Mr. Fishman, thought you'd like to know (in case you didn't already) that you're quoted in Saturday's edition of Bonaire Extra regarding your experience with crime in Bonaire. If I'm translating properly, the headling is "Robert Fishman and his wife were victims of crime. 'From now on we will stop coming to Bonaire!'"

Please give me an update on the recent crime wave. We are scheduled for a villa rental in November and are considering a hotel instead. Thank you for any info.

There's a most recent crime wave?

I'm curious about this Bonaire Extra story, since (if I read the "who's in Bonaire in August" thread correctly earlier), Robert Fishman is either still in Bonaire or just returned. Hopefully he'll come around here and elucidate.

I received a copy of the front page via email this evening from a friend who resides on the Island. I am unable to translate the front page for accuracy of the quote, but I will share the contents of the letter.

I would also like to point out that when the break in occurred two years ago, my response to the crime was to offer a simple, yet comprehensive plan to address what I felt was the root of the issue. If anyone cares to review the ShoreMaster proposal and subsequent dialogue, they may so it by following this link:

http://www.oldbonairetalk.com/newsgroup/messages/27/78614.html



The contents of the original email:

Dear sirs,

My wife and I have vacationed on Bonaire for 7-12 days in each of the last five years. We have been visiting every year since we were certified for open water Scuba Diving in January of 2000. Unfortunately we have also been the victim of crimes while visiting Bonaire in each of the last four years.

In February 2001 we were naive and left a small camera, dry clothes, and sunglasses behind in our unlocked rented vehicle while at a dive site.

In February of 2002, we were robbed again at a dive site. This time the thieves stole our lunch food, dry clothing, and what we refer to as our "save a dive kit" . The kit was filled with spare straps for our fins and masks, an extra snorkel keeper, small medicinal items like band aids, etc.

During our 12 day stay in 2003 we suffered our worst experiences. We were again the victims of crime at dive sites, where food and prescription glasses were stolen from us. But we also experienced robberies within our unlocked parked vehicle outside our rented apartment. And the worst crime we experienced was a breaking and entering the following evening in the middle of the night at our rented apartment. In this case an individual, with the aid of a crow bar, pried open the metal bars placed over windows to protect inhabitants from forced entry. Awakened by the sounds, the burglar was confronted in the kitchen, but escaping by running from the premises. The police were notified as quickly as possible and responded later that morning. They opted not to take fingerprints.

In 2001 and 2003 police reports were filed with the police department in Kralendijk.

In an attempt not to accuse the whole Island for the crimes we had suffered, we decided to try Bonaire once more. But if we suffered crime once again, we would be forced to choose another location.

We visited Bonaire again this year in March for 12 days. During the evening hours before our last day on the Island, someone broke into our unlocked rental van and stole the contents of the glove box. The robbers had stolen another of our "save a dive" kits. The robbers also stole both license plates from the vehicle.

We have met many wonderful citizens of Bonaire that we now consider personal friends. There is also no question that the diving Bonaire has to offer is world class. These are the reasons we kept returning despite the crimes that were committed against us.

But there comes a point in time when we feel that our personal safety is at stake. If Bonaire does not take positive steps to address crimes committed to it's guests and citizens, people like my wife and I will have no other option than to search for a safer place to spend our vacations. Bonaire must come to understand that a crime committed against a tourist is also a crime suffered by it's residents.

Sincerely,
Robert Fishman

has your idea of shore patrol gone any further Bob ? I don't blame you for your feelings of insecurity while vacationing and diving on Bonaire..we are in the same "boat" and considering our options for returning to Bonaire in 2005