Crime in Costa Rica September 15, 2007
Posted by admin in : Living , trackbackOn September 6th, 2007, foreign residents were called upon to attend a meeting, held at Manuel Antonio’s premier resort hotel, to discuss the sudden and massive number of armed robberies in the community.
Manuel Antonio is not the first, community in Costa Rica, to hold meetings of residents to try and deal with crime in Costa Rica. Other communities, Puerto Viejo and Tamarindo, probably others, have held similar meetings. There is no question that crime in Costa Rica has seen a dramatic rise.
Why? And, what can be done about it? Those are two very good questions, which will not be answered, by the politicians, police, or public. A lot of nonsense, will be spoken, and ineffective measures will be institued. All of it, will of course, cost money. Let me get to the point by asking a series of rhetorical questions and then answering them with conclusions.
When did this crime wave begin? Answer: Shortly after the housing and land boom in Costa Rica started. First in San Jose, and it’s surrounding rich suburbs (with many foreigners), Escazu and Rohrmosser. Crime then spread to the beach communities.
What caused the increase in crime? An increase in wealth disparity. This would require a lengthy response, so let me just say that, the average Tico did not see great benefits from the boom. In came, wealthy foreigners, building big villas, and they became easy targets.
Why is it becoming violent? It’s the American way. Costa Rica’s youth has been over-exposed to “Yo, Yo, Bang, Bang” American cultural values. Plus, the crime has moved from petty (steal your bicycle), to home invasion, open the safe or we shoot you. To take over someone’s home - you need a fire arm.
What can be done? Bars, barbed wire, attack dogs, guns, private security, gated communities, facist police etc? All of these measures are ineffective. They either don’t work, cost money and your peace of mind, or only force the criminals to change tactics.
One example: You are afraid of crime, so you move into a gated community, with armed guards patrolling your walled compound. Now the criminals can’t get to your home, so instead they kidnap you, when you go to the mall.
You didn’t answer what can be done, you only pointed out, what doesn’t work? If you understand why Costa Rica was a peaceful, generally law abiding country, with friendly and helpful citizens, before the land and housing boom. And if you understand how the society changed because of it, then you can begin to see a path, back to better days.
In the days before the boom, Costa Rican’s and foreigners lived, in more or less equality and harmony. Costa Rica had a large and stable middle class, and the foreigners that lived in Costa Rica, generally lived simple and middle class lives. They blended into the communities in which they lived.
Their wasn’t a great disparity between most Costa Ricans and foreign residents. Income inequality creates crime. The huge villas, big S.U.V.’s, gated golf course communities, didn’t really exist before. They are new to Costa Rica, as is violent crime, the solution to crime in Costa Rica is obvious. Not only is it obvious it is cheap, friendly, and benefits everyone.
Return to the simple, humble, way of living, that we once practiced not so long ago. It is the iCare Costa Rica Real Estate and Retirement way.
That’s nice, but should I buy a home in Manuel Antonio? No. And you shouldn’t buy property in Jaco, Tamarindo, Escazu, Rohrmosser, and Puerto Viejo. These towns have been severly damaged, by the replacement of “Good” values, with “Bad” values.
Should I even bother with Costa Rica? Yes. There are many beautiful places in Costa Rica, that haven’t been destroyed, by the corrosion of social values and over- development.
These towns that I mentioned, didn’t start out bad, they became bad. The people who lived in those towns became greedy (foreigners and Ticos), the newcomers preferred to live in grandiose isolation, and the locals felt separated and taken advantage-of.
If you find one of these remaining beautiful towns, and you build a castle on the hill, and drive down into town in your big S.U.V, to quickly buy groceries, then zoom back up the hill. Employ a Nicaraguan maid and gardener, don’t get to know your neighbors, don’t hang out in the village square. Invite your friends to visit, and then they also build castles on the other hills, then you too can quickly destroy your paradise. And become crime victims.
There is another way, there is a choice, there is iCare Costa Rica Real Estate and Retirement.
armed robberies in Costa Rica Costa Rica security crime in Costa Rica Living Uncategorized
Comments»
Hola from The Other Coast. Yes, Puerto Viejo.
We too have issues crime over here and I am glad to see an article that more clearly explains how come the increase in crime and what are the solutions.
With so many “tax refugees”here and they can not figure out why the police force is ineffective when they only have salaries of $300 to $400 month.
What we see here is lots of talk but when push comes to shove, few people want to contribute the resources needed to deal with the issue.
I was a little surprised in reading this today; I guess the main reason that I was shocked was - it actually makes sense! I own a security company here in Costa Rica and often give the same advise to people about living under the criminal radar. It is sad to see the middle class vanishing in Costa Rica….but it has already began and will be very difficult to reverse.
James Powell
www.costaricapatrol.net
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