Safety /aruba/other Vacation Spots

[Eagle Beach Boy]

Originally Posted by lizzardo

having lived here for 3 years plus full time - I have never heard of so much crime happening. I am very concerned because I have my 81 year old parents living with me. What happens if they are there when a break in occurs?

There seems to be nothing happening by anyone in Aruba govt about this except to hush it up. The local news always shows car accidents but nothing about american tourists break-ins. Maybe they don't think it applies to the natives. With the overbuilding and high prices of the units - something needs to be done.

From what I hear from other posts - it sounds like the police have their hands tied from investigating the crimes.

Perhaps a "vacationers dept" should be opened at the police dept to help people who aren't familar with the system to deal with how to at least get the proper reports for insurance and also to do a "special investigation unit" for these crimes.

In the states - we have neighborhood watches but with all the different languages involved might be difficult but something like that could be done as well.

I understand that most of the "apartments" have security. What are they doing?

Can you PM me about which apartments were broken into just so I know not to recommend them when asked. I won't mention why.

Thanks
Lizzardo

I agree with you. If someone posts too often about what is happening in Aruba you get chastized.

I know these Boards are for relaying Good information but we do need to know about the rest also.

[Glenn]

I agree with what others have said. I've been going to Aruba, on and off, since 1980. I still feel very safe there, although we always take the usual common-sense precautions. we don't take valuables with us, we make use of the in-room safe and try to make sure we're always aware of our surroundings.

That's also true for Maui, our other favourite destination, and which we'll be heading to in 2 1/2 weeks.

We cannot foresee every every possible incident but we can reduce the probability of them happening by following those precautions everyone has already mentioned.

Glenn

[Jarubian]

I still consider Aruba one of the most safest islands. I worked on cruise ship and traveled to almost all the islands in the Caribbean, and other parts of the World, and Aruba is # 1 for me. I was in St thomas, US Virgin Islands and almost shot 2 times, and Bahamas almost pick pocketed. My 1st visit to Aruba back in 1989/1990 walked all by myself all around Down Town from 10pm to about 1pm and nothing happened. Been going back ever since than and will always go back till I can not anymore, or unless I move there.
LOVE ARUBA and ITS PEOPLE, and if you are a person like me that has also lived in Jersey City, New Jersey, and worked in Manhathan, Aruba is fairy tale.

[Cheryl]

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.

[Edronenburg]

ell these points are well taken. I think the bottom line, as in any area...U.S., Europe; Carribean; or elsewhere, is to be aware of your surroundings; and take all the necessary precautions as each of the posters on this website have suggested. By doing so, of course, your chances of such incidents happening will be minimized or not at all.

As always, I have and will find Aruba one of the safest and friendliness places to vacation and will not be paranoid about incidents happening. Another point, I check the website frequently to see what Arubalisa and Adrea J., post and suggest.

[Andrea J.]

here in the woods of central maine on my street friday night..........2 cars were broken into and stuff stolen (tom tom and garmin and a laptop computer and other not so important stuff)
well here i sit and shake my head at the lunacy of the events.
sure the robbers were WRONG.
but, when we do not take the proactive positions and be lacsadasical (spelling) with our posessions, it is an invitation to the crooks.

why did these folks leave their valued possessions in their unlocked cars in their driveways?
why did they not put their vehicles in their locked garages?
here we are in east nowheresville and crime happens.

i guess nothing ceases to amaze me anymore.

anywhere/everywhere be cautious, careful and proactive.

andrea

Originally Posted by Edronenburg

ell these points are well taken. I think the bottom line, as in any area...U.S., Europe; Carribean; or elsewhere, is to be aware of your surroundings; and take all the necessary precautions as each of the posters on this website have suggested. By doing so, of course, your chances of such incidents happening will be minimized or not at all.

.

[DANNYO]

Originally Posted by Jarubian

I still consider Aruba one of the most safest islands. I worked on cruise ship and traveled to almost all the islands in the Caribbean, and other parts of the World, and Aruba is # 1 for me. I was in St thomas, US Virgin Islands and almost shot 2 times, and Bahamas almost pick pocketed. My 1st visit to Aruba back in 1989/1990 walked all by myself all around Down Town from 10pm to about 1pm and nothing happened. Been going back ever since than and will always go back till I can not anymore, or unless I move there.
LOVE ARUBA and ITS PEOPLE, and if you are a person like me that has also lived in Jersey City, New Jersey, and worked in Manhathan, Aruba is fairy tale.

Jarubian,I was born and raised in Newark N.J during the riots,I know there is no safer place than Aruba.

[jochem Ros]

I have been living on Aruba for 10 years now. Ok, their is a crime-rise, I won't deny that. But were in the world isn't? I still feel very safe on Aruba, I wouldn't want my kids to grow up in any other place (and I lived/been many places in the world). Thats why it makes me sad to hear about your friends Andrea. And I agree with almost everything posted above. Almost, I've have one question to Lizzardo though. Why do you want to know were the break-in happened? And why wouldn't you recommend them to your friends? It's just bad luck it happend there and you don't know what the managers did to help the friends of Andrea, or what they did after the burgling to prevent it in the future? No (just to be clear) I don't no were it happened. But I just think you need more details before you "don't recommend" them to your friends. But that's my opinion

[Arubalisa]

Originally Posted by Andrea J.

but, when we do not take the proactive positions and be lacsadasical (spelling) with our posessions, it is an invitation to the crooks.

why did these folks leave their valued possessions in their unlocked cars in their driveways?
andrea

Interesting! On our news here, it is on the news and in the newspapers FREQUENTLY, to always lock your car and place valuables out of sight. GPS units are the new hot "ticket" item for theives. When I was a new driver 30 years ago I learned the lesson the hard way to always lock yiour car. Nothing expensive was stolen from the car, just "stuff" important to me.

[arubamark]

Crime is everywhere. I never had a problem in Aruba, I feel comfortable walking around with my family. This is why I bought my timeshare here compared to other places that I have been to.