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Post by livinginmedellin on Dec 19, 2016 6:32:01 GMT -5
An American who helps poor children in Medellín was robbed at gunpoint in El Poblado, Medellín After the shock suffered by the American, Ryan Esko, after the robber of the victim last Wednesday in the Los Balsos sector of El Poblado, in Medellín, his main concern is that other benefactors in his country have expressed fear of coming to the city to advance social works. And the situation was not comfortable. Esko, director of the Juntos Regalamos Sonrisas foundation was intercepted, when he was coming down from the José María Córdova airport - after arriving in Antioquia - by two men on motorcycle who pointed at him with the same number of weapons, at 10:35 pm. With threats he was forced to surrender his belongings: money, jewelry, passport and credit cards. The foreigner has been coming to Medellin every December for a Christmas party for poor and disabled children in the city. This time he would meet at the new headquarters of the Clínica Noel in the Manila neighborhood that he failed to meet because he left hours after the robbery for the United States embassy in order to request protection and help to return to his country. Diana Benjumea, of the Clínica Noel Foundation, commented that Esko would help fulfill the dream of a happy Christmas to five children patients of that institution: "He came to participate in the party, which finally was done, with 350 children in Explora Park, Last Saturday, because he (Esko) told me not to stop anything, "he explained. No response from the Mayor Neither the City Hall of Medellín nor the Police had pronounced, until yesterday, on the North American robbery. Benjumea even wrote a letter to the mayor, Federico Gutiérrez, last Thursday telling him the facts and lamenting the bad image that remains of Medellín. "The city is getting out of hand. They say that there is knowledge of motorcyclists who commit theft there and there is little response they have had, "he said. From Miami, Esko confessed to Benjumea, his concern that diplomats from his country warned him and other businessmen about the risks that are occurring in Medellín because of the high insecurity. He believes that this could alienate dozens of foreigners and companies doing charities in the city. See (in Spanish): www.elcolombiano.com/antioquia/preocupacion-por-advertencia-de-estados-unidos-a-sus-ciudadanos-tras-atraco-a-norteamericano-en-medellin-DB5605036
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Post by wildstubby on Dec 19, 2016 7:21:45 GMT -5
When this was discussed in another thread, I brought up the fact of the need to re-instate the law prohibiting 2 men on a moto. As a consequence, I was chided because motos are a common transport of the poor and that it is only a small percentage conducting these robberies. What happens when this 'small percentage' continues to paint an unhealthy and unsafe picture for Medellin and its businesses?
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Post by jabberwocky on Dec 19, 2016 7:25:11 GMT -5
First thought he might have been specifically targeted after leaving the airport - but looks like he was just coming down los Balsos and was robbed by bad guys looking for easy ( and lucrative) pickings in Poblado.
Not trying to minimize the guys story - but it seems it is a bit ironic complaining about crime in Medellin - while in Miami, I would bet just as many tourists /foreigners get robbed in Miami as Medellin. I am there every other week and always something wacko going on.
Seems crime continues to be on the uptick - Medellin is getting close to a tipping point - too many of these type of stories about tourists types getting robbed, Medellin reputation has improved greatly - but negative press could hurt - wouldn't take much for the city to get the old violent reputation back - fair or not.
Crime always increase around Navidad - we will see if it moderates after January 1.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2016 8:14:17 GMT -5
Moto's don't rob people, robbers do. The problem runs much deeper. The police need better training, better equipment, and they need to be paid a decent wage so they can support their families. The city is good at promoting many things, they should promote their police force and try to build an environment of respect for their police force. The career needs to be elevated in Colombia. Just look at the increased crime in the US over the last several years, in my opinion a lot of that came from the PC crowd that blame the police and jump to detrimental conclusions at every incident. The Obama crowd has not supported law enforcement and this lack of respect and support creates an environment ripe for crime.
I'm in Bogota for the holidays, and I never thought I would say this but I actually feel much safer.
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Post by dandl93 on Dec 19, 2016 8:45:24 GMT -5
Bad report, more to this story, to many options on what may of happened.Why didnt he go to the party he was already mugged?
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Post by makopp5 on Dec 19, 2016 8:54:42 GMT -5
He was driving down with a car or a taxi?
