RBCal

FYI
The latest Tico Times has articles on recent tourist shootings in Costa Rica
www.ticotimes.net

The same issue discusses how drinking water is increasingly being contaminated with nitrates due to sewage from septic tanks.

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Tom Hillegass from the U.S. state of New Jersey , was shot at while driving his rented 4X4 in March near Jacó, on the Central Pacific coast. Hillegass told The Tico Times he and his family were on their way to the grocery store from their rented house in the popular tourist town when another car cut them off. A passenger stepped out of the car and fired several bullets into Hillegass' windshield and driver's side door. Though a bullet ricocheted off Hillegass' leg, the family drove off before anyone was seriously hurt.

lvk

Yes, and on the 110 freeway in LA, where I drive daily, 2 people have been shot and KILLED in the past 2 weeks. I'll take the violent crime stats in Costa Rica over the ones in LA County.

ewesthoff

Shame on you RBCal. 1 shooting. Give us a break. Things happen all over the world, this is an isolated incident and I hope this doesn't persuade anyone. CR is the most peaceful country I have ever been to.

RBCal

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Shame on you RBCal.

Jeez, sorry for alerting people. I guess it's better to pretend that crime doesn't happen in CR. Pura Vida!

Read the paper, I didn't write the initial report.

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Just this week, Tico Times staff members witnessed two assaults in downtown San José . In one case, suspects shot at two tourists and stole their cameras.

RBCal

Also from today's AMCostaRica (www.amcostarica.com)

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The wave of armed robberies threatening motorists near Nosara claimed two more victims Wednesday even though investigators said they have been working on the case since October.

tully

Yes, and in the past month 2 little girls have been abducted & murdered (by convicted sex offenders) within an hours drive of me.

Crime happens all over the world, CR is not excluded. Other than being alarmist, not sure what your point is.

laurieco

I'm going to CR next month and while the reports of violence certainly won't keep me away, I don't think we should be so hard on RBCal. Perhaps he or she was just warning us to be alert. Yes, crime does happen everywhere but when it is aimed at tourists, it's of particular concern to those who are tourists in the

laurieco

Sorry, I accidently hit POST before I was finished...

What I mean is that it is a slight concern, just something to be a bit more vigilent about. So let's give poor RBCal a break, I don't think it was meant to scare people away.

joeschmo

Of course crime happens all over and hearing about these recent events would not keep me from coming to CR but what is the harm in hearing about this? Costa Rica has always been a peaceful little country with little violent crime and I for one, appreciate hearing these facts. It's good not to get TOO lazy and comfortable just because we love the place. Thanks for keeping me on my toes, RBCal.

RufusTFirefly

Although robbery and burglary rates in CR are much higher than in the USA, murder rates are about the same.

shillmac

RufusFirefly, per capita?

faithie

Just click on his name to get an idea of the direction a few of his recent posts are going ....... Maybe then u will see why people seem to get a little "short" .... It IS always a good thing to educate oneself about crime issues etc. when we visit a new country , I do so myself before each trip . I will not search through archives , then post it here just to prove some kind of point .

faithie

By the way this is in no way meant to take away how horrible and frightening it must have been for these people ...... Very sad . Faith

gannetmusic

My first impression of RBCal was that he/she was probably just a troll who gets his kicks from stirring up dissent in newsgroups.

Upon further reading I think that RBCal is just one of those unfortunate people who has a 'glass half empty' view of the world.

RBCal ..... lets make deal....I'll spend the night in downtown San Jose and you spend the night in the Ford Road / Woodward area of Detroit and we'll see who survives to tell about their adventure.......LOL


cheers

Jerry

RBCal

What does Detroit have to do with Latin American tourism? Is Detroit your favorite place to vacation?
Sorry to burst your full glass of Pura Vida, BS. If tourists were being shot in Cancun, Hawaii, Mexico, etc. wouldn't you want to be aware of it?
Why is it that if anyone posts anything about Costa Rica that is not Pura Vida propaganda they are attacked?

faithie

Put it this way , if one of the regular Costa Rica contributors posted about a recent spurt of crime , fine . We "should" know about these things , the information you give IS good to know , but.... I get the distinct impression you "love" being the bearer of bad news about Costa Rica ...?? Almost like you are trying to convince people who love it that we are somehow wrong , that it is actually a terrible and dangerous place ?? There is good and bad in basically any place we visit , true . There IS crime in Costa Rica , true . And I also hope most people look at travel safety sites with each destination , a good idea . Perhaps next post you could post about something wonderful that has happened in Costa Rica ? You seem great at research . Faith

ewesthoff

My apologies to RBCal, it does appear that you were trying to add beneficial information, but crime happens every where, should we post every crime in the world, just in case a tourist may be visiting? It would get really old. Thanks for the info but people should always be on their toes, otherwise stay home in your bomb shelter.

hilly

Are you kidding me!!! I was the one shot out in Costa Rica. What I found disturbing was the coldness of the attack. Their intent was to kill first and robbery was a secondary motive. Its true violence happens everywhere; however, in Costa Rica violent crimes against tourists are not reported unless its a homicide. Nobody truly knows how safe the country is because crimes are not reported, at least in the States crimes are reported and exploited by the media. In Costa Rica the rule is silence, if nobody knows then it didn't happen.

greenfieldhunter

give RBCal a break- CR is a great place but it has serious problems not the least of which is crime

or are all those bars on the windows for show?

CaliNurse

RBCal-thank you for taking the time to inform us of this.
"Hilly"/Mr. Hillegas how awful!! Thanks for writing of sometihing that you'd problaby prefer never to have to hink about again. Thank God you and yours are ok.
As for some of the other feedback on this thread... I don' t get it! I read this board for information of all sorts, and am grateful to all who take the time, who care, to share their knowledge. Let's say omeone writes that they didn't like a meal, or that there were ants all over their room, or somthing similarly negative. Do we write back, "Oh, what negative vibes, why single out Country A,B, C. there are ants in my backgyard too!" or "If you want a bad meal, you can find it at that greasy spoon a mile from my house. Quite complaining!" .OBVIOUSLY!!! he point is to read this board for info about a place we've not yet been to, and to learn the the good, the great, the averabe, even...dare I say it?... THE UGLY.
I llove to travel, and am fortunate in my life that i can do so. Part if researching new places, or sharing the joy of old places, is to share info of all sorts.
Let's put it anohther way: IF more toursits are injured, or killed, wouldn't you feel bad if you had the knowlege of an attack nr Hermosa and DIDN'T mention it?
To those who want to protect us future CR visitors from any trace of negativity--thanks. But we're big boys and girls and can make our own decisons as to what we do and do not wish to learn. Again, appreciation to those who are not afraid to actually say something less than 100% glowing about any destination in the world.