Rounding up pickpockets in Sosua

[bachag]

Sosúa's main street, the Pedro Clisante, has been targeted by a gang of pickpockets for the past few weeks. Entrepreneurs such as Wolfgang (of the Schnitzel Paradise) and Ivan (Tropicana) noted that there were around five people who regularly tried to steal from tourists. So they talked to the newly appointed Commander of the Tourist Police (Politur), Major Santos Sosa. The new commander responded immediately and told his team to find the thieves and take them off the streets. This decisive action by the new Sosúa's new Politur Commander has freed the town of this nuisance.
Pickpockets
Tourists can now enjoy Sosúa once again without fear of being targeted by this gang of pickpockets.

[Downtown]

Sosúa's main street, the Pedro Clisante, has been targeted by a gang of pickpockets for the past few weeks. Entrepreneurs such as Wolfgang (of the Schnitzel Paradise) and Ivan (Tropicana) noted that there were around five people who regularly tried to steal from tourists. So they talked to the newly appointed Commander of the Tourist Police (Politur), Major Santos Sosa. The new commander responded immediately and told his team to find the thieves and take them off the streets. This decisive action by the new Sosúa's new Politur Commander has freed the town of this nuisance.
Pickpockets
Tourists can now enjoy Sosúa once again without fear of being targeted by this gang of pickpockets.

Never be so confident that a new group of individuals will replace them! Solo or otherwise, there are always enterprising Dominicans who are willing to separate you from your money!

[snoozer]

Never be so confident that a new group of individuals will replace them! Solo or otherwise, there are always enterprising Dominicans who are willing to separate you from your money!


Hate to be cynical but I agree, just yesterday a friend was walking down the street and a 14 year old starts talking to him, before he knew it someone grabbed him from behind and the kid took his money. Also heard about a dominican wife of a gringo who literally had her pants ripped off to get her money. The bad part was this happened at 5 in the afternoon on the sidewalk across from the Europa.

The new jefe for the Politur seems to be trying, the day he arrived he drove down the beach stopping to meet all the important bar owners and assuring them things will be better, the next night they put a ton of the street rats in jail for the night.

They always start out full of good intentions but things usually go back to normal.

[Hemp]

A couple weeks ago...me and my wingman moshy saw some dominican dude get snatched up by his collar (literally) by the police out of sosua life bar!!! then as they walked him to the motoconch to be hauled off to jail he got side kicked in his ribs by another police man!!!

alot of the police/politur down there believe in keeping us safe!!! one of the girls told me, because tourist are there bread and butter.

[Jimmydr]

A couple weeks ago...me and my wingman moshy saw some dominican dude get snatched up by his collar (literally) by the police out of sosua life bar!!! then as they walked him to the motoconch to be hauled off to jail he got side kicked in his ribs by another police man!!!

alot of the police/politur down there believe in keeping us safe!!! one of the girls told me, because tourist are there bread and butter.


You don't want to be bad and get locked up in DR, not for even a few minutes.

[Beads]

Don't believe everything you read on Sosuanews.com . Take it with a grain of salt . I mentioned in the camera theft thread they cannot allow this type of behavior to continue or people just won't come to Sosua. Street crimes like this especially being normal during daylight hours will destroy the tourist trade in Sosua.

Many of us like visiting Sosua but imagine if you are robbed in broad daylight and the cops can't catch the people who did it. Now a few days later it happens again.

It gets to a point where you can't carry anything with you (no cameras or cellphones).

Can we say wed all return or possibly look for someplace else to go?

Sosua is 90% relying on tourist money in one form or another. No more tourists and they all lose their jobs weather they believe it not. There just isnt enough local business to keep that town afloat without tourists.

Some people realize that reality. Some either don't care or are too stupid to realize it. But it is a fact.

