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Post by papitohead on Jul 2, 2016 16:43:42 GMT -5
My wife almost had a heart attack this morning when she found out two of her sons which are grown men and work, got robed at gunpoint. Took their cels, watches, billfolds etc. The youngest of the two who is nearly 30 years old had a cheap cel. The robber wanted something better and kept asking to give him the one he had hidden which he did not have. He is lucky he didn't get shot. The youngest stands about 6'5" and the oldest at about 6'3". But the gun kills. ouch.
This happened at 10:30 last night in Cartagena near the Castellana mall.
My questions is: Does this happens also in small towns? I do not like big cities at all. I love the small towns where you get to know most of the neighborhood.
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Post by livinginmedellin on Jul 2, 2016 17:07:06 GMT -5
That mall in Cartagena is located quite a long ways away from the tourist parts of the city, it's in a more sketchy part of Cartagena where tourists rarely go. Inside the mall is fine but outside the mall it's not so nice not very far from the mall. Not an area I would want to be after dark.
Getting robbed at gunpoint can happen anywhere in Colombia - the big cities, small towns.
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Post by coolcoil on Jul 3, 2016 7:39:28 GMT -5
My town, La Ceja, with a population of 40K, might not count as a small town. However, we do have crime here. I can't remember the exact number, but I read the government's published murder rate by municipality for 2014, the number was actually a bit higher than Medellin. The closest I have come to it was when an uncle of a family friend was killed in a robbery late at night in the town square about five years ago. Though I don't see it myself, I know there is significant activity in the drug trade around here, and every couple of weeks there is a press release about some local group of criminals that was rounded up. I feel pretty comfortable anywhere in town during the day, but I wouldn't walk around the deserted streets after 9 p.m.
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Post by dandl93 on Jul 3, 2016 8:00:22 GMT -5
Most small towns the crime is done by family members by a high %.We had 5 or 6 young kids doing some crimes around here the cops said they couldnt do anything since they was minors.I heard they broke into the wrong home and are no longer here in the area.
A few weeks ago we had 3 guys drive here from Zipa they made the mistake of breaking into a home the owner was not at home but her uncles farm was across the street.The Uncles employees came over while they was in the house and held them at gun point till the police showed up to take them away.
Before making plans to move to a small town check and see what the idea of the towns policy on taking in the Displaced? Our last mayor decided to fill his pockets with Santos social money building free housing and giving away free farm land to the displaced troubles are really starting up lately.
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Post by papitohead on Jul 4, 2016 7:24:04 GMT -5
Well, at least that is not as bad as the big cities. coolcoil, La Ceja is larger than Cortland, NY which have been stuck with just under 25k residents since 1966 when I first moved there. Ourselves, we do not go out after 7 PM which is when it gets dark here. Only Tues and Thurs to church but that is very close by and we always drive over. I don't see why I should be outside at night. I do not like Cartagena what so ever, a reason we are selling in Turbaco to move to Antioquia. Not only the weather, but also the people which are very noisy and knock on the porton asking for whatever. Many times we had company at the finca and people will come and interrupt our activities. They even ask for beer, lol. We do not drink so they leave with a paper cup filled with ice water.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2016 8:25:55 GMT -5
I have lived in estrato 3 in Barranquilla going on 6 years now, Colombia's 4th. largest city. I definitely don't look like a Latino but never had the least bit of trouble. Guess my secret is that I stay home after dark, I don't trust these people and I gave up a long time ago trying to make friends with Latinos, and there is nothing that interests me after hours that I can't accomplish during the day. I had my eyes opened when my ex-gf's brother brought some friends home to his parents house. Next morning when his parents entered the living room the computer and monitor were gone. Once inside the bastards figured out a way to get into the home. I hope I never get held up because I'm crazy enough to fight back, hoping the gun isn't loaded.
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Post by scumbuster on Jul 4, 2016 9:00:50 GMT -5
CG.. If they have an illegal gun I cant imagine it wouldn't be loaded. Don't be stupid because here they would not hesitate to shoot you. The only way I would resist is if I had a gun and thought I could get it and shoot them before they had time to react. Not likely if your at gun point already.
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Post by jabberwocky on Jul 4, 2016 10:01:06 GMT -5
My experience with small town Colombia is with La Pintada - about 70 miles south of Medellin, population about -5-7 K people, i bit of a touristy town - lots of pools - the main road from Medellin to Manizales runs through it - so lots of people passing through.
I have never felt unsafe there - and usually I am the only gringo in town, there are some pretty poor areas, especially along the river, there are certain areas known for muggers to hang out looking for easy marks - but the areas are well known and the cops seem to clear the bad guys out from time to time - most older teenagers. I know of two people who were killed and one robbed at knifepoint - there was the local manager of a couple of fincas - was in charge with payroll - some local bad guy knew it and robbed him, I think he fought back - got killed. The other was a Euro traveling through town on a bike ( not moto) not sure what he was up to but the rumor was he had lots of cash ( $10K US) 3 guys jumped him - he fought back - did not end well. The third was a woman and her group hiking the local mountain - was robbed along the path just outside of town - handed over the money and that was it. If I lived there would I be a target? - maybe, but it is a small town and everyone tends to know everyone - we are friends with the Mayor and many of local business owners - I think having a good knowledge of the town and being a bit connected would help - moving to a small town where you don't know anyone would be difficult - you want reliable local knowledge.
