This is a tough one,
On my street about 2 hours ago, 5 pm. Our neighbors were robbed at gun point. They were followed home and had a gun pulled on them. The woman was hit in the head. Their car a white Lexus was also stolen so if you spot it please call AAC or the police.
We are having a community meeting at 10 am at Santa Lucia Country Club.
The police responded in a timely manner and had detectives on site doing a good job.
I feel horrible as we installed an alarm system that the renters disconnected.
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My maid informed us today that in Los Lomas, her area of David, a Chinese Merchant was hit in the head with a gun, robbed and then shot in the leg. I don't know how true this is or where she got her information.
I've been told by my next door neighbor that the house kitty corner from us had their car broken into and a couple of neighbors on the next block were broken into and robbed, all this a couple of weeks ago. So Boquete and surrounding areas are not alone. I do wish there were more interest on our local forum for this type of information, but that doesn't seem to be the priority. I don't do FB or Twitter so may be missing out there, but I just don't choose to go there.
Way to go for all of you that pull together in your area to get a handle on this type of activity and work together to stop it. Kudos to you.
IMHO, using smart phones initially sounds like a good idea but it appears that these bad guys always take the victim's phones to prevent them from calling police. Probably using both would be a better solution. Smart phone for help prior and walkie-talkie immediately after. Keep the walkie-talkie in some obscure location.
Good idea Peder, I don't carry a Smartphone but my wife does.
patrick
Coronado has had a much serious crime problem for years. Home invasions, restaurant invasions, assaults on the beach, Canadians disappearing and being found later butchered and sectioned in a suitcase, etc. Bocas is like a Panamanian Baltimore. PTY is bad but gringos are more dispersed so no concentration of expats to prey on. Don't know about El Valle.
Anyway we are quite o.k. now. We are very pleased with the help of all our neighbours. The police was fast and very good.
As I speak fluent Spanish things worked out fast. Yesterday I made a statement at the police office in the street on the left after Multibank. Helen has to come back with an interpreter. The car has been found intact but locked in David and towed to the police parking. First thing we did yesterday morning was a visit to Scotia Bank. Blocked the Debit Cards.Nothing had been taking of the account. They also changed our account number in order to prevent shopping on line.
The police has been very busy on thursday because of 7 attacks and robberies around Boquete. The governor of Chiriqui is coming today to Boquete to discuss and take tough measures to prevent crime. At the entrance near the tourist office they will put a surveillance post also with cameras. The police advised us to buy pepper spray and tasers.
We also got a letter from the police for a free medical examination in David for the case in court when they catch the criminals. The two men were normally dressed between 22-26 years old, normal hair. Dark Panamanian skin. They both had a gun. They must have been watching us for some time, as are dogs are inside the house when we are out and a big sign of our alarm. They knocked on the door and Helen thought it was one of our neighbours opening the door. They pointed their guns at us and the dogs ran out. Fortunately they did not attack as that would have caused a tremendous gun battle.
I lived in dangerous Nigeria and in Saint Lucia (Caribbean), but this assault has been the fist in my life. Thanks again for all the support. Robert, Helen and the 4 doggies.
Good to hear you're OK, Robert. You did the right thing by cooperating. Good descriptions, I am glad to hear you think they are of legal age.
Thanks Keith. Detectives from the police have been again today at our house. They are suspecting two guys.
I am not allowed to reveal more. They have a lot of photos.
Yes they were of age. They could only take $70. Problem is they took Helen's handbag with our passports and drivers licenses. Fortunately they dogs ran out, otherwise it would have been a wild shooting. Monday we will go to David the get the car, open it and the police can do the screening. I have a clear picture in my mind of one of the guys, but I am not allowed by the police to reveal anymore details about identification.
Hi Neighbor: Glad you and Helen are safe. If it's any comfort (which it isn't) my house was broken into in 2001 and robbed. At that time the neighborhood was not very populated and they broke into the house using a sledgehammer busting the back wall open and then crow-bared the metal door between the laundry room and the rest of the house open. I had only gone out for Pizza to Boquete and was only gone an 1 1/2 hr. Just about every house in the barriarda has been robbed but yours is the first house that I know of that has been robbed while people were at home. Robert, at the very least, you need to install a screen/storm door in front of your main door so that you can see first the people visiting. Another option, a little more expensive, is to put up a perimeter fence in front of your house and let your dogs patrol that area also. I just live up the block from you and if you would like to see my securfity measures I would gladly help.
Patrick
Fran
For years there have been long and heated discussion in Panama about how to treat minors that commit violent crimes in Panama. If you ask any Panamanian about the subject they all will agree that they should be treated as adults and some drastic people have asked for death penalties. But what have happened then. Everytime changes to the law is being treated and discussed at the Asamblea Nacional there is huge opposition to the law from lawyers, human rights groups, religious groups, etc. and the new proposed law did not pass.
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