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It was my fault for letting my guard down for 30 seconds. I have read and heard all of the stories and schemes that the Banditos use to separate you from your personal effects but when you find yourself in a crisis situation it is hard to react any other way for me.
It started with me driving into San Jose from Catago Saturday 05/19 to catch a flight out early the next day. I was 6 km or 4 miles out of San Jose and being safe and secure. A car pulled up beside me and the driver was franticly indicating something was wrong with my car. This raised my suspicion but the car drove off and disappeared (he was part of the Bandito team), I started to feel confident again until shortly there after, I noticed my car handling badly. My first reaction was to find a safe place to pull off the road, which I did. Once this was done, I decided to secure my suitcase in the central portion of the car because I knew that I would have to open the back and I didn’t want the case out of sight. This case contained mostly Coffee, not a great prize for the Bandito. My small shoulder bag which contained all of my valuables was on the floor in front of the front passenger seat, this I never let out of my sight; I should have put this over my shoulder. Whilst hunting for the tools, jack etc. inside the car, a Tico saw the difficulty I was in and offered to help. I was reluctant at first because I was still cautious given what I had been warned about. What caused me to let my guard down I think, was this Tico knew where to find the Jack (red flag) under the drivers seat (this gave me comfort, finding the tools) and the wrenches in the back (another red flag). While this was going on, my doors were not locked and I took my eye off the shoulder bag in the front. He helped me get the jacking started and left. Needless to say, once I had completed the task of changing my wheel and started driving off, I noticed my bag missing. In the bag was 2 Passports, Airline Ticket, about $1500.00 in U.S. cash $50.00 in Bermuda cash, some colnes, my wallet with 3 Credit Cards and all sorts of identification, a Digital Camera with photos of my trip, a computer program to learn Spanish once I returned home, personal papers and a present for my wife. Yup, I got burned.
The Police came and took my name and cell phone number, that’s it. Not long after discovering the theft, my bank was made aware of this and blocked all cards. So far, in the 1 hour they were free to use the cards they spent about $900.00 that I know of, so-far. This left me absolutely penniless and without having any means of identifying myself. This meant, I couldn’t check into my hotel that was expecting me, I couldn’t fly out of the country the next morning. I was frozen in space. It is not a nice feeling being in a country, unable to speak their language or be able to ask for help and destitute.
I had an ace up my sleeve that the Banditos didn’t get. His name is Scott Oliver. Scott saw to it that I had somewhere to stay, got me information to enable me to get a new Passport at the British Embassy and managed to do this while moving house. Words cannot express the deep appreciation I have for Scott being there when I was in dire need. Thank you Scott. Also a great deal of thanks has to go to Ginette Fournier at Casa Laurin Bed & Breakfast in Escazu who has provided me with everything I could need, knowing that when I was bought to her, I was unable to pay up front and took me in as a favor to Scott. A massive thank you to Ginette. A huge thank you has to go to Erica Phillips at the British Embassy who managed to generate a Passport from scratch in 4 1/2 hours. How’s that for efficiency?
I write this to help make others aware of the situation you can suddenly find yourself in, not everyone is going to have a Scott and Ginette to provide a safety net. My advise from experience, protect your personal effects as if it were life, be very aware of everyone around you, do not stop your car until you run it into a Police Man, do not accept help from a local (especially in the San Jose area), keep your vehicle locked at all times (they could have taken the entire car) then what would I have done?
I bear no ill will towards the Costa Rican people (Ticos are lovely) there are bad people in all societies and for these guys who did this, I feel sorry for them, that they had to stoop to this level to accomplish something. They are ultimately hurting their families, fellow country-men and all of Costa Rica. But I think this matters little to them. I will and am rising above what was done to me. I let my guard down, I paid for it, and I hope this helps someone. James.
Edited on May 22, 2007 10:50
I had a similar event happen, tire punctured etc…but I had read a story just like the one you told and kept going until finding a gas station. You have a great attitude about life and that will take you far. Instead of dwelling on the negative of what happened you have put it all in perspective and learned and that will take you further…
Bummer! What a terrible thing to have happened to you. Are you sure your car was acting up after that person waved at you? Or was it the mere suggestion that there was something wrong that caused you to pull over and check it out? Were you someplace where they could’ve punctured your tire? I can’t even imagine this happening to me. I’m not sure I’d be so composed, but I would call Scott!! jejeje
I was in bumper to bumper traffic crawling along. Scott seems to think and I agree with him, that someone in the Bandito car behind me got out when traffic was stopped, came up to my car, saw the suitcase and at this point, slipped something under my tyre.
One other thing I have learned is: Daihatsu Terios (the car I rented) is used almost exclusively (95%) by tourist (red flag). Locals wont buy them for this reason. The others are: Toyota Rav4 and Mitsubishi Montero. These are TARGET CARS.
