Personal Safety in Costa Rica

Living in Costa Rica is much safer than residing in most large cities in the United States or Latin American countries, but you should take some precautions and use common sense to ensure your own safety.

In Costa Rica, the rate for violent crimes is very low, but there is a problem with theft, especially in the larger cities. Thieves tend to look for easy targets, especially foreigners, so you can't be too cautious. Make sure your house or apartment has steel bars on both the windows and garage. The best bars are narrowly spaced, because some thieves use small children as accomplices as they can squeeze through the bars to burglarize your residence. Make sure your neighborhood has a night watchman if you live in the city. Some male domestic employees are willing to work in this capacity. However, ask for references and closely screen any person you hire. Also, report suspicious people loitering around your premises. Thieves are very patient and often case a residence for a long time to observe your comings and goings. They can and will strike at the most opportune moment for them. You should take added precautions if you live in a neighborhood where there are many foreigners. Thieves associate foreigners with wealth and look for areas where they cluster together. One possible deterrent, in addition to a night watchman, is to organize a neighborhood watch group in your area.

If you leave town, get a friend or other trustworthy person to house-sit.

Mountain areas offer some spectacular views and tranquility but are less populated and usually more isolated. This makes them prime targets for burglars and other thieves. We have a friend who moved to a beautiful home in the hills, but was burglarized a couple of times. Out of desperation he had to hire a watchman and buy guard dogs. Unfortunately, a few weeks later he was robbed while doing an errand in town. This is the down side to living off-the-beaten-path.

If you are really concerned about protecting your valuables, you will be better off living in a condominium complex or an apartment. Both are less susceptible to burglary due to their design and the fact that there is safety in numbers, as the saying goes.

Private home security patrols can provide an alarm system and patrol your area for a monthly fee. There are a few companies which specialize in security systems for the home and office. Some even offer very sophisticated monitored surveilance systems. You should contact ADT at 257-7373 if interested in one of these services. We just installed a complete ADT security system in out home in Heredia for less than $600.00.

The National Insurance Institute offers insurance policies which protect your home against burglary. However, the coverage is limited to certain items, there are stipulations and there are is a lot of paperwork involved. There is a 10% deductible on the value of stolen items. All items must be listed as well as their serial numbers. Premiums run from 1 to 1.5 % of the total on the list depending where you live. Homes in more secure areas receive the lower rates. Less protected homes in remote areas have higher rates. If your home is to be unoccupied for more than 48 hours, it must be placed under the care of a guard and you must notify the insurance company one week in advance. If you own an automobile,you should be especially careful if you have pensionado (retiree) license plates. These plates identify you as a foreigner and, in some cases, make you a sitting duck for car burglars who relish breaking into your car and stealing your valuables. Thieves can pop open a locked trunk and clean it out in a few minutes. Make sure your house or apartment has a garage with iron bars so your car is off the street. When parking away from your house, always park in parking lots or where there is a watchman. He will look after your car for a few cents an hour when you park it on the street. It is not difficult to find watchmen since they usually approach and offer their services as soon as you park your car.

Never park your vehicle or walk in a poorly lit area. Avoid walking alone at night, and during the day, stay alert for pickpockets. Pickpockets like to hang around bus stops, parks and crowded marketplaces, especially the Central Market (between Calles 6 and 8, Aves. 1 and Central). You should never flaunt your wealth by wearing expensive jewelry or carrying cameras loosely around your neck because they make you an easy mark on the street. Keep a good watch on any valuable items you may be carrying. It is advisable to find a good way to conceal your money and never carry it in your back pocket. It is best to carry money in front pockets. It is also a good idea to always carry small amounts of money in several places, rather than all your money in one place. If you carry large amounts of money, use traveler's checks. Be very discreet with your money. Don't flash large amounts of money in public. Every time you finish a transaction in a bank or store, put away all money in your purse or wallet before going out into the street.

Never carry any original documents, such as passports or visas. Make a photocopy of your passport and carry it with you at all times. The authorities will accept most photocopies as a valid form of identification. Avoid the dangerous parts of San José, especially the area near the Coca-Cola bus terminal and the "Zona Roja" south of Parque Central. Keep alert. Be aware of who is around you and what they are doing. Thieves often work in teams. One will distract you while the other makes off with your valuables. Never accept help from strangers and ignore and never accept business propositions or other offers from people you encounter on the street. Never pick up hitchhikers.

Men should also watch out for prostitutes, who are often expert pickpockets and can relieve the unsuspecting of their valuables before they realize it. Men, especially when inebriated or alone, should be careful-or avoid-the "Gringo Gulch" area in the vicinity of Morazán Park, The Holiday Inn and Key Largo Bar. Many muggings have been reported in this area at night.

If you are a single woman living by yourself, never walk alone at night. If you do go out at night, be sure to take a taxi or have a friend go along.

White collar crime exists in Costa Rica and a few dishonest individuals-Americans, Canadians and Costa Ricans included-are always waiting to take your money. Over the years many unscrupulous individuals have set up shop here. We have heard of naive foreigners losing their hard-earned savings to ingenious scams. Scamsters prey off newcomers. One crook bilked countless people out of their money by selling a series of non-existant gold mines here and abroad. The guy is still walking the streets today and dreaming up new ways to make money.

One "dangerous breed of animal" you may encounter are some foreigners between 30 and 60 years of age who are in business but don't have pensions. Most of said people are struggling to survive and have to really hustle to make a living in Costa Rica. In general they are desperate and will go to almost any means to make money. They may even have a legitimate business but most certainly try to take advantage of you to make a few extra dollars. Most complaints we hear about people being "ripped off" are caused by individuals who fit into this category.

On your first trip to Costa Rica you will probably be besieged by con-men anxious to help you make an investment. Be wary of blue ribbon business deals seeming too good to be true, or any other get-rich quick schemes-non-existant land, fantastic sounding real estate projects, phony high-interest bank investments or property not belonging to the person selling it. If potential profit sounds too good to be true it probably is. However most of the high interest yielding investments we mention in Chapter 2 have proven to be perfectly safe. These type of investments have good track records.

Always do your homework and talk to other expats before you make any type of investment. There seems to be something about the ambience here that causes one to trust total strangers. The secret is to be cautious without being afraid to invest. Before jumping into what seems to be a once-in-a-lifetime investment opportunity, ask yourself this question: Would I make the same investment in my home town? Don't do anything with your money in Costa Rica that you wouldn't do at home. A friend and long-time resident here always says jokingly when referring to the business logic of foreigners who come to Costa Rica, "When they step off the plane they seem to go brain dead."

Most people in Costa Rica are honest, hard-working individuals. But don't assume people are honest just because they are nice. Remember it doesn't hurt to be overly cautious.

If you are robbed or swindled under any circumstances, contact the police or the O.I.J. (Organización de Investigación Judicial) a special, highly efficient investigative unit like the FBI (between Aves. 8 and 10 and Calles 15 and 17 in the middle building of the court house complex, 255-0122). You may also want to contact the Security Ministry, Ministerio de Seguridad at 227-4866. You may not recover your money, but you may prevent others from being victimized.