My home in Bonaire was just broken into, they stole 2 flat screens, a microwave and 2 dvd players. They didn't break anything, or make a mess. It was pretty neat and clean. What I don't understand is, the person who takes care of my home waited for the police for five hours and when he called the second time they told him they were all ready there, which they weren't. They took alot of fingerprints, but even if they catch them, I will never get what they stole. So I was thinking if I get a central station alarm system, it won't matter because the police will take hours to get there and they will be long gone. A camera system is maybe my only hope and a very loud alarm.
Not much luck the last time I was there they broke into my truck at a dive site. I know I shouldn't of locked the truck and will never do it again. But now this! I think the dollar has really hurt the poor people on the island, I have been told that since they converted to the dollar, prices have increased. It use to be a guilder to park in the airport, now it's a dollar. Any home owners have any ideas on security systems, please fill me in.

Hi Rose.

Sorry to hear about your break-in. Police resources are stretched, this is yet another thing that is further compounded by the huge influx of visitors from cruise ships. There are more & more petty incidents for them to deal with as well as the accompanying paper work. In addition, they need to show a constant presence at these times.

That aside, your only immediate hope is to employ the services of a private security firm. They will install an alarm & will respond personally to any break-in. Depending on where you live, they are usually on site within 5 to 10 minutes. There are several companies on Bonaire & I am sure that there are many home & business owners on here that will steer you in the right direction.

My personal experience was that poverty had little to do with crime. These people are not stealing to put food on the table, they are doing it to buy drugs. The majority of the stuff that is stolen does not remain on the island, it is exchanged for Cocaine by people from South America & Curacao.

A walk around some parts of Antriol, Nikiboko & Nord Salina will quickly point you towards the culprits. Dripping with jewellery, running flash cars & mouths full of gold yet no employment. You may want to wander past Karels after midnight where dealers blatantly trade on multiple cell phones & young lads on scooters are used as runners to deliver the goods.

The kids that steal from your home are doing it for bigger fish. The big fish are in many cases connected with even bigger fish in Curacao, these people will have no problems in dealing with any Police that interfere.

It's not a nice world out there but Bonaire is still one of the safest. Your choices are stark. Either make your home into a fortress or forsake the trappings of the modern world. Without wanting to alarm you, the thieves will know that whatever they have taken will probably be replaced with nice new shiny stuff ripe for the picking. Keep your home simple with little or no security & they won't bother.

Good luck.

Antony..what you say is all too true..

Many times I've thinking about returning to Bonaire, where I was born. Many times I've also been thinking about this issue. I am not so far away of my pension. But if I return to Bonaire, do I have to barricade doors and windows with iron bars of that house? Have at night enough light around the house and cameras running? A horde dogs watching the entrance? And not to forget the security monitor? All that after the retirement. Not even before.

William....everyone would be delighted if you came back to Bnnaire. Just live simply, and consider that anything you can't bear to lose, you shouldn't have in the first place. Try the motto "Possessions are trash", and see how it works for you.

Hi Anthony,

I agree with what your saying, I am also thinking about your last paragraph. I rent out my villa, so I really don't have a choice I have to replace the televisions. If I didn't rent the home I wouldn't care, if I didn't have t.v., it's kind of nice to get away from everything electronic, especially in Bonaire. It's so nice not to have a cell phone!
So I will have to do my homework,look into getting a security system. Well leaving tomorrow nite on the red eye, have some work to do. Thanks for your suggestions.

In our many trips to Bonaire.........we have NeveR turned on the tv. Granted, we haven't had the opportunity to stay more than 2 weeks.......yet!

Hi Rose.

As Brenda Say's, most people who go on vacation do not bother with TV. Even when I lived there, it was hardly on as there wasn't anything worth watching.

Maybe you could have a rethink about your villa & go for the eco-tourist. A minimalist decor using localy inspired furnishings etc may be the way forward. I don't believe that losing the TV will lose you many renters.

Good luck & safe journey home.

I do not want to suggest anything, but it's very stupid to steal a TV, radio or other electronic equipment. Except in some developing countries they do not have that value. Which insurance company will pay for a two years old TV the price of a ultra modern one?

Robert, I will keep it in mind.

Rose,

I am so sorry to hear about the break-in to your home. I tend to agree with you that a TV is an important feature if you would like to rent your home.

We have a rental cottage in the States. Rather than using a security system for the house, we opt to put one on the Flat Screen TV. The device we use is called Sonic Shock. The alarm sounds for 2 hours if the cable is cut, making it difficult to carry a TV and put it in your car due to the ear piercing alarm that will continue to go off for 2 hours.

Here is the website:

http://www.focusedtechnology.com/sonicshock3.html

There are also other Flat Screen Anti-Theft devices that you can find with a "google search".

