"LESS JAILS MEANS MORE CRIME"..........A LOT MORE CRIME

WARNING....

CRIMIALS ARE NOW ON  VACATION  WITH YOU IN COSTA RICA AND YOU WILL NOT FIND IT ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NEWS.... NOR .... ANY MEANINGFUL WARNINGS FROM THE USA STATE DEPT. AND OR USA EMBASSY IN COSTA RICA WEB SITES.... IS GROSSLY UNDER REPORTED

HERE ARE A FEW CR CRIME STORY'S FROM  THE BACK PAGES:

NOTE UP DATE... TICO TIMES....2/16/07.... PAGE 5 ...US EMBASSY DIPLOMAT HAS ARMED HOME  INVASION ... WIFE IS TIED UP AND  HOME IS ROBBED OF AT LEAST $10,000  IN MID DAY OF JEWELRY, COMPUTERS AND DOCUMENTS.... POLICE SAY THE THIEVES HAD  CASED OUT THE HOME  AND THEIR OWN BACKUP SECUITY PLANNED IN THE UP SCALE ESCAZU AREA WHERE THE USA EMBASSY  IS  AND ALL ITS DIPOMATS AND SENIOR STAFF LIVE.

TICO TIMES........2/16/07 ...... PAGE16.....TAXI  DRIVERS RISK LIVES EVERY DAY AND FEAR FOR THEIR LIVE AS THEY ARE NOW  TARGETS FOR ARMED THEIVES LOOKING TO TAKE THEIR CASH, TAXI METER, CEL PHONE, CB RADIOS AND THEIR LIFE. LAST WEEK A TAXI DRIVER WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY 2 YOUNG PEOLPE THE DRIVER HAD PICKED UP.  THE TICO TIMES POLLED 10 TAXI DRIVERS AND 8 OF THE 10 HAD BEEN ASSAULTED AND ROBBED IN THEIR TAXI AT LEAST ONCE IN THE PASS 2 YEARS CR HAS ABOUT 6500 LICENSE TAXI DRIVERS .....

(IMAGE 80% OF THE USA TAXI DRIVERS BEING ROBBED IN THE SAME  2 YEAR TIME...IT IS MORE LIKE 1% FOR USA TAXI DRIVERS)........  CR TAXI DRIVERS REPORTED THEY NET ABOUT $400.00 PER MONTH AND THEY WILL NOT GO TO CERTAIN AREAS OF SAN JOSE  EVEN TO DROP OFF GOOD CUSTOMERS FOR FEAR OF STREET GANGS THAT WILL SURROND TO ROB THE TAXI DRIVERS IN AREAS LIKE ALAJUELITA, LEON 13 AND LOS CUADROS DE GUADALUPE.............OF COURSE THE POLICE DO NOT GO TO THESE AREAS EITHER  AND THESE GANGS ARE GROWING INTO OTHER AREAS FAST.

TICO TIME .....BACK PAGES...REPORTED IN LATE 2006 ......USA FEMALE TOURIST ARE BEING RAPED  THEN ROBBED  IN LATE NITE  TAXI RIDES WHEN THE TAXI DRIVER STOPS AND ANOTHER MAN WOULD JUMP INTO THE TAXI... AND  GO TO A REMOTE LOCATION WHERE THEY RAPE  AND ROB THEIR VICTIMS.... THE SAME TYPE OF TAXI RELATED RAPES/ROBBERY  HAS BEEN OCCURRING TO MAIDS AND OTHER ILLEGALS WORKING IN THE UP SCALE AREA OF ESCUZA, SAN JOSE.....POLICE HAS REPORTED NO ARREST

TICO TIME....2/16/07... FRONT PAGE..PRESIDENT OSCAR ARIAS LOBBYING IN THE USA FOR THE THE WORLD TO DISARM WHILE HIS COUNTRY IS HAVING A CRIME WAVE CRISES THAT HE HAS  NEVER ADDRESSED .....STRANGLY HE USES    OSCARARIAS.COM  TO PROMOTE HIMSELF BUT NOT HIS OWN COUNTRIES INTERNET CHANNEL....OSCARARIAS .CO.CR.....???

