Camera theft in Cartagena

[Chao]

Last Sunday (09-09-01), my Colombian girlfriend and I met Timinbend for lunch. I was staying at the Hotel Capilla Del Mar. We walked down the main drag of the Bocagrande (Avenida San Martin or Carrera 2) to find a place to eat lunch.

We decided to stop at this outdoor restaurant on Calle 6, between Avenida San Martin and Carrera 3. We arrived approximately 1:30 p.m. We left around 4 p.m.

We took our time ordering because we had so much to chat about - Timinbend's adventures and experiences during his stay in Cartagena, my experiences with visits to Colombia, etc., etc. We ate very slowly, and stayed at our table long after we finished eating.

During our stay at this restaurant, many, many vendors hit upon us, trying to sell us all the usual things - sunglasses, hats, T-shirts, cigarrettes, etc., etc.

I had my camera with me - a 35mm point and shoot that I had bought 7 years ago for about $200. I had taken it with me in my previous three trips to Cartagena. I had never had any problems with anybody trying to take it away from me.

I had placed the camera on our table, directly in front of myself. As sunlight slowly crept over the table, I decided to move my camera to the seat of the chair next to me, never thinking that anyone would try to steal it.

What Timinbend and I think what happened was that while one street vendor distracted us, another guy posing as a shoe-shine vendor got behind me and grabbed the camera. Shoe-shine vendors usually have two boxes with them to hold their supplies and to place the shoes on them for shining.

Think about it - using shoe-shine boxes to provide cover and place stolen items within makes a lot of sense.

Anyway, I don't blame anyone for the theft. I got my use out of that camera. The only thing that I regret is that I had taken about 15 or so pictures with that camera that were still inside. Some of those pictures were of my girlfriend.

Well, I guess I have an excuse to buy myself a new camera.

After this episode, the only kind of camera I will take to Colombia is a disposable one. Also, I will avoid outside restaurants, as they allow street vendors to come in and pester you as you try to eat a meal.

My camera was in a bag that has a carrying case that allows one to carry it over your shoulder. I really don't want to wear a camera while I eat.

I would like to emphasize that Cartagena is a safe place to visit. The theft of a camera can happen anywhere, even in your hometown.

chao

[Chao]

I'd like to add that, in the future, I will do my best to avoid street vendors. After this incident, I consider street vendors to be a compromise to my personal security.

God bless them, they have to make a living in a country plagued with all kinds of problems. But, if you think about it, street vendors distract you, which makes it easier for a criminal to take advantage of you.

chao

[Bill123]

I will never eat in a restaurant who allows vendors to go floating by.

[DCNUPE/Eddie]

Bill:
Eating at most resturants that also have an outside dinning area in C/gena, it is almost immpossible to stop the street vendors from approaching you. Unless you hire secuirty to stand directly outside of the gates. I imagine Chao was sittn near the rails where he was assessible to vendors. However, this sometimes is still unavoidable.

peace/cuidate
Eddie

[Chao]

Eddie,

Actually, we were sitting closer to the inside part of the restaurant than the outside edge.

We had picked this particular restaurant because of its affordable prices. We could have eaten somewhere else instead, but we didn't.

Bill123,

I don't know if you have ever been to Cartagena or not. Like Eddie said, in Cartagena, it is almost impossible to avoid street vendors. A street vendor will go anywhere inside a restaurant if that restaurant allows him to do so. I have even been approached by a street vendor in a restaurant where I was sitting at the very innermost area.

Being a gringo makes you a target for the street vendor.

I have also been to Bogota, Ibague, and Santa Marta. The level of aggression by the street vendors in those cities is not nearly as high as it is in Cartagena.

chao

[Bill123]

Yes, I suppose since Cartegena is more of a tourist city than Bogota means more street vendors. They certainly exist in Bogota, but don;t seem to see them roaming inside the restaurants much.

Good point about being close to the rails though----open season!!!

Eddie makes a good point about tourist cities in Latin America. In San Jose (Costa Rica) the problem is "chapulines" not street vendors. Chapulines are the street gangs in San Jose. The kids are very young, and sometimes called "cute" by Gringas. Don't buy it.

There used to be a bar in the San Pedro area of San Jose called Rio located near the San Pedro Mall, the Forrester Institute, the Centro Cultural, etc. It was very popular with Gringos (including myself) because it was nearby, clean, open-air, etc. There was an outdoor patio with a railing. In the evenings, the chapulines would panhandle there all night.

During my first month there, I and a Gringo friend were sitting at an outdoor table along the railing with about 4 or 5 local women. A chapulin stole one of the girls' purses that she had placed under her seat.