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Post by wildstubby on Dec 19, 2016 9:27:56 GMT -5
jabberwocky said: In retrospect, that was going to be my next question: How often does this occur to tourists in the US? I'm going to paraphrase here but I think it was the Japanese Admiral Yamamoto who warned about invading the US because, "...there will be a gun behind every blade of grass!" Having been robbed twice, (PSP suspected meth-heads), I now carry a weapon and have applied and have been granted a 'concealed carry' permit. If a 'ladrone' would confront me here, there is a good chance he will have Excedrin Headache #9mm! But back to the point, how many people are actually allowed to carry weapons in Colombia? Or is it one of these things where 'law-abiding people' can not have them but since the bad guys don't follow the law, they don't care?
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Post by ozgringo on Dec 19, 2016 9:38:01 GMT -5
Moto's don't rob people, robbers do. The problem runs much deeper. The police need better training, better equipment, and they need to be paid a decent wage so they can support their families. The city is good at promoting many things, they should promote their police force and try to build an environment of respect for their police force. The career needs to be elevated in Colombia. Just look at the increased crime in the US over the last several years, in my opinion a lot of that came from the PC crowd that blame the police and jump to detrimental conclusions at every incident. The Obama crowd has not supported law enforcement and this lack of respect and support creates an environment ripe for crime. I'm in Bogota for the holidays, and I never thought I would say this but I actually feel much safer. I have always felt safer in Bogota.
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Post by dandl93 on Dec 19, 2016 9:54:58 GMT -5
wildstubby Colombia passed a law for NO legal gun carry, but allow guns in homes except bogota went further and banned guns even in the home.
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Post by sedelen on Dec 19, 2016 10:17:04 GMT -5
I would say based on recent reports, El Poblado is not the place to be.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2016 10:48:35 GMT -5
Los Balsos frequently gets jammed up with traffic... making drivers and passengers in idling cars easy targets.
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Post by elexpatriado on Dec 19, 2016 11:04:22 GMT -5
Well, I am glad to be in Manizales. the safest place in Colombia (I have seen) at least where I hang out.
I might be moving to Armenia later, and I just dont feel as safe there.
I hear Buccaramanga is good.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2016 11:25:30 GMT -5
Los Balsos frequently gets jammed up with traffic... making drivers and passengers in idling cars easy targets. Earlier this year I was stuck in a traffic jam on Balsos and was 2 cars behind an assassination attempt-guy had bullet proof truck.
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Post by makopp5 on Dec 19, 2016 11:26:00 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2016 12:01:30 GMT -5
Man, this place sure has changed since I was here back in 2010! I was planning a trip back to setup camp again - Medellin Madman, Tour 2017. However, things look like they may have taken a turn for the worse since I left.
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Post by mudd on Dec 19, 2016 12:08:14 GMT -5
crime is up, the locals know, " gringos only here for drugs and young girls" not the best to be a gringo, thats for sure.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2016 12:37:29 GMT -5
Man, this place sure has changed since I was here back in 2010! I was planning a trip back to setup camp again - Medellin Madman, Tour 2017. However, things look like they may have taken a turn for the worse since I left. Yes, things have definitely gotten worse this year. The sad part is that many still pump Medellin as safe, both Colombian government and various Gringo English written blogs and business outfits. Some continue to highlight the benefits of Starbucks and Ribs and pretty much ignore the rapidly rising violent crime. I think that if you promote an area you have some responsibility to let your target audience know that an area is very dangerous-and not highlight neighborhoods to live in that are controlled by combos. On this board its preaching to the choir, but they should enlighten the readership of their blogs and/or propaganda. Just my opinion.
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Post by makopp5 on Dec 19, 2016 12:59:13 GMT -5
crime is up, the locals know, " gringos only here for drugs and young girls" not the best to be a gringo, thats for sure. mudd, that's not right, I see lots of foreigners which are couple or older people, which are no drugs or sex tourists. Medellin is not safer or unsafer than any other latin american big city.
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Post by wildstubby on Dec 19, 2016 13:04:00 GMT -5
dandl93 said: Which proves what the NRA has been saying for years: "If guns are outlawed, then only outlaws will have guns!!!!"