TICO TIMES...9/22/06...PAGE #7....CR  OFFICIALS OF THE J.I.POLICE  ESTIMATE  THE REAL FIGURES ARE MUCH HIGHER THAN THEIR LATEST FIGURES SHOW OF 3327 STREET THUGS VICTIMS FROM JAN  THRU AUG. 2006 THEY SAY THAT IS  A RATE OF  1 PER HOUR IN SAN JOSE. BUT MANY VICTIMS SIMPLY DO NOT REPORT THESE CRIMES.....IT MAYBE MORE LIKE 10 PER HOUR....!

 NOTE....THE REASONS ARE MANY ....THE VICTIMS ARE IMMIGRATES,  TOURIST, OR  CR CITIZENS  THAT MAY NOT WANT THEIR NAME IN A POLICE REPORT OR BE IN THE NEWS. NOR WANT TO INTERRUPT THEIR VACATION PLANS... SOME THINK THE POLICE AND JUSTICE SYSTEM WILL DO NOTHING AWAY  ....WHICH IS TRUE..... AND ARE CONCERNED  THAT THE CRIMIALS WILL COME AFTER THEM AGAIN FOR REPORTING THE CRIME... AS THE POLICE AND COURTS  ARE USELESS ....SO PROTECT..... YOUR SELF.

FRONT PAGE .... 9/26/06....GAYS WANT CIVIL UNION LAW

TICO TIMES......9/29/06.....PAGE # 5... THE CHIEF PROSECUTOR'S ISSUED A WARNING  IN HIS 2006 ANNUAL REPORT THAT CR NOW FACES AN INCREASE IN ORGANIZED CRIME FROM ...CRIME-FOR-HIRE  AND HIT MEN FROM  STREET GANGS AND NOW ORGANIZED GROUPS LIKE ......... THE M-19 AND THE F.A.R.C BOTH SEPARTE COLOMBIAN GUERRILLA GROUPS ARE NOW OPERATING IN CR..... OTHER CRIMIAL  CHINESE GROUPS ARE KIDNAPPING FOR RASOM CR CITIZENS OF CHINESE ORGIN ...THESE GROUP ARE THREATING AND INTIMIDATING BOTH VICTIMS AND WITNESSES  OF CRIMES THESE GROUPS HAVE COMITTED.

FRONT PAGE  TICO TIMES   LATE..2006...IMMIGRATION DISARRAY WITH DELAYS...POLICE END WORKERS PORT PROTEST IN LIMON....SUGAR CANE FIRES DEBATE HEATS UP

MORE NEWS REPORTS TO FOLLOW...

Crime  WAS mostly found in San Jose, some other highly touristed areas and the two port cities of Limon and Puntarenas. Crimes are WERE mostly petty such as pick-pocketing, purse snatching and car radio theft. ONCE  the benefits of not having a military is that Costa Rica is NOW a gun oriented society. Criminal acts WERE  normally non violent and very few criminals have guns. THIS IS NO LONGER THE CASE IN 2006 

There are youth gangs known as 'chopolines', which in Spanish means grasshoppers. They are young street kids who are generally found in the poorer sections of San Jose, Limon and Purtarenas. The likelihood of any of these things happening can be dramatically reduced with a little knowledge and foresight. Crime in Costa Rica WAS definitely less than in the U.S.