Costeno - - you don't make friends with Latino's? - I would think that would severely your limit your local interactions - maybe I am misread the post. I have not been to Barranquilla so possibly the people are just different from Paisas. We have family and a few friends I would trust with my money/stuff - there are some family members that are not on the up and up - but the wife does not let them in our apartment in Envigado - even though we don;t live there - we have a lot of stuff there - never had issues - and sometimes the place is like grand central station with family coming and going - but 90% is family - I would be concerned if a primo and his friends would stop by - friends that we don't know - that would raise a red flag.
Our friends in Colombia are mostly my wife's friends who I have gotten to know - she has 30 years experience with most of them so we feel comfortable trusting them.
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Post by wildstubby on Jul 4, 2016 10:17:18 GMT -5
I was going to say how you don't have to worry about that here in the US. But the activities of late have me rethinking. I am an amateur radio aficionado, and recently attended an annual swap meet. I took my pistol with me. Why? Because I have decided I am not going to be a victim and if I am, I am not going down without a fight!!!!
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Post by jabberwocky on Jul 4, 2016 11:12:20 GMT -5
Actually - murders are down in the US - especially compared to the 80's - however these mass type shootings are up - which or course gets the most press.
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Post by flynnflanagan on Jul 4, 2016 11:15:11 GMT -5
My wife almost had a heart attack this morning when she found out two of her sons which are grown men and work, got robed at gunpoint. Took their cels, watches, billfolds etc. The youngest of the two who is nearly 30 years old had a cheap cel. The robber wanted something better and kept asking to give him the one he had hidden which he did not have. He is lucky he didn't get shot. The youngest stands about 6'5" and the oldest at about 6'3". But the gun kills. ouch. This happened at 10:30 last night in Cartagena near the Castellana mall. My questions is: Does this happens also in small towns? I do not like big cities at all. I love the small towns where you get to know most of the neighborhood. There are areas in any municipality in Colombia that are Dodge City and Matt Dillion has high tailed it. If you are an obvious gringo, you are viewed as "juego vivo" which means live game. At night, take a cab and send a photo of the cab's licence plate to a friend. Make it obvious that you are taking a photo.
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Post by barrumundi on Jul 4, 2016 11:54:03 GMT -5
In my opinion it is probably slightly more safe in a small town than in a big city ....but you still have to keep your wits about you. Be careful who you mingle with and keep your nose clean. Daytime probably isn't a risk but I would suggest a voluntary curfew unless you are with a group of friends or family for night time activities.
I think the biggest plus factor for small town life is that when you know your neighbours and have many locals as friends you will get to hear of any likely problems before they affect you i.e. known trouble-makers or known trouble spots.
The closest thing to violent crime (here in Pacho) that I would be worried about is stray bullets from the only othe gringo in town. Jajajajajajaja
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Post by suba on Jul 4, 2016 13:14:45 GMT -5
In Bogotá anything at night is strictly taxi to venue then back to taxi. I'm usually with a group of friends, all Colombians and frankly just looking over your shoulder all night is tedious.
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Post by billforce on Jul 4, 2016 16:51:26 GMT -5
I live in a private parcelacion 50 KM from Medellin and my parcelation is officially a part o0f the small town of Barbosa. Barbosa has always been a hotbed of crime of one kind or another most related to narcotics, last year they arrested 26 people, SIX of them were policemen. Although we are actually 5 miles from the town we still do a lot of shopping etc. in Barbosa. I see a lot of small villages or pueblos as HAVENS for hiding from the more sophisticated police forces like Medellin, almost like a don't ask, don't tell approach by locals. Just recently one of our family friends and his girlfriend were murdered by two rogue policemen close to Cartago, Risaralda for his Harley Davidson. The two fugitive cops wanted the Harley and they killed our friend for no other reason. In many ways Colombia is still "law West of the Pecos" mentality and you have to be vigilant.
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Post by papitohead on Jul 4, 2016 17:00:44 GMT -5
We never go out at nights. Our minds are set on Guatapé, Antioquia. My father was french and my mother from a Spanish family living for many years here in PR. I look like a mix latino. lol. Speak fluent Spanish but have a difficult time understanding people in Cartagena. No problem with the paisas. They speak perfect Spanish. But anyone would know I am not Colombian when they hear my Spanish.
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Post by wildstubby on Jul 4, 2016 17:47:03 GMT -5
papitohead said: I know this is off topic but I have to comment because it makes me smile everytime I think about it. We were in Rota, Spain for a port of call. So me and my buddy Paul, who is a short, freckled-faced, very fair skinned-flaming red head went with me on a trip to Morocco. I stop in this shop to check out a leather bag. I didn't get it because it was what I thought too expensive. My buddy Paul tells me I gave up to easily and said I needed to haggle! So he gets to haggling with the shop owner and he came down a few shekels. Then Paul starts talking in Arabic with a Moroccan accent. The owner's eyes got as big as saucers. He got it down for a 1/4 what he was asking. As it turned out, Paul was in Morocco with the Peace Corp in the 70's but got tossed out for trash talking about the King. He was in deep do-do if he got caught there! Like the song goes, ".....♫ It don't mean a thing if you aint got that swing♫...."
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