[JD426]

I think generally the Politur does a really good job, anywhere in DR. I give them a lot of credit and respect.They dont take no bullshit. Im not familiar with Sosua though, but I am very surprised to hear it got to be such a big problem. Pulling a persons pants down in broad daylight to get to their $$ ? I never heard that one before. Thats some Brazen SHIT.
In Boca Chica, where there are always pickpockets and hustlers, I notice they keep an eye on you, its very noticeable. In Santo Domingo I also had several experiences where I noticed the cops keeping an eye , and I know it was for my own good. Once a guy with an M16(I think he was military?) followed our group when we were sightseeing. He made damn sure we were safe in that area.
Whats a polite way to acknowledge them without trying to look like your bribing them or something, cause they do work hard. Would not mind slipping them a couple bucks now an then. Our Group splits up a lot ,so our driver is not always with each of us.

[Rubicon]

Whats a polite way to acknowledge them without trying to look like your bribing them or something, cause they do work hard.

Some time ago I walked up to a Politur guy in Sosua and shook his hand and said "para su servicio" and walked away. Next time I saw him he came over and asked if everything was okay and if I needed anything. I told him all was fine. I guess he appreciated the 500 peso note I had slipped to him the first time around.

[prtyr2]

Pick pocketing, chain snatching, purse snatching etc have always been around in any low end tourist town. The problem will really happen when more violent crime happens. You don't hear much about muggings and robberies where the tourists get beaten, stabbed or shot in the DR.

A few years back a bus load of tourists from some resort in POP we robbed at gunpoint by a group of thugs that got on the bus. Took their cameras, jewelry, cash etc.

Next day reps from tourism ministry were at resort cutting checks to replace stolen property. Within a few days all the thieves were caught or dead. . . .or at least reasonable facsimiles;-) In the DR getting the RIGHT guys is not always important as getting somebody.

[prtyr2]

Politur are cool, Ahmet are cool. The policia nacional can be a pain. One night I got a flat tire on the autpista between la vega and santiago. had a flight the next morning and open the trunk to find the lug wrench doesn't fit the lugs. . . .

Police car pulls up. 2 cops get out, use their lug wrench and they change the tire for me! I try to give them 500 pesos and they are refusing! I say it is not a bribe. . .as I didn't do anything wrong. I said they didn't ask for any money so THEY didn't do any wrong. . . just a thank you and a few pesos to get something to eat. It took a few minutes but they reluctanly accepted.

Surprised me and that is why it is never a good idea to paint with a broad brush.


Some time ago I walked up to a Politur guy in Sosua and shook his hand and said "para su servicio" and walked away. Next time I saw him he came over and asked if everything was okay and if I needed anything. I told him all was fine. I guess he appreciated the 500 peso note I had slipped to him the first time around.

[snoozer]

Good to hear a positive story about the police, they are not all bad . The only ones I find approachable are the undercover Interpol cops who work the beach during the day and the bars at nght. Takes a while to figure out who they are but after a while it is obvious.

[Don Tomas]

Sometimes you can even laugh your way through a bribe request, provided you did nothing wrong.

Back when drinking and driving was legal I got pulled over at a checkpoint on the mountain road to Puerto Plata. It was the holidays when they setup checkpoints.

Police: Drogas? (drugs)
Me: no
Police Armas de Fuego? (guns)
Me: no, solamente cerveza! Lifting the grande out of the cupholder

The cop doubled over laughing so hard. So he asks for his Christmas present, I just laughed lightly, so he said he would like a beer when he got off work so I grabbed 50 pesos from the visor where I would keep small bills for windshields, etc. He started telling me it was much more so I told him he could buy a grande for 45 peso in any of the "stores" along the road. He laughed, told me I was right, took the 50 pesos, and off I went.

On another trip I got "cornered" in the SDQ parking lot filling out my car rental paperwork (no office). The PN cops were looking for their Xmas presents. Luckily I had pesos on me from the last trip so I gave each of them (FIVE!) 20 each. Yeah 20 pesos each and wished them Feliz Navidad! They said thank you and didn't ask for more.

[Rubicon]

I made a decision some time back to kill a few birds with one stone.

I decided to fire my Hatian watchman. A nice kid, but too many mistakes. I hired a member of the Policia Nacional who I had known vaguely for a couple of years, but sensed he was a pretty decent guy. I hired him to watch the house from 7:00 pm until 7:00 am. He started work and basically never left, except to take care of personal and professional matters. He keeps the Jeep clean along with the motos, as well as keeps the lawn cut and manicured. He carries a gun, which is always nice and, whenever we run across any group of LE, it's always a brief conversation and we're on our way. He has also made it possible for me to accomplish some things that I would never have been able to accomplish without his help and some high level introductions.