NOTE......A LOT OF OUT DATED REPORTING IS STILL OUT THERE ON THE INTERNET ABOUT COSTA RICA CRIME (LIKE THAT SHOWN ABOVE) IN 2006.  BUT IS NOT THE CURRENT STATUS HERE. SO DO NOT BE MISS LED BY THE LOW TONE OF THESE OUT DATED REPORTS INCLUDING THOSE FOUND AT..... USA REPORTS 

YES....IF YOU STAY I N ONLY  THE GRINGO TOURIST ZONES YOU ARE GENERALLY OK . BUT CRIMIALS OUT SIDE THE ZONES DO HAVE GUNS KNIFES AND OTHER WEAPONS AND  ARMED ROBBERY, HOME INVASIONS AND CAR JACKING  ARE DAILY EVENTS AND ARE ON THE RISE AS MORE TRAVELERS AND MONEY FLOW INTO CR WITH THEIR UNDER FUNDED AND VERY LIBERAL  JUSTICE SYSTEM  AND FEW JAILS IT HAS REACHED A NEW AND ALARMING LEVELS IN THE LAST YEAR ALONG.

THE COSTA RICAN GOVERMENT DOES NOT EVEN DISCUSS THE CRIME WAVE  THEY ARE NOW EXPERIENCING THEY PREFER TO  GET HEAD LINES IN THEIR  NEWS ABOUT THEIR BIG NEW PLANS TO STAMP OUT TOURIST RELATED SEX CRIMES THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN A SERIOUS PROMBLEM HERE BUT IS SURE TO GET YOU ON THE FRONT PAGE WITH THE LOCAL TICO NEWS  VERY TIME. THEY  PLAY THIS OVER AND OVER WHILE DISREGARDING THEIR REAL PROLBEMS WITH  THEIR NEW CRIME WAVE.

A FEW COSTA RICAN OFFICALS DO SOUND THE ALARM BUT THATS USUALLY ON THE BACK  BACK PAGES UNLESS THERE IS DEAD BODYS FROM A SHOOT OUT.

Ways of preventing crime from happening to you ..VERY IMPORTANT IN 2006 

The number one way to prevent crime from happening to you is to realize that you stick out. You are not a Costa Rican, you do not dress like a Costa Rican, you do not act like a Costa Rican, and they know that.

Number two, do not travel by yourself at night anywhere in the country. There are thousands of taxis in Costa Rica - either have the restaurant or hotel call you one or stand out front and wait for one to come by. But never at night go looking for one on your own.

Don't wear expensive or flashy jewelry, it is unnecessary and draws unwanted attention. Carry all money and your passport in a money belt that you keep under your clothing. If you have a wallet always carry it in your front pocket as it is more difficult for pickpockets to get at.

Don't change money on the street, always change it at banks. If there are no banks or they are all closed go to a hotel or a restaurant. You are not going to get as good an exchange rate but at least you will know that the money is real.

Always be aware of your surroundings and where you are, and act like you know what you are doing. Most thieves are looking for an easy target, someone who looks disoriented or lost.

Be Aware - In San Jose most crimes happen in particular areas and they tend to happen at night.

There are two 'Zona Roja's' or Red Zones: the Tico and the Gringo.

The Tico area has three major sections: Coca Cola, Merced and Barrio Mexico. Of all of these, the one to be most concerned with is Coca Cola. There are a couple of reasons for this.' One, it has the highest rate of pick-pocketing and the other is that it contains the major bus terminal for the entire country. When at the Coca Cola Bus Station always give yourself enough time to find your bus and buy your ticket. Don't wait until the last moment and rush around trying to find everytning. You can easily get distracted. Don't let anyone you don't know handle or watch your things.

The Gringo zone is centered around Parque Morizon and the bars, restaurants and hotels. Actually, you should be careful at all of San Jose's parks, even during the day. If you follow a few simple rules of thumb you can drastically reduce the chances of anything bad happening.

Remember: Just say NO! - If someone approaches you for money or wants to sell you something or offers to give you help, just say no and keep your eyes open. They may be genuine but it is best to play it safe. Most pickpockets work in pairs, one to distract and one to extract. If you need help, you pick out the person and the place, not the other way around. While you are at Coca Cola, or any other bus station, keep your eyes on your things all the way up until the bus leaves. If at all possible, travel with only a carryon bag and store it above you in the baggage rack. You stick out Do not travel by yourself at night Don't wear jewlery Buy and use a money belt or pouch Never exchange money on the street Be aware of where you are at all times.