Another thing our insurance company told us was to PAINT our name on the back of the TV. They said it would de-value the TV and make it diffilcult to sell. So you could do that to both TVs and the microwave.

Again, I am so sorry about the break-in, not a great way to start off your vacation.

Rose - really sorry to hear about the theft. There is nothing like having your personal space violated to make you feel vulnerable.

I'm going to speak up for the villa renters who DO enjoy having modern technology available on Bonaire. And I'll say that a TV and, more importantly, wireless internet are deal sealers for me when I choose a villa.

I really enjoyed having a tv available at the villa we rented in January. While I only turned it on occasionally, our team was in the NFL playoffs and it sure was nice to be able to watch the game from the comfort of our living room, rather than going to a bar in Kralendijk. I also enjoy a movie now and then after a long day of diving.

From a purely business standpoint (which is why, after all, you open your villa to total strangers), the more amenities you offer, the more appealing your villa is to the average renter.

Best of luck as you figure out how best to protect your investments.

FYI .. parking is not a dollar ..that is for 1 hour or more after your first free 15 minutes,, it is the same rates as before.. adjusted to $$$ amounts...

Beth,

Thank you. I'm going to have those items shipped, I talked to Walter about it and we both think it's a great Idea. My husband and children wouldn't be able to survive with out t.v.,and for renters that would be a huge deterrent if I didn't have t.v. and wireless. I Also found out my insurance will cover the items that were stolen. Yeah!
I know this was a terrible way to start my vacation, but it was absolutely beautiful today, I couldn't have asked for a better day, and it's so nice to be here. Going diving in the morning so excited.
Pietri,
I realized this morning that I was given the wrong information about the parking and yes your right the parking is still the same price.

Pietri, I believe only the first five minutes (not fifteen) are free. That's to give people the opportunity to quickly drop people off or pick them up. I believe the parking fees do kick in on minute #6.

All rates are located on the airport's web site at: http://www.bonaireinternationalairport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26

Rose,

Great news on the insurance coverage. You have such a great attitude...Sounds like Bonaire Diving was the perfect medicine. Enjoy your week and the diving, it is freezing up here in the Northeast.

It is a little disturbing that no one here has a problem with Antony's statement of locals "Dripping with jewellery, running flash cars & mouths full of gold yet no employment". How does anyone know whether or not they are employed? Even if they are drug dealers, why would you equate that to stealing? The generalization would be laughable if were not so offensive.

Antony, Your post is somewhat dramatic and alarmist. Do you honestly think there are no tv's in South America or Curacao? It would cost more to ship a stolen tv than to just buy a used one. How can you state with such certainty that most of it goes to Curacao? I have never seen anyone hop on a flight with a tv and it would cost more in fuel to take it over by boat.

Based on what is written here, the Bonaire police did a lot more than our police in Canada would do. If a break in is reported here and only a couple of tv's are stolen they just take a report over the phone. They would not bother to dust for fingerprints for something like the theft of a couple of tv's or computers.

It is a sad day when such blatant biggotry and hysteria goes unchallenged.

Fid, The first thing I'd thought reading Antony's statement was: "what a hell is this?". But as living where such statements are more a rule than an exception, I've ignore it. Very well done what you wrote here.

Fid.

I apologise if you find the reality of the situation offensive.

Of course I am not tarring everyone with the same brush but it is, in the main, the drug use that perpetuates the crime. Anyone will tell you that as an island, Bonaire is excellent at stopping drugs leaving the island but not very good at stopping them coming to the island.

Before I moved to the island, I stayed on Bonaire for 10 weeks to get a feeling of everyday life. While sat in Little Havana, I struck up a conversation with a local cop who, it has to be said, was rather the worse for wear. He politely (but discreetly) pointed out some of the dealers to me & proclaimed that Cocaine on Bonaire is nearly as cheap as Amstel!

During my three years there, I spoke to some of the people that fit the criteria of my original post & even became friendly with a few. Many are not shy in sharing with others how they make their living & even see those who toil in a job as mugs. They mock the Police & claim that they are scared to intervene & laugh at how they use children to break into homes because they can't be prosecuted.

Of course, low value electrical goods are not being shipped to South America but high value contraband is used as part payment for drugs.

Again, I emphasise that this is a very small percentage of the population but it does spread, and it will spread. Young kids are less likely to go into higher education or get a job on minimum wage if their brother or cousin is making big money for doing very little.

Anyone who underestimates the damage that drugs can do may want to speak to the Father from Antriol who saw his two sons shot & dumped by the lighthouse or maybe the kids who's Mother had stuffed them full of Bolito's of Cocaine & was stopped at Flamingo Airport.

I object to being called a bigot. I tell only what I have personally witnessed, saw with my own eyes & was told by those who endorse this lifestyle. If Bonaire, an island little more than 50 miles from South America did not have a drug problem, it would be nothing short of a miracle. That said, it is still the most beautiful place in the world & its positives far outweigh those who would bring it down.