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2016 13:13:15 GMT -5
crime is up, the locals know, " gringos only here for drugs and young girls" not the best to be a gringo, thats for sure. mudd, that's not right, I see lots of foreigners which are couple or older people, which are no drugs or sex tourists. Medellin is not safer or unsafer than any other latin american big city. Makopp5, I disagree-but it is slightly safer than Caracas.
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Post by ozgringo on Dec 19, 2016 13:18:31 GMT -5
dandl93 said:Which proves what the NRA has been saying for years: "If guns are outlawed, then only outlaws will have guns!!!!" I believe Santo's executive presidential decree ends on the 31st of January 2017. Hopefully crime will drop significantly after the temporary gun ban finishes.
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Post by jabberwocky on Dec 19, 2016 13:57:01 GMT -5
A bit perplexed by the guy's reaction - have being mugged he headed back to the airport and flew home to Miami? If he heads up a charity in Medellin he should know that there is street crime -( like most major cities) yes probably more dangerous than Miami but again I think someone who has experience would know that.
Also - its not clear he was targeted because he was a gringo or tourist - he just happened to be on a street some bad guys had staked out - it does not sound like they followed him back from the airport - if they did - why wait so long to rob him, unclear if he was driving on in a taxi - if in a taxi the driver could have been it on it. From MDE I either take the bus ( they figure I am too poor to rob) or have a close relative pick me up ( and wife) who drives a taxi - hopefully he would not set us up - there are a couple in the family I might have concerns with.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2016 14:43:04 GMT -5
A bit perplexed by the guy's reaction - have being mugged he headed back to the airport and flew home to Miami? If he heads up a charity in Medellin he should know that there is street crime -( like most major cities) yes probably more dangerous than Miami but again I think someone who has experience would know that. Also - its not clear he was targeted because he was a gringo or tourist - he just happened to be on a street some bad guys had staked out - it does not sound like they followed him back from the airport - if they did - why wait so long to rob him, unclear if he was driving on in a taxi - if in a taxi the driver could have been it on it. From MDE I either take the bus ( they figure I am too poor to rob) or have a close relative pick me up ( and wife) who drives a taxi - hopefully he would not set us up - there are a couple in the family I might have concerns with. Being aware it could happen and actually getting robbed via gun point are 2 different things-I kind of understand his reaction. I was robbed at gun point when I was 17 years old 1 block from Temple University. I knew it was a bad neighborhood, but I played in the Sonny Hill Basketball league and was on my way to a game. I believe I stained my pants. Also, this didn't sound like it happened as fast as usual, I read where they even took the time to go through his suitcase. I can imagine this was a rather frightful experience.
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Post by jabberwocky on Dec 19, 2016 16:56:09 GMT -5
Ha - premonition - I graduated from Temple back in the mid 80's - some of the tough areas there to me seem a lot tougher than Medellin.
freshman year coming back late to campus on the subway - no one around and a couple of tough looking older dudes from the neighborhood get off with me and start walking up the stairs in front of me ( no one else around) they stop at the first landing and look to be waiting on me, the one guy turns his back to me and reaches inside his pants to grab something - I am thinking - holy crap - just a poor college kid with about $4 - hope they will be happy with that , the dude whips around and I think my time is up - but no - he just whipped it out to take a whizz against the wall.
Back in the day when Temple had a much smaller footprint in North Philly - quite different now. Hell even Fishtown has gone upscale.
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Post by makopp5 on Dec 19, 2016 18:25:09 GMT -5
5 hours ago makopp5 said: mudd Avatar 6 hours ago mudd said: crime is up, the locals know, " gringos only here for drugs and young girls" not the best to be a gringo, thats for sure. mudd, that's not right, I see lots of foreigners which are couple or older people, which are no drugs or sex tourists. Medellin is not safer or unsafer than any other latin american big city. Makopp5, I disagree-but it is slightly safer than Caracas. Read more: colombiaconnection.freeforums.net/thread/2540/american-robbed-gunpoint-pobaldo-moto#ixzz4TKUXHZLRRio?, Mexico City? Quito? not much difference.
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Post by mudd on Dec 19, 2016 19:31:56 GMT -5
(mudd, that's not right, I see lots of foreigners which are couple or older people, which are no drugs or sex tourists.