Thats excactly what happened to me, a young kid dressed like he was going to school. He passed the back of the car and stabbed the tire with an awl or something. I saw him pass twice, my girlfriend is tall and blond I thought the punk was just checking her out. A few minutes later when someone pointed out the tire I knew just what happened!! I had read about this scam so was prepared.
If the Terios and RAV4 models are targeted, what other options are there besides the larger more expensive models? I have used both models on my trips. I tend to feel like a target most of the time anyway when I am near San Jose or around Juan Santamaria, whether in a car or not. No way I can blend in to the general population.
I am told the Galloper is less noticeable? And to always have the vehicle delivered to your residence because they will follow you from the rental agency or the airport and we know what the result could be.
In our 7 trips driving all over CR we have been extremely lucky to have escaped your unfortunate experience, but you have certainly made me think – 1) locate the tools just as soon as we get the car – 2)take bicycle cables & locks and attach all cases to something in the car EVERYTIME we are on the road. 3) If not in a safe somewhere, keep our passports & cash in a buttoned pocket. Stories like yours are good reminders of the dangers.
One way to always be safe driving alone: keep your passport, wallet etc. on your person. I wear dockers khakis with 2 buttoned back pockets. 1 for my wallet (credit cards, drivers lic) 1 for cash. My passport is ALWAYS in the front left pocket where I can put my hand on it.
Plus, using an ATM card allows you to carry a minimum amount of cash.
Finally, lock the luggage in a trunk out of sight or put it on a floorboard.I’m thinking of bringing some of that tire puncture stuff and applying it to my tires asap to try to help with the flats. Might at least get me further down the road.
I saw a TV show about how to avoid being pickpocketed. The recommendation was to keep valuables in a front pocket, not rear, and to put a balled up handkerchief on top. That way, the thief has to deal first with the handkerchief.
I always wear Columbia cargo shorts that have a zipper inner front pocket. The zipper is one more obstacle for them to overcome.
There are pickpockets in all Airports all over the world. Men should always carry their wallets in the front pocket, and woman should make sure their pocketbooks are all zipped up and carry them in front of them close to their body. They make a great little wallet like gadget that holds your passport and Airline tickets, money, credit cards, etc., that’s on a long cord you put around your neck and can drop down inside the front of your shirt. When your handling luggage, etc., this makes it real easy to pull out when it’s necessary to show them, plus no one can get their hands on them. Using a fannie pack (in the front of you) is good for carrying your digital camera. You can get those passport, ticket holders in K-mart, Walmart or any place that sells luggage.
I thought it was dejavu all over again. I left my safe haven (B&B) to return the car. Not long after being on the highway, someone came up beside me indicating that something was wrong with the car and disappeared up the road. A Bus came up behind me honking his horn and motioning me to stop. You can imagine what I was thinking!!! I have nothing left to steal and what I do have, including my nice new Passport will not leave without a fight. I managed to stop the car in the middle of the highway and guess what; the tire on the opposite side to the one previously damaged, was all but completely flat. Did I say dejavu all over again? I managed to find a gas station not far up the road, they pumped it up and by the time I returned it to the car rental people, it was still riding high.
My flight is at 7:35 tomorrow morning, I will be using a Taxi and I can’t wait. It has been quite an adventure these last few days. Some of the innocence I came to Costa Rica with has been lost but it will never deter me from returning. I am just a little smarter and a lot more cautious. I know between my friends and me, when I return home, there will be a lot to chuckle about until I think about the photographic memories which were lost. I will be back in September.
The idea of locking all the luggage down is a good one if you don’t mind the extra hassle. As for my passport and money, I have an Eagle Creek Travel Gear pouch that I wear around my neck and keep stuffed inside my shirt. If I don’t over-fill it, it is pretty unnoticeable. Having been several times without a single incident, however, I may have been lulled into a false sense of security. I spent a week there this month with my wallet in my back pocket just like I was in Dallas. Nothing happened to it, but in retrospect, I think I may have been a little careless. I do keep the majority of my cash in the hotel safe, so nobody is ever going to wipe me out. I also carry a COPY of my passport, while the original is in the safe. This, of course, only works when I’m checked in somewhere. When traveling between various locations between hotels, I don’t know what could be done to totally insure safety.
are all posters here talking about airport areas and population centers like San Jose, Jaco etc? My visits, of course, take me through Juan Santamaria airport but I never hang around after I get my car. It may be a false sense of security, and I always keep an eye open anyway, but I don’t feel any sense of threat in San Ramon and certainly none at all in the surrounding small towns. I live in Miami so I like to think I have developed a sense for possible danger. I feel it in San Jose but not in San Ramon. Am I wrong?
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