I have been a full time resident of Boquete for seven years. I live in a rural area. In my first year my house was robbed three times. They were what I will call pillow case robberies, since everything taken fit into a pillowcase, except my Merrill Boots, I think they walked out. I know who did the robberies, they took food and the food packaging was found near a construction site. They came in open windows and left through the front door.
My response was to act like a Panamanian. I put bars on my windows, I bought a big dog, I lock my doors and windows and put a barrier door between the house and where I sleep. I also bring my dog in at night so he can be my alarm system.
Alto al Crimen was created to help put a cap on local crime by educating people as to how to prevent it, at least how to become a harder target. Some people learn some do not. There is no way to eliminate crime, you can reduce your risk by being smart and making your home a hard target. You invite crime by leaving valuable items in plain view.
In this small community we hear about most crimes against Gringos, don't feel so special. There is far more Panamanian on Panamanian crime here, you never hear about it. When you have poor and sometimes hungry people they will steal to survive. This has always been and will always be.
Learn from you neighbors, secure your home and you will reduce the potential to be a victim. We hear so much more about what has always existed because we have better communication, not because crime is increased. A robbery is big news in our small town.
We are very lucky that violent crime is rare but the same precautions inhibit those opportunistic crime also. Most violent crime here is personal not random.
I am not selling anything, I am donating the same advice given by Alto al Crimen, over and over. This is not an ad for an alarm system or boat horns, this is just some basic advice. If you believe a boat horn or alarm will increase your home safety by all means make the investment. Thinking, planning and being a hard target will do even more for your safety.
Replies
Jim
Thanks for the advice... but I still have fun with my job and I think if I retire so soon I will feel bored to death and I will grow older very fast and probably a little bit grumpy as some people round here.
I will be grandfather next month so I think my grandson will give me some fun and joy.
Jim
Busy lately and travelling a lot. Actually I am in CR now. I havent post lately here but once in a while I feel the need to say something about something I dont agree or have a different point of view about some realities in Panama.
Well put Lee....I liked your comment about the crime against Panamanians on Panamanians, as a robber cares not what nationality someone is they simply want what ever loot they can steal as easy as possible. If inflation does not keep up with the local hourly wage..it seems more crime is apparent.
Crime is increasing world wide and in my opinion the police, security companies, communities and crime groups are all trying their best to prevent, protect and prosecute. With that said it is not a neighborhood watch person, neighbor or security guard to follow or try to intervene when they spot a person of interest. As a situation can get ugly quick, like the Zimmerman case in Florida. Stay inside turn on the lights, call for help and sound your alarm of choice.
Proper Security Provisions and Common Sense is the best advice one can give the only problem is common sense is not always common.
Be safe amigos...
It is interesting to see that some people had an opinion that all poor panamanian people with lower income and because of inflation will become robbers and criminals. That they will be looking for stealing stuff and valuables from rich or good incomed expats or panamanians. There are a lot of poor people, very hard working, honest that will never be engaged in any criminal activity.
It have been stated by some authorities that there are some people that dont like to work. Some people that found that being criminals is the best way to get money fast and easy. They are happy to be criminals and will remain the same for years to come. We are so lucky that this kind of people are only a little segment of the population and not all of them come from poor classes. They made robbery their profession.
Of course there could be what I called "oportunistic theft" . It will happen to anybody who is not so careful to take care of their valuables and leave them misplaced as a tentation for some people that will take advantage of this lack of precaution with our valuables like purses, computers, smartphones, wallets and the list could go on.
In my years living in Panama very few times I have found a father or a mother stealing something because they need the money for food and/or medicines for their children or elders in their family. Most of the maleantes are sinverguenzas that dont like to work and found very easy to get an income by stealing stuff. As I always said "We, the good people, are more... so work together as a community and keep an eye on strange people out from the community that wander and roam by your area. They could probably be those criminals looking to take away from you any valuable you may have.
In the past month I had the pleasure of working with some crime experts from Lee County Florida. With that said statistics and peer reviewed studies are often used to help understand crime and its link to economic conditions. Understanding crime and the reasons for its increase or decline can help prevent crime in the future. Here is part of a study used from several law enforcement organizations, I found it very interesting.
THE IMPACT OF MACROECONOMIC CONDITIONS
ON PROPERTY CRIME
John M. Nunley, University of Wisconsin—La Crosse, Richard Alan Seals Jr., Auburn University, Joachim Zietz, Middle Tennessee State University and European Business School (EBS)
We find that our three macroeconomic variables have, on average, a statistically significant impact on the four rates of property crime and in the expected direction. In particular, a rise in inflation increases property crime rates, so does a decrease in manufacturing employment and an increase in the annual return on the Dow Jones stock price index. We determine that our manufacturing employment index fits the data better than the commonly used unemployment rate.
www.uwlax.edu/faculty/nunley/.../prop_crime_5_18_2011.pdf
Naturally, this is not the case with all people as some rich can steal, some poor, and some middle class. Some steal for thrill, some steal do to mental illness and some steal because they fit into a statistical module. Just repeated the information I received, no more. Thank you,
ooooh, I like that word "sinverguenzas" I'll have to use it more in conversation...as in "para de comportarte como un ostia de sinverguenza"
I will add to Lee's writting: COMMON SENSE. Being precautious without being paranoic..... and enjoy life.
Yes, to all these comments and suggestions. There was an attempted break-in last Friday night up on the Alto Jaramillo circle ( up past Los Establos) ( seems the thieves have moved from Sanctuario around to Palo Alto and now up the Jaramillo Centro road as I have heard of a couple of others in this area recently) .Friends of mine were at home, had just retired for the evening so most of the lights were out (about 9.30 pm), someone shook the bars covering the front door and then tried the handle and locks. The residents (who were pretty well prepared) heard the noises, jumped out of bed, turned on all the indoor and outdoor lights and fired off their boat horn. They also called Alto Crimen. The police arrived some 35 minutes later. A search was conducted and the friends report that the police were very professional and polite. So nothing was found and nothing was taken. They do have a dog and while its very handsome, it's quite stupid and did not bark at all.
So..there it is...
There is crime in Kansas just like everywhere else. There will always be people who will believe it won't happen to me and thus never do anything to reduce the likelihood of becoming another victim of a home robbery. Steps and common sense actions should be taken to reduce the probability that your house or you will be a target and there is a wealth of information available on this subject from the likes of AAC.
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink!
And you can lead a Ho to culture, but you can't make her think. Now that's alarming!
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