Not bad for 150.00 a month although, occasionally, I'll hook him up with a dame and, on several occasions, he's hooked me up with some dames as well, several of whom have given me some of my best experiences in the DR.

[Corrado]

You don't want to be bad and get locked up in DR, not for even a few minutes.

It's to late Hemp is already a Bad Man. Tha chicas tell me he is so cold blooded he skeets liquid nitrogen.



Politur are cool, Ahmet are cool. The policia nacional can be a pain. One night I got a flat tire on the autpista between la vega and santiago. had a flight the next morning and open the trunk to find the lug wrench doesn't fit the lugs. . . .



They are the main ones I see shaking down people. They do it right at the traffic lights. They are all right there with hands out....Windshield wiper boy.....Orange card salesman....AHAMET.

[Hemp]

hmmmmmmmmm ;)



It's to late Hemp is already a Bad Man. Tha chicas tell me he is so cold blooded he skeets liquid nitrogen.




They are the main ones I see shaking down people. They do it right at the traffic lights. They are all right there with hands out....Windshield wiper boy.....Orange card salesman....AHAMET.

[ChicaSeeka]

Crime in sosua ???
I'm ready for my next trip..

All Kidding aside, I have never felt unsafe while in the DR, but I am also pretty street smart, I try to blend in and never start any shit with anyone , as I am a guest in their country and I also have learned a great deal from those I travel with ...

The Kimber Stays home in the US....

http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/imagehosting/95844792a7b691264.jpg

[MisterPink]

I'm ready for my next trip

Got your Camo shorts and gold chains packed?

[Don Tomas]

I'm ready for my next trip

Your only going to bring ~US$300 (RD$10,000)! What are you only going for 2 days?:lol:

PS. I am basing it on Hotel, Food, Beer, & Chicas. Don't think anyone should spend $150/day on just chicas!

[ChicaSeeka]

Your only going to bring ~US$300 (RD$10,000)! What are you only going for 2 days?:lol:

PS. I am basing it on Hotel, Food, Beer, & Chicas. Don't think anyone should spend $150/day on just chicas!

Thats just to get me from The airport in santiago to sosua, so I don't have to stop to change money, remember DT I like my Chicas 2 at a time.
And you never know what hidden gems you may find along the mountain road (Mountain Putas, are the best, they are used to the locals only and rarely ever get a gringo. so treatment is extra special, and the cost is much less than in town too, but as said before, you better have some spanish skills for that, remember you are in the middle of nowhere by yourself in a 3rd world country, so being misunderstood could be a bit dangerous ) :eek: :eek: :eek: LOL

[El Capitan]

Some time ago I walked up to a Politur guy in Sosua and shook his hand and said "para su servicio" and walked away. Next time I saw him he came over and asked if everything was okay and if I needed anything. I told him all was fine. I guess he appreciated the 500 peso note I had slipped to him the first time around.

I've made it a point to make "nice" to the P.O.s in the CZ and it pays off. When you walk by them say "Hola" or "Buen Dia", they will remember you.....I've given "la moneda" (spare change) to shoe shine kids when they're shining the COPS shoes....it got me a grin and a thumbs up....

I had a NP General walk up to me one evening when I was talking with 4 shoe shine kids and he asked me if THEY were bothering me... I told him "NO, their kids and we're joking around." He gave me a big smile and HE introduced himself....everytime we see each other in the CZ now, he stops and we talk....(and he gave me his cell number...just in case)

Part of "street smart" is knowing who's who on the streets...and the cops are there...if they even THINK you're a "good guy", they'll be there. You don't have to gie them money, but they do feed on "respect" and coming from a tourist inflates their ego a little......The more you TRY to blend in, the quicker you'll be part of the pavement...and like anything else.....if you look like a "mark", THEY'LL FEED ON YOU TOO

[Rubicon]

El, good points.