Puerto Rico Warning!!

where were you staying? Rincon? My car got busted into last year as well right in the parking lot at Marias. I think Rincon is a huge target. As well as driving a rental car, we had to worry every spot we surfed (wildo, surfers beach, bridges especially) just because our car screamed tourists.Stayed at Jobos Beach, felt like our place was safe, but we skated at night and did not feel to comfortable at some spots.

 

We had the window smashed on our rental car a couple years ago when we were there. The theives there target obvious tourists with rental cars because most people don't know any better and leave wallets and stuff in the car. Luckily we had absolutely nothing in our car so nothing was stolen. Sounds like you guys soy worked over a lot though man, sorry to hear that.

It's sad that such a beautiful place like PR can be so dangerous...

 

I'm seriously looking at a trip to PR, but in the north central/east area around San Juan and Rio Grande.

Every review I've read about any spot in PR, there's always a warning or a blurb about stuff getting stolen. Not worried about myself, but more about my wife and family getting harassed while sitting on the beach while I surf.

 

I went to PR in dec. and didnt have a problem. Not saying theft isnt there, it obviously is. But the more attention you bring to your self the bigger target you are, obviously. Take the proper precautions and always be aware of your surroundings. Dont leave anything in your car. period. Take a minimal amount of cash. Dont carry a lot of cash.

I suspect that if your hotel room was broken into. The people running the hotel room, are in on it. just my two cents.

 

my girlfriend and i stayed in Rio Grande last year when we went. its a really beautiful area with the rainforest there and some amazing views. theres a fun wave in Luquillo, only like 15 minutes from Rio Grande you should check out. if its flat go for a hike and see the waterfalls in the rainforest, that was probably the coolest part of our trip

 

Sounds like PR is just following in Mexico's footsteps... Mexico, the most surf rich coastline around is completely empty and has been for years now because of this. Revolution Avenue in TJ does not exsist anymore. Thats right, EVERYTHING, and I MEAN EVERYTHING is shut down there. No bars. No clubs. No surfers. No american girls. No frat boys. No nothing....


All drug trade aside, when the economy tanked in the US it directly affects both MEX and PR. Although PR is an american territory, it still falls into the "third world country" category. And all the little third worlds who are directly influenced by the american economy both tourism and otherwise have fallen apart...

It is because the once honest, hard working people who were happy surviving off 10-15$ in income per day, either dealing with tourism, working in shops etc...

Now that tourism is down, spending is down, jobs are lost, the poor are hit harder than anything. So people with families and things like that are now resorting to becoming theives. Stealing. Commiting petty theft.... And lets all hope you dont meet a drug addict in PR, because they will rob you at knife point or worse...

People all over the world have begun resorting to bottom of the barrel tactics to stay alive... And since one Ipod touch can feed a Puerto Rican Family of 4 for 2 weeks, I completely understand the spike in crime.

No one is trying to kill you, but your simple luxuries are of so much value, that the majority of people there nowadays will at least consider jacking you as they see you walking away from your Enterprise rent-a car.

So they break your window, and there is nothing there. Who cares. The possibility of finding a cell phone, or wallet is worth cracking every window at the beach to them...

And I have a wife, and soon to have a baby, and its gonna take some serious restructuring in these third world hispanic countries before I am taking my family there again. I will be sticking to HI, EUR, AUS and places on my list that dont involve malaria, be-headings from drug cartels, or all my video equipment being stolen from my wife while she is filming me on the beach, and im in the lineup. I used to always have that fear down in MEx, even when it was safer. I would see a couple guys walking down the beach towards the wife and I would immediately take a wave in and be on the sand as they walked by. I wasnt worrying about them hurting her, but they would rob us blind for sure.

Its a shame. But thats why you should take your family to NS, or HI of BC.... wear more rubber and have a safe adventure.

 

Thats why you dont leave anything in the car, leave the windows open and the doors unlocked. Then they don't have to break a window to see you have nothing there.

 

that is ashame you had that experience... I guess you have to be really cautious these days. Peoples cars get jacked into a lot, so never leave valuables in the car while surf.

 

i really want to check out BC, seen some great footy from Sombrio

 

yah. good idea. stay away from those hispanic countries. they're all teefs. especially if you're soon to have a baby! they might take it and eat it! LOL. definitely stay away from panama. they're all bad, bad people down there. stay far, far away...

 

well played sir. Well played indeed

 

I've travelled extensively in Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador, Cuba, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Colombia. I have never had a problem in any of those places.

I have, however, been a victim of burglaries, robberies and muggings in Boston, Trenton, Jersey City and Spain. Bottom line, watch your ass wherever you go.

 

Sorry to hear that man... I'll have to admit, when I was down there recently nothing happened to me or my stuff, but I always wondered 'where are the police?'... I saw maybe 3 the whole time I was on the island, in a way that's good, but I guess now I see that's not too good. Not having even a small police presence is not helpful when there are people that aren't from there with nice things/money!

 

leave nothing of value in your car and leave the doors unlocked.

No broken windows and nothing to steal. They aren't gonna hot wire a car and steal it. That's grand theft auto. They are looking for cash, electronics, etc.

Just leave the rental car open...that's what we do.

 

One more little td bit about Mexico, friend, his family and extended family traveled to Mexico 3x a year. They were aware of warnings of americans being kidnapped but like most of us would never happen to them. Well it did, they had a cousin kidnapped while vacation and held for ransom. They had to return to the US without her, raise $100,000 for her release. They paid the ransom and have never returned to Mexico.

 

easy solution to the window smash issue

http://www.pacsafe.com/www/index.php

I've used the Travel Safe bag from Pacsafe.

http://www.pacsafe.com/www/index.php?_room=3&_action=detail&id=18

I secure my cash, ID, Blackberry, small camera & same stuff that belongs to my buddy in the travel bag & leave the vehicle windows half-open & the doors unlocked. Never ever had a window-smash problem during many trips to Nica, the DR, Barbados & Virginia Beach (lol).

Plus, I use the bag safe as a stash for stuff in my hotel or condo room - - keeps the housekeepers on task.

 

Petty burglary and murders are way up in PR this year. Because of the economy and because of the drug trade and addicts. San Juan is much worse than rest of the Island but there are pockets of crime all over except up in the mountains and some of the less touristy places. There is a reason all the windows and doors have that fancy rod iron.

Localism is also on the rise. For the first time in quite some time I heard local guys talking about the cars being fire bombed when "visitors" get out of hand. Can't blame them since I witnessed plenty of misbehavior out in some of the line-ups. Yep, some of the cars being broken into are by local surfers, not just druggies and people in need of some quick cash.

Didn't hear as much, "Hey yo, I wanna...." in the bakeries and other stores. Somebody must have been going to their obedience classes last year.

 

When I lived in downtown baltimore back in the day during college, about once per month, Cops would go up and down charles street and put little cards under our windshield wipers with those exact instructions. It basically said, your car is in a high risk "petty theft" area, where crack heads and addicts WILL break your window for change and cigarette butts, so PLEASE remove all of your belongings from your vehicle. Remove audio equip, and leave your car doors unlocked. Otherwise, you WILL have a broken window.... They said that the likelyhood of an autotheft was slim to none in that area. ohh, the good old days!