Anytime I forget to take off my gold medic necklace when going into SPM, someone either tucks it in for me or warns me. Before I ordered a stainless steel one, I'd go surfing with it on and inevitably someone would point out that it wasn't smart.
When I was pick pocketed (cell) and caught the guy's hand with the cell in it, two large men came from across the street and threw the thief up against a wall (at first I thought they were coming for me--but they were coming to my rescue along with a moto who wiped off the sewer encrusted phone.) Any time I've had car trouble (which has been often with our former rental car jepeta--bad move on my dh's part) a moto seems to show up and offer help (they are very handy). My dh has had flat tires serially and not had a spare. Motoconchos have taken the tires to be fixed and filled. Whenever I've had money showing in my pocket or purse, I've had people point to it and warn me. I've even dropped my wallet in SPM a few times and people have run up to give it to me or yelled to me to come back (okay so the ssssst 'd at me). It has gotten to the point where I don't fight with the excessively helpful motos (I used to think they were being patronizing) and I'm GLAD to have their help. I pay them when I have money but sometimes I don't and they've never said a bad word back (if you saw the car I drive you'd probably believe me too--and I'm always sincere about it when I don't have money.)
OT-perhaps or perhaps not/ one time we were driving back from Saman? via La Vega (or trying) and a bunch of little kids at dusk were jumping up and down in the road waving. Dh rolled down the window and they were screaming "La puente se cay?" repeatedly. Dh looks at me and I said "The bridge fell down." We paid them well (of course it could have been a lie but we didn't want to find out and were GLAD to have them there...now that I think about it though, it COULD have been a scam.) Nonetheless, I have the Rosetta Stone program to thank for me remembering those words from a combination of weird exercises like the Clown fell on the donkey and the bridge is over the water--or something like that!
Something I seem to have a particular propensity for "losing" here is PACKAGES being mailed from the US. If anyone has tips on this, please do share because more often than not, I don't get my packages. In fact, I've only received mail here about 6 times in 20 months in spite of knowing that it is being sent. Really important stuff goes to dh's company or one of the other ex-pat's factories. Still, I'd like to know what happened to my box of 50+ used English paperback novels and my toiletries kit, med kit, sheet music and various other items I've tried to send to myself when my suitcases were overweight! Now I know I'm better off pleading with the airlines or paying to carry more (much of it is due to carrying liquid meds for the orphanage and NO the airlines DON'T make exceptions easily for orphans.)
When I was pick pocketed (cell) and caught the guy's hand with the cell in it, two large men came from across the street and threw the thief up against a wall (at first I thought they were coming for me--but they were coming to my rescue along with a moto who wiped off the sewer encrusted phone.) Any time I've had car trouble (which has been often with our former rental car jepeta--bad move on my dh's part) a moto seems to show up and offer help (they are very handy). My dh has had flat tires serially and not had a spare. Motoconchos have taken the tires to be fixed and filled. Whenever I've had money showing in my pocket or purse, I've had people point to it and warn me. I've even dropped my wallet in SPM a few times and people have run up to give it to me or yelled to me to come back (okay so the ssssst 'd at me). It has gotten to the point where I don't fight with the excessively helpful motos (I used to think they were being patronizing) and I'm GLAD to have their help. I pay them when I have money but sometimes I don't and they've never said a bad word back (if you saw the car I drive you'd probably believe me too--and I'm always sincere about it when I don't have money.)
OT-perhaps or perhaps not/ one time we were driving back from Saman? via La Vega (or trying) and a bunch of little kids at dusk were jumping up and down in the road waving. Dh rolled down the window and they were screaming "La puente se cay?" repeatedly. Dh looks at me and I said "The bridge fell down." We paid them well (of course it could have been a lie but we didn't want to find out and were GLAD to have them there...now that I think about it though, it COULD have been a scam.) Nonetheless, I have the Rosetta Stone program to thank for me remembering those words from a combination of weird exercises like the Clown fell on the donkey and the bridge is over the water--or something like that!
Something I seem to have a particular propensity for "losing" here is PACKAGES being mailed from the US. If anyone has tips on this, please do share because more often than not, I don't get my packages. In fact, I've only received mail here about 6 times in 20 months in spite of knowing that it is being sent. Really important stuff goes to dh's company or one of the other ex-pat's factories. Still, I'd like to know what happened to my box of 50+ used English paperback novels and my toiletries kit, med kit, sheet music and various other items I've tried to send to myself when my suitcases were overweight! Now I know I'm better off pleading with the airlines or paying to carry more (much of it is due to carrying liquid meds for the orphanage and NO the airlines DON'T make exceptions easily for orphans.)
OMG Chris! I would imagine that DR1'r is no longer on DR1!!!
Things "missing" for me - huge list but mostly because when I first moved to the DR, we did not have DR1 to inform us of what not to do, what jewellry not to wear, how to wear our handbags so they won't get pick-pocketed etc.!! LOL We actually learned as we went and believe me - I had plenty of lessons!
1) Diamond and Sapphire dinner ring - I was in between apartments and was staying with a Canadian friend in Cofresi. I didn't realize he was home, left my bedroom door open to let out some of the stuffiness, and went downstairs to do up the dishes. A little while later a "guest" of his came down the stairs - when it hit me that my room was wide open, I tore up the stairs and searched my room - sure enough my ring was gone off the dresser. Never found - and said "guest" did a disappearing act!
2) At Heavens Disco - some European tourists asked if they could share a table with us because they were tired of standing. A little later on my girlfriends were up dancing, I paid for a drink and went to use the washroom,upon leaving the washroom I realized I didn't have my purse with me (it was one of those sling purses that I always just put over my head so that it strapped across my body) and remembered I hadn't put it back on after paying for the drink at the table. Ran back as fast as I could to the table and sure enough the tourists were gone and so was my purse. My girlfriend was just coming off the dance floor when she saw them dash out of the disco, but didn't know what was going on. It was a quiet night with hardly anybody there so it wasn't too hard to figure out what happened! Never found again.
3) My apartment in Costambar was robbed - I complained to the management about some putas that were hanging around with some tourists that were renting short-term. I thought the manager would get them removed as it was upsetting the tenants but instead it must have gotten back to them or the tourists, and that night I went to visit friends in POP, and when I got back I was pretty much cleaned out. They took stereo equipment, TV, all my jewellry, clothing, shoes, you name it. They even took my empty suitcases that were up in an overhead compartment, which unfortunately had some money hidden in it! Nothing recovered as I did not want to pay the police, which they were insisting on, to further investigate.
So, many lessons learned and easily avoidable!
Marlie
J
John Evans
Guest
we have been robbed in australia,lanzarote and gran canaria its not unusual when you are in holiday mood or boarding public transport to forget to be careful...so it happens everywhere...lets not say it only happens here. Most holiday areas are rife with crime