Medellin is not safer or unsafer than any other latin american big city.)
everybody knows, most single men 18-50 plus going to medellin, for the most part, isnt there for the weather lol. its cheap drugs and cheap girls. yes there are some normal men there with their wives or girlfriends, but not many. medellin is pretty much known for sex and drugs. didnt help with guys like " colombian jake" promoting medellin for sex tours.
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Post by livinginmedellin on Dec 19, 2016 21:10:40 GMT -5
A bit perplexed by the guy's reaction - have being mugged he headed back to the airport and flew home to Miami? If he heads up a charity in Medellin he should know that there is street crime -( like most major cities) yes probably more dangerous than Miami but again I think someone who has experience would know that. Also - its not clear he was targeted because he was a gringo or tourist - he just happened to be on a street some bad guys had staked out - it does not sound like they followed him back from the airport - if they did - why wait so long to rob him, unclear if he was driving on in a taxi - if in a taxi the driver could have been it on it. From MDE I either take the bus ( they figure I am too poor to rob) or have a close relative pick me up ( and wife) who drives a taxi - hopefully he would not set us up - there are a couple in the family I might have concerns with. The news report says he flew to Bogotá to go to the US embassy. The news report said his passport was stolen and he went to the US embassy to get help to return to his country... Clearly the help he needed at the embassy was a new passport since his was stolen. Don't know what else the embassy would do.... This time of year crime is up pretty much everywhere in Colombia - be careful.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2016 22:12:02 GMT -5
Ha - premonition - I graduated from Temple back in the mid 80's - some of the tough areas there to me seem a lot tougher than Medellin. freshman year coming back late to campus on the subway - no one around and a couple of tough looking older dudes from the neighborhood get off with me and start walking up the stairs in front of me ( no one else around) they stop at the first landing and look to be waiting on me, the one guy turns his back to me and reaches inside his pants to grab something - I am thinking - holy crap - just a poor college kid with about $4 - hope they will be happy with that , the dude whips around and I think my time is up - but no - he just whipped it out to take a whizz against the wall. Back in the day when Temple had a much smaller footprint in North Philly - quite different now. Hell even Fishtown has gone upscale. The area around Temple could get scary quick. I was used to dangerous areas as I lived with my grandparents in West Philly until I was 14. I would say that it was probably more dangerous than Medellin is now. I was robbed in the summer of 1978 going to Mcgonical hall. Funny you mentioned Fishtown, I use to walk in Fishtown but none of my black friends could without getting chased with baseball bats. When they would get mad at me they would call me a Fishtown cracker. I haven't been to Philly in 20 years-but am planning a trip next year-Ill have to see an upscale Fishtown.
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Post by jabberwocky on Dec 20, 2016 7:32:07 GMT -5
Sorry to get off topic a bit - I lived in Fishtown for a year - a blue collar , white ( only white) working class neighborhood, only about 1.5 miles from Temple's campus - to get to Temple though you had to get through the Puerto Rican neighborhood - a bit scary - and then the black sector - very scary for a white dude, you would never walk it, a couple times I rode a bicycle through it - with a hoodie on a riding as fast as I could. The PR neighborhood eas kind of like the DMZ - both blacks and whites could go into it without too much problem - but blacks would not go into Fishtown and whites would stay out of the black areas.
I always remember my days in Philly and contrast it to living in Medellin, as a gringo obviously you stick out in Colombia, making things a bit riskier in certain areas- really no different than Philly - I could never go to 20th and Diamond at night street for example - only 3 blocks from Campus at best I would get mugged at worst I would never come back.
I don't worry too much about being robbed in Medellin, I never carry anything that is too valuable, and don't plan on being a hero - just hand the stuff over - I am sure statistically I am in much more danger riding my moto - but my life insurance is paid up and it doubles if I get killed in an accident - at least I would leave a younger happy widow,
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Post by elexpatriado on Dec 20, 2016 9:30:12 GMT -5
Los Balsos frequently gets jammed up with traffic... making drivers and passengers in idling cars easy targets. Earlier this year I was stuck in a traffic jam on Balsos and was 2 cars behind an assassination attempt-guy had bullet proof truck. This kind of thing hapens in POS Trinidad too during the traffic jams.
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