In some sense, your objection is understandable. It is the example of big brother. But this drug problem should be seeing in a larger context in which Bestuurscollege plays the role towards The Hague. The flag of Bestuurscollege flies as Den Haag blows.

William.

Here in the UK we have serious drug problems. The use & supply is only a tiny part of the problem, the need for drugs perpetuates crime, diseases such as HIV, prostitution & murders.

Even Marijuana, a drug that is viewed by many as being harmless, causes terrible human problems. In the UK, young people are trafficked with promises of employment from the Far & Middle East as well as Africa & are imprisoned in houses that are basically hydroponic greenhouses & enslaved into looking after the plants until they are mature enough to harvest. These kids are then kicked onto the street where they are left at the mercy of pimps & drug dealers.

I don't know what the answer is but the big point in all this is that there IS a problem. A small island like Bonaire may have the opportunity to all but eradicate this, for the rest of us, I fear that it is too late.

UK is not far from Holland. So you know how they tackle this problem in Holland. To knowledge there is no hydroponic green houses on Bonaire or cocaine factory. Let it be so. In the newspaper I saw pictures of abandoned wells with water. Why do not we use these wells for projects of ecological character instead of investing in stupid projects like a ridiculous one about bike paths? The wells are nature sources. Old fashion but useful. Motivates these dealers or whatever to be proud of what they build. Let them sing: "build to me by my father's hand".

William.

I too am a great advocate in trying to preserve the culture & heritage of Bonaire. I have always maintained that Bonaire had the opportunity to be an exclusive eco-resort. Maybe the volume of tourists would not be the same but a higher price could be charged to those who want something different than cruise ship markets, fast food & all inclusive accommodation.

Maybe it is not too late to go that way. We can all see how other Caribbean islands have changed beyond recognition through Westernisation. Many of them are now losing favour in preference to more eco-friendly destinations, Bonaire could learn from their mistakes.

Nature can only sustain so much before it gives up & dies forever. Whatever can be done, needs to be done now. Uitstel is de dief van de tijd.

To start with Fontein: http://www.mina.vomil.an/Wetgeving/NBP_Bonaire_1999.htm

William.

Thanks for the link. It made very interesting reading. I would be even more interested in knowing how many of the proposals have been achieved.

It is very easy, Antony. Make a list of the questions and send it to Bestuurscollege. For the next four years they will have enough questions to be answer. The will love it!

William.
I have Emailed Sean Paton from Forum Antilles to see if he might like to ask the question on one of his programs. Should be good listening!

Wow, Antony. The principles of good governance are: "respect for the rule of law; openness, transparency and accountability to democratic institutions; fairness and equity in dealings with citizens, including mechanisms for consultation and participation; efficient, effective services; clear, transparent and applicable laws and regulations; consistency and coherence in policy formation; and high standards of ethical behaviour." So, we'll see.

Rose, I'm very sorry about your theft. I'm also appreciatve of all the helpful suggestions.

I have little doubt about what Antony said being true. He doesn't make trite statements on hearsay. During my 6 weeks in puerto Rico, I had the accompanyment of a couple of FBI agents trying to assist me. We were out one night and a group "rolled in" with bling and fine clothing. The agents comment was "guess another shipment just arrived." drugs are a large problem in the Carib...there's just not enough law enforcement in some countries (like PR) to make a dent.

That said, Bonaire is still one of the safest places...for now.

We also appreciate everyone keeping the conversation civil.

Cynde

I have been told that the theft on the island has increased in the last year. Some residents in some communities on Bonaire have, community watch nights that are designated, they formed a group and it really worked, the theft has become less and less. I was also told that the electronics that they steal are shipped to venezuela, not curacao. I was given some information that I will not post on here, because unless I know facts I will not make accusations against people here on the island. The island is getting more populated, but it is still one of my favorite places. It's really a special place.

Antony, I appreciate you PM earlier and agree that there is no need for attacking each other and allowing this thread to degenerate. My bigot comment was directed at your post and not you personally.

That being said, ModCyn, your post is equally offensive. You and your FBI cohorts need to get out more. Just because someone has "bling and fine clothing" does not mean they are drug dealers. Statements like "agents comment was "guess another shipment just arrived" are awful and speak more about them then the people they are gossiping about. If they are representatve of US law enforcement then Americans have a major problem and it has nothing to do with drug dealers.

Locals wearing bling and fine clothes does not necessarily equal narco-trafficers or drug dealers. Generalizations like that are the property of small minded bigots. The fact that there are people in law enforcement that think like that is very scary and much more dangerous than most drug dealers or junkies.

