Home Burglaries in Aruba

[lizzardo]

You have to consider that this is a small island and when something happens
here it's kinda 'amplified'. But compared to the US - Aruba is much
safer.

I can't say how sad I am to hear that there have been robberies. But the
new government has been working on getting the police department
better trained and are starting prevention and better services. This doesn't
happen overnight. But they working on it.

I have lived here for 5 years full time and will tell you that I believe
that I have never felt safer and don't have any fears about
living here.

Crime is everywhere you go and you do have to precautions like
anywhere in the US.

I think the benefits of living here in a wonderful place far outweighs
the negative.

JerseyGirl - I'm orig. from NJ too - so if you want to PM me with
any questions, I'd be happy to let answer your questions. I think
others can vouch for me that I am honest about what goes on here
good and bad.

[kjargaard]

JerseyGirl! Don't get me wrong! I love Aruba. This is the first time I've had my sense of security shaken. We've had our home for a little over two years. This is the first misfortune we've encountered. I'm just in need of beefing up security to ensure it doesn't happen again. I'm in the Casibari area. It's a new neighborhood, as of the last couple of years. My neighborhood is a blend of local residents and a few others like me who come and go - some from European countries - a neighbor from France! It's a lovely island with its own ambiance. I'd continue looking around at its offerings, if I were you.

[Retagger]

I use ICS as my alarm monitor. I have a security system that uses a Sim card from a cell phone since I also do not have a regular phone line. I feel extremely safe in my home when I am there and when I am not as I can monitor my home back in New Jersey via outdoor webcams.

I am currently in Aruba and this morning I triggered my outdoor perimeter sensors by mistake. ICS responded to my home within three minutes - I am very pleased with that response time.

------ As I am writing this, I am drinking an ice cold Balashi watching the palm trees sway in the wind while sitting on my patio. Life is good....

Regards,

[kjargaard]

Thank you for the alarm info! I'm gathering it up and will soon have enough to make some informed decisions - before it's too late! Tee hee!

[cubella59]

JerseyGirl, I believe teh rash of burglaries took place in the fall of 2009. I bought a place in Dec 2009 and so far, knock on wood, all has been well. Don't let a few bad apples dissuade you.

[cubella59]

Jerseygirl, I believe the rash of burglaries happened last Fall (2009). Since then, it's been pretty quiet. I bought a place in Dec 2009 and, knock on wood, have had no issues. Don't let a few bad apples spoil it for you. I couldn't be happier with my decision.

Kjargaard- I use Rhodanna and have been very pleased with them so far. Had a cpl times when the alarm went off and they had someone there in 5 minutes (which for Aruba, is amazing). Liz might be able to add to the dialogue.

[curlylaura]

We have had no problems at our home. Our home is fully furnished and thank God no one has attempted to break in. We put up security stickers on all doors. The best security is a camera.

[bryanzs]

My wife and I own a house in Alto Vista, and this past trip (mid-May) we experienced a situation very similar to those described. We went out to dinner at 7, and got a call from our security company (Benjamin Security) that our home alarm had gone off. They called again 15 minutes later (when their security guard arrived at the house) to tell us that there had indeed been a break in.

We have a security system (obviously), and Retraco shutters rolled down over every window and the back patio door. The robbers pried open the frame around one of the Retraco, and pulled up the shutter, in order to break into the master bathroom (on the side of the house). They then managed to walk around inside our house, avoiding the motion sensors, until they got to the family room, at which point they finally tripped a motion sensor.

I've no idea how long they had to look through the house, but they did rummage through our master bedroom (not finding much of anything) and took our laptops and camera from the family room.

And like everyone else has reported, the police arrived (about 1/2 hour later) and were friendly but certainly didn't do anything to allay our fears (in fact, they told us that the robbers would most likely be back for our tv - how's _that_ for comforting news??). They also couldn't get the prints until the technical team came out the next day.

This was actually our second experience with the police. Last year, while my wife and I were watching tv in the family room (with all the windows open of course so we could enjoy the wind), someone reached into our house and stole my wallet and keys off the little table in our kitchen. Yes, while we were sitting in the house (backs to the kitchen) 10 feet away. Got to give the criminals credit for guts, at least...

Both of these incidents caused us to "ramp up" our security - now we keep the lights on the back porch on all evening to discourage anyone walking around there while we're home (or at least to increase the chances we'd see anyone loitering there), and after this most recent incident we put additional window sensors and interior motion detectors all throughout the house. And we, too, talked with more neighbors about checking around our house when they hear the alarm going off. One problem we have is that one side, and the entire back, of our house, faces into the cunucu, so it's easy for people to slip in and out without walkiing past anyone else.

I am at a loss as to what else we might do if these additional precautions don't stop the robbers in the future.

We've had the house for about 5 years, and I can tell you there's no way I expected problems like this - my concerns had been about what might happen to the house during our absences from the island, not about what might happen when we were actually present. But it seems like these criminals actually WAIT until the house is occupied to break in!

Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know that, if you assumed the rash of break ins went away when the "task force" rounded up the "criminal ring", that is NOT the case. Or else everyone in the criminal ring has been released and are back to their old tricks.

[bryanzs]

Oh, and I forgot to originally mention - the security guard, when he arrived, indicated that there had been several more of these types of robberies in the Noord area recently. I don't recall if he mentioned where, exactly, in Noord (Palm Beach, Malmok, or Tierra del Sol), but he did say they all followed the same MO - breaking in while the homeowner was at dinner, oftentimes through the bathroom window (where the security company is least likely to put in a motion sensor).

[yefim8]

Thanks to all for info.Today i killed my 401k in order to get $$ and buy house in Aruba.Now i got to think it over.Is there a way to get gun permit on island?Do they honor US issued gun permit , which i have?