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09-07-2012, 11:06
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Cruising Central America
Boat: Island Packet 40, s/v Enchantment
Posts: 10
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Violent crime in Bocas del Toro
We have been in the Bocas area for almost 2 months and this is the first crime we have been heard about. Two days ago a boat anchored off the N end of town was boarded late a night. The couple on board heard the intruders and managed to chase them off, losing one gas can to the intruders.
Much more seriously another boat in the S anchorage was boarded around 1am by 2 men who paddled out to their boat. The intruders had a gun, tied the couple up, and spent 2 hours or more ransacking the boat and drinking beer. They drilled holes in the floors, ripped open leather cushions, spilled foods and drinks every where, ripped out electonics, threw all their clothes on the floor, searching for money. The inside of the boat was a disaster. More menacing the intruders hit the women in the face with the pistol and eventually raped her 3 times before leaving with their dinghy. The rest of the cruisers are in shock at the pointless violence these men used. A reward has been offered by one of the cruisers and a local marina has offered them a free slip for 2 weeks. The police took them to the hospital in the morning but only came out to the boat 9 hours later to investigate. And I believe that was after the captain went into town to fetch them.
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09-07-2012, 11:21
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Baltimore, MD
Boat: Cal 2-27
Posts: 843
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Re: Violent crime in Bocas del Toro
This is a very rough world. Is this area known to be trouble? ...or....was this something that does not normally happen there?
__________________
76% of statistics are made up.
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09-07-2012, 11:32
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Florida
Boat: Matlack, Trawler, 48 ft
Posts: 1,061
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Re: Violent crime in Bocas del Toro
With the world economy in the tank crime is more prevalent.
__________________
The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.
—Jacques Yves Costeau
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09-07-2012, 12:12
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Boat: 'Pacific 30' sloop - being optimized for singlehanding
Posts: 153
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Re: Violent crime in Bocas del Toro
Sorry, but where is Bocas del Toro?
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09-07-2012, 12:21
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Baltimore, MD
Boat: Cal 2-27
Posts: 843
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Re: Violent crime in Bocas del Toro
__________________
76% of statistics are made up.
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09-07-2012, 12:23
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Somewhere in Germany
Boat: OEM, proportional
Posts: 1,437
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Re: Violent crime in Bocas del Toro
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...pelago_map.png
Mental note to self......make companion hatches fore and aft from CC out of bisalloy, with loophole for midnight spearfishing....you never know when you might develop a craving for sushi at 1am. What? Jose and Pedro? Nope, sorry, never heard of 'em. Another glass of rum, inspector?
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09-07-2012, 12:25
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Chesapeake Bay
Boat: HR 40
Posts: 3,651
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Re: Violent crime in Bocas del Toro
Quote:
Originally Posted by Billy Higgins
Sorry, but where is Bocas del Toro?
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Panama. Pretty big tourist destination.
__________________
sail fast and eat well, dave
AuspiciousWorks
Beware cut and paste sailors
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09-07-2012, 13:50
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Cruising Central America
Boat: Island Packet 40, s/v Enchantment
Posts: 10
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Re: Violent crime in Bocas del Toro
Bocas is at the Western end of the Caribbean side of Panama. A big cruiser destination and generally crime free except for petty thefts. Rewards have offered and the boatinf community is pushing hard for a resolution. But this is Central America so who knows what will happen. Another boater who lives here said the penalty is probably only 5 years in prison. They just raised the penalty for murder to 10 years.
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09-07-2012, 13:55
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#9
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S/V rubber ducky
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: heading "south"
Boat: Hunter 410
Posts: 20,363
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Re: Violent crime in Bocas del Toro
Sucks!
But if it had been a home invasion it would barely make the local news. Lets not use this sad incident to make cruising a dangerous thing. I believe in Latin American the biggest crime area is break ins, we need to make our boats secure.
__________________
Don't ask a bunch of unknown forum people if it is OK to do something on YOUR boat. It is your boat, do what you want!
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09-07-2012, 13:58
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#10
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cat herder, extreme blacksheep
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: furycame alley , tropics, mexico for now
Boat: 1976 FORMOSA yankee clipper 41
Posts: 18,967
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Re: Violent crime in Bocas del Toro
panama has been offering lovely expat packages of late--i guess this incident could well slow that business down some, eh?
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09-07-2012, 14:13
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Fethiye Turkey
Boat: Lagoon 440
Posts: 2,954
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Re: Violent crime in Bocas del Toro
With all the difficulties (and there are a few) considered it kinda makes me think harder about cruising with a guard dog it could end up being a very real option.
__________________
"Political correctness is a creeping sickness that knows no boundaries"
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09-07-2012, 14:21
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Back in Northern California working on the Ranch
Boat: Pearson 365 Sloop and 9' Fatty Knees.
Posts: 10,466
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Re: Violent crime in Bocas del Toro
[QUOTE=Don Lucas;987119] Lets not use this sad incident to make cruising a dangerous thing. QUOTE]
No...Let's not do that...Hey...she was whacked in the face with a gun and raped 3 times! I'd say that was dangerous. I understand your point but cruising has many risks. We have to have a grasp on the reality of cruising. Staying at home on the Internet is not a dangerous thing. Sailing a boat on the open Ocean to foreign countries that live in poverty can be dangerous. Some people I met in the 90's modified their companionway steps to fold up and block entry into the boat. It wouldn't hurt for us to draw conclusions from this incident and look at our own security and how we can't protect ourselves and loved ones.
__________________
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: Wow - what a ride!"
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09-07-2012, 14:24
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#13
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cat herder, extreme blacksheep
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: furycame alley , tropics, mexico for now
Boat: 1976 FORMOSA yankee clipper 41
Posts: 18,967
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Re: Violent crime in Bocas del Toro
mebbe i will wait in mexico longer or find strong male crew for panama.......
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09-07-2012, 14:32
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#14
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S/V rubber ducky
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: heading "south"
Boat: Hunter 410
Posts: 20,363
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Re: Violent crime in Bocas del Toro
[QUOTE=Celestialsailor;987138]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Lucas
Lets not use this sad incident to make cruising a dangerous thing. QUOTE]
No...Let's not do that...Hey...she was whacked in the face with a gun and raped 3 times! I'd say that was dangerous. I understand your point but cruising has many risks. We have to have a grasp on the reality of cruising. Staying at home on the Internet is not a dangerous thing. Sailing a boat on the open Ocean to foreign countries that live in poverty can be dangerous. Some people I met in the 90's modified their companionway steps to fold up and block entry into the boat. It wouldn't hurt for us to draw conclusions from this incident and look at our own security and how we can't protect ourselves and loved ones.
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I agree! Hope you are not suggesting with my partial quote that I was suggesting otherwise! My home has been invaded in the middle of the night while we were home; I still come home to it but I lock the doors now!
__________________
Don't ask a bunch of unknown forum people if it is OK to do something on YOUR boat. It is your boat, do what you want!
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09-07-2012, 14:50
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Somewhere in Germany
Boat: OEM, proportional
Posts: 1,437
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Re: Violent crime in Bocas del Toro
It would be interesting to crunch some numbers and get a real world comparison between the dangers of living on land in large western urban areas, and the cruising lifestyle. I suspect we're safer at sea, but since we are so few the incidents more noticeable. Still, best to be prepared and street smart.
Hmmm....perhaps hire myself out as bodyguard in exchange for seatime? Housetrained, rabies shots, loves saltwater, friendly and gentle with children and old people. Loyal and territorial, bites better than barks. Does not hump legs (much, anymore), though quality rum may provoke relapse. PM for negotiations.
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