Fid, I am not a bigot, and I do take offence to be called one. I'm not sure where you are from, but in the US it has a very strong offensive and strong negative conotation. The agents knew this group and had been watching them, so they knew exactly who they were, and what they did. I do take offense at being called a bigot, as I am not one. So, let's please be polite and stop the name calling and share credible information that can be educational and heplul to others in regard to the problem at hand.

Be polite. I have never met you, and don't think one can be judged by a misinterpritation (sic) of a post.

Play nice please, thanks.

Cynde

(Message edited by Modcynde on March 31, 2011)

Fid.

You are correct when you say that generalisations are not acceptable & I personally would hope that I have never been guilty of such things. Assuming just because someone who is Black is a criminal because they have money would indeed be an appalling assumption.

Without giving too much away, a few of my friends & associates indulged in illegal stimulation on Bonaire. On a number of occasions, I went with them when they made their purchases. Of the several that I went to, they were normal modest homes in local areas where it seemed to be no secret that they were 'open for business'.

These guys, apart from the modest houses, had all of the trappings of luxury that one would associate with someone who held a high position of employment. They are not ashamed of their profession nor afraid to discuss it. It wasn't a case of them trusting me, it was a case of total indifference to the Police & knowing that they would perpetually get away with it. One explained that the occasional raids or arrests that are made is usually a result of that person being 'given up' to the Police because they were not towing the line.

As Modcyn so rightly says, Bonaire is still very safe & apart from the occasional robbery, that side of the island is rarely seen by vacationers or the average pensionado.

Luckily, Bonaire is far too small to be of any real interest to South American drug cartels. Its only real use is as a passage to Europe but as I said earlier, security is very strong on Bonaire & at Schiphol.

For as unpleasant as a break-in may be, it is only stuff that is hopefully covered by insurance. Enjoy your vacations everyone. Bonaire is still the best!

Ok, the message is clear. None has the right to exclude others judging based on their appearance. Not even FBI. The bile is ejected. Structurally, it would be appropriate to indicate what can be improved to curb crime on Bonaire to keep it the best.

William.

I recently took part in a think tank regarding what can be done to curb the drug trade in Britain.

My personal conclusions were; Legalise certain drugs & offer them for sale in controlled environments. I would not personally adopt the Dutch style 'Coffee Shops' but have licensed sellers similar to the Tabac shops in France that only trade in tobacco.

Once the prices have been set, maybe to a similar level to tobacco in the UK then people will be able to purchase limited amounts for their own use. The tax collected (about 75% in line with tobacco) will be used directly to fund education & rehab, in addition, funds will be available to treat illnesses that are drug related.

In tandem with the legalisation of certain substances, laws should be passed that narcotics that are not legal will be outlawed more seriously. Possession would carry a minimum 10 year jail sentence & dealing a minimum of 25 years.

Drugs always have been used & always will be. If the Government controls it, they can treat the problems & educate the masses through the taxes they receive. Legalisation removes the demand from illegal dealers & heavy penalties will outweigh the profits.

Alcohol & tobacco cause far more deaths than drugs but people rarely commit crimes to fund those habits. At worse, through legalisation, enough taxes will be raised to pay for the social & economic costs.

The proof is in the pudding. The USA created alcohol prohibition that in turn created gangsters, corrupt Government officials & crime. The only thing that prohibition did not do was to stop people drinking.

These days I was listening to online stations on Bonaire. One transmitted news about the Netherlands, the other one congratulations and another prayed in the meanwhile. Although it is not their social responsibility can also can broadcast informative programs during prime time about these matters. In NL they provide a lot of information about the use of drugs and even how to use a condom. Assumed that there is also offset printing on Bonaire!

Fid.. Welcome back you rabblerouser!

Anthony Bond in a Think Tank?? Shark tank would be a better place, especially if it was on Klein Bonaire behind an ice-cream bar!

Even after reading the comments about drugs and theft on the island, I too consider Bonaire very safe experience for visitors. As was mentioned, items stolen hopefully are covered by insurance.
Recently seven friends and I returned from Bonaire after a week of diving. We stay at a small resort, rent our trucks from a local company, pay close attention to our personal belongings, and just enjoy our stay. During five previous visits, while we knew thefts do occur, we had never encountered any crime. This past trip we did become victims.
While we were concerned about the money involved in the theft, our main concern was about the timeliness of the theft. We were due to fly out at 6am on a Continental flight and were up at 3:30 am to get to the airport. That's when we discovered someone has stolen the gas out of our 2nd truck. Luckily we had the other truck to shuttle everyone to the airport.
Earlier in the week, after a dive, we had befriended some locals at one of the dive sites. They told us that is the prominent theft on the island, and even described the method ripping out the wheel well and cutting the filler hose to get the gas.
Still love the island. Next year when we visit we will be prepared for this kind of theft.

Is the presence of increased numbers of police from The Netherlands making a difference in the response to crime on Bonaire?