Crime = Bogota

[TheBatmanDude]

Ok, this is sick. As you know, my novia got cancer and canceled her trip up here. Had everything in place, visa, etc. So now she's better, but lost her hair due to treatments. Got a crew cut, and gold earings to make her feel better. On chat this week, she told me she went to central Bogota just this week to meet with her doctor and some dude RIPPED the earrings right off her ears on the street and ran off, her standing there bleeding and crying.

She said she did not call the police as they would not help in this matter she says, I believe it.

As has been said here, central bogota sucks; don't wear jewelry; they'll slice off a body part getting it.

Watch your backs!

[Sailover]

**** man, this is the second attack this week. Latin America has wonderful aspects but it sure can be a difficult place. She is right about the police, there really isn't anything they can or will do. I am sorry about your girl BD. It is possible I will be in Bogota next week. Let me know if you want to bring her flowers or something.

[Cubafro]

Bat, I'm really sorry about what happened to your girl and feel sorry for the cancer
It is true and so sad about the fact that the police won't do a thing and sometimes as locals you will feel even as treated like **** because you are from there...That's remind me when I was in cuba last year, the police would not even let us go everywhere we wanted only because we were cubans ..If this happened to a tourist they would have done something That sucks big time but this is what we call back in congo the under development mentality!!!
I hope she will be ok and will be with you soon in your batcave for some love .
Peace buddy

cuba

Unfortunately Sail-O is correct about Colombian authorities, and Brazilian Police is even worse, if you can imagine! Our condolences to your lady friend and hope she makes a full recovery.

[John Wayne]

Guy´s it is the same thing here in Nicaragua, as it was in my experiances in CR, Panama, and Honduras....The same thing, if you want justice you are just going to have to pay for it....It is NOT included in the local taxes....

[Sailover]

To play just a bit of devil's advocate, there really isn't much the police can do about a grab and run on the street. Those guys were lost in the barrio before she even realized what had happened. I was involved in a theft in Ibague and two cops, who I called Starsky and Hutch spent the DAY working on getting my stuff back. And they DID! It was amazing. By the way, there are NO victims rights in the third world. If the police say you are guilty, you are!

[TheBatmanDude]

Thanks Sail. Can you imagine? She gets cancer, beats it, then tries to look better with her crew cut and gets creamed. If not for the cancer she would be up here; we had to cancel our embassy appointments for her to get therapy. What is it they say, timing is everything? Anyway, she lives in Suba, which is pretty far out -- about 45 minutes from Charlies Place. So, won't ask you to deliver flowers, but I'll tell you what; I can give you her email address and you can send her a nice note from someone in-country. She has relatives in Cali, would be a good ice breaker. That would be cool. Let me know. Bat.

[Sailover]

Perfect. You can PM me with that and I would be happy to check in with her. What a stinking mess. Thieves here prey on the weakest, like all bullies.
Hopefully you can get down here as I imagine seeing you would be her best medicine.
Be well. SO

[RXD]

It has gone to great lengths to change its crime rate.The murder rate drop by 71% in 10 years to 23 homicides per hundred thousand inhabitants. Now it is much better for tourist to travel.

[jimsonweed]

Well, I hate to be the one to bring it up, but the pattern of occurrences is a red flag to me. Is she getting money out of you? Sounds like multiple different coincidences all providing convenient monetary emergencies (and also convenient excuses not to come see you.)

Dude, you have been had.

Cuidado!