Rental Truck Vandalized

[Jersey]

I don't know the first thing about Bonaire, but unlocked doors and windows down? Is that the norm?

Sorry to hear about the vandalism. M

aniago - the rentals have a bumper sticker on the glove box advising you to leave it open. One agency has gone so far as to spray paint a red stripe on all tires/rims and spares so if a tire goes missing, the red paint is a give away.

Other islands are similar - leave nothing in car, some I no longer feel safe on (even during the day) and no longer frequent.

 

[maniago]

Sorry to hear about the vandalism. M

aniago - the rentals have a bumper sticker on the glove box advising you to leave it open. One agency has gone so far as to spray paint a red stripe on all tires/rims and spares so if a tire goes missing, the red paint is a give away.

Other islands are similar - leave nothing in car, some I no longer feel safe on (even during the day) and no longer frequent.

Sad. What else can you say?

 

[Ray and Pam]

The gear shift knob and a faceplate?! Is there a big demand on the black market for gear shift knobs and faceplates?

They're stealing a truck a few pieces at a time.

 

[redacted]

The gear shift knob and a faceplate?! Is there a big demand on the black market for gear shift knobs and faceplates?

They're stealing a truck a few pieces at a time.

And they are just getting started.:shocked2:

 

[diver 85]

I don't know the first thing about Bonaire, but unlocked doors and windows down? Is that the norm?

YEs....they(rental places) recommend it.......Fewer broken windows.....seriously..

---------- Post added April 14th, 2014 at 03:11 PM ----------

AND......one day they gunna be giving out BIG chains & heavy duty pad locks & asking you while out on a dive to park by a BIG tree----& chain the motor up......

 

[Bas Harts]

put them in the jail in curacao and be done with it?

Please no..... Keep them there

 

[KeithG]

Shore diving capital of the world or truck vandalizing capital of the world? ...

Both?
this is not news. It has been going on for more than 20 years. No change in behavior (police or the thieves) since we started going there. It is petty crime. Kind of like graffiti. No personal injury. Often annoying. But not enough of a nuisance to do anything about.

Not like some islands where you fear for your personal safety if you leave the resort.

Get used to it. Maybe we need to accept it as part of their "culture"?

 

[salth2owannabe]

Get used to it. Maybe we need to accept it as part of their "culture"?

You had me right up until this statement.
A thief is a thief, and thief on Bonaire is still a thief. Not acceptable!
As an LEO, even on a bad day I could catch these knuckleheads at these dive sites.
A little effort would go a long way.
If a few of the resorts and car rental companies want to pay me with some free dives and a stay, I and a few of my co-workers would come down and put a dent in the problem.

 

[KeithG]

You had me right up until this statement.
A thief is a thief, and thief on Bonaire is still a thief. Not acceptable!
As an LEO, even on a bad day I could catch these knuckleheads at these dive sites.
A little effort would go a long way.
If a few of the resorts and car rental companies want to pay me with some free dives and a stay, I and a few of my co-workers would come down and put a dent in the problem.

Agreed. But please look closer to home before you go off on them.

Any graffiti in your neighbour hood? Yep! How about small time shop lifting? Yep! A few pick pockets? Yep! Maybe a little public property destruction every now and then? Yep. Stolen bicycle? Yep. A car broken into? Yep. A few stolen cars? Yep. I have them all as well. Even way up here in the great white north. Not something that really hits the radar. The LEO have bigger fish to fry.

Not making excuses. Just trying to get people to take their rose colored glasses off.

In the big picture this is not really a problem. Just part of life.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

Agreed. But please look closer to home before you go off on them.

Any graffiti in your neighbour hood? Yep! How about small time shop lifting? Yep! A few pick pockets? Yep! Maybe a little public property destruction every now and then? Yep. Stolen bicycle? Yep. A car broken into? Yep. A few stolen cars? Yep. I have them all as well. Even way up here in the great white north. Not something that really hits the radar. The LEO have bigger fish to fry.

Not making excuses. Just trying to get people to take their rose colored glasses off.

In the big picture this is not really a problem. Just part of life.

Bull. It's common knowledge that you MUST leave your vehicle unlocked and windows down lest it be damaged during the near-guaranteed pilfering. That is certainly not the case in my city, and I live in a top-10-most-crimey one. Crime is isolated and rare, not a standard feature. There's definitely not anyone regularly pilfering vehicles in parking lots, even in the worst of neighborhoods.