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Crime is everywhere and we all need to be aware of that. Aruba is no exception. This past week, one of my renters went to Iguana Joe's downtown for lunch and used their debit card to pay for it. Within a few hours, their debit account was depleted of $8700 with false charges (not Iguana Joe's but other fictitious vendors). After notiying their bank that these charges did not belong to them, the money was reinstated this week. Thank Goodness! Someone had apparently got hold of their number because they were still in posession of their card. It did create some stress for them though and they thought at the beginning that they might have lost that money. I am not blaming Iguana Joe's because they did use the card elsewhere the previous day but it defintely happened in Aruba cause this was a new card that they had not used before Aruba. I also recommended that they report this to the Aruba Police.
In regard to break-ins, there have been quite a few in the Noord area where the tourists tend to stay both private homes and hotel rooms. I have several friends there who are police officers in Aruba and they state that some criminals come to the Island from Columbia and Venezuala posing as tourists with their main intention to prey on the tourists. They know that tourists bring cash, credit cards, nice cameras, IPODs, and Laptop computers - these are easy to resell.
Take every precaution whether you stay in a hotel, timeshare, or private villa - many of the break-ins and thefts have occurred because people leave their balcony doors open, bathroom windows open, or their valuable posessions in full view which is very tempting to the criminal element.
I love Aruba and feel very safe there but Aruba is not immune to crime.
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