The Bonaire criminal exposed, and it is ........YOU!

[scubafanatic]

Although it's been some years since I last visited Bonaire, I did spend a week at Buddy's, and while my group never experienced any theft issues, I was always a little nervous about that common gear room. I will say I'd never again choose to dive anywhere where the gear storage situation would mirror that scenario.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Sorry to hear of the low life activity. I guess it goes to show that our fellowship isn't immune from attracting scum:crying2:

 

[DiverVince]

Sad is the only word that comes to mind in reading this. For what it's worth, I understand that BCs and wetsuits are to be be left in public dive lockers. But we never leave regulators and computers in them.

 

[gypsyjim]

Both thefts were from buoyancy devices, which you'd expect to be less attractive to a thief than higher end regulators or computers.

I realize we cannot judge all divers by the action of a few scum, but incidents such as these remind us that not everyone who dives is above stealing from us when our backs are turned.

It also pointed out that this is not Bonaire Crime, but tourist imported crime that will follow those two "divers" to wherever they travel and dive.

 

[Oldbear]

For my 50th Birthday my family treated me to a family cruise to Alaska. As a memento I purchased a set of gym shorts with AK printed on them; I figure to use them for lounging around the house. After a dive I went to put on dry clothes and someone had stolen my shorts out of a locker at the dive site...gym shorts, that is like stealing someone's underwear. The thief probably through them away once they got back to their room, but they meant something to me.

 

[drbill]

Very sad to hear of such things. No excuse whatsoever for that kind of behavior. Normally when I travel I take my most beat-up (but functional... usually) gear with me (except for my video gear). It's all insured as well.

 

[Altamira]

dang .. and that is one of the things you like to think your fellow divers are above doing

I really don't know why you would think that. I think the diving community represents a pretty good cross section of people, and from my experience there is always going to be at least a 10% A-hole factor (and that is conservative percentage in my opinion) in any group that thinks it is perfectly OK to shaft someone else if they can save their own ass, or have someone else pick up the tab for their own screw ups. This is the society in which we live. Get used to it, and protect your own gear just like you are responsible for your own safety when diving.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

Wife and I were in Bonaire for May 2 thru 17 so we were there at the same time as you...... As a matter of fact, we may have been on the same United flight to Houston this past Sat morning.

This was our 10th trip back to Bonaire and the first trip that we stayed anywhere other than Buddies. (Villa just up the road in Sabadeco)..... But...... we did buy our Nitrox / Air package from Buddies and did two boat dives with them on Thursday the 15th. On deco day (Friday the 16th) we turned in our lead and went into the Buddies dive shop to pay for our two boat dives and there was a woman in there filling out some forms with Lourdes and she was obviously distraught.. My wife asked if she was OK and it turns out that someone had stolen her entire reg set including computer console.... from the dive locker! I'm talking about the locker down on the dock, not the one at the drive-through.


This would appear to confirm that there most definitely was a low life scumbag at Buddies that week.

Anyone else there also probably noticed that the small road between the drive through and the dock was chewed up during that week along with the center of the turnaround at the top of the stairs. Looks like they are finally going to put pavers down on that section. The result was that a lot more folks seemed to be using the upper dive locker.


On a side note.....we are basically shore divers and for the entire two weeks we dove everywhere from Red Slave to Karpata and nary had a problem. On EVERY excursion we brought a towel, jugs of fresh water and a soft ice-chest with some snacks and post dive Amstel Brights. Windows down and doors unlocked....no problems. As for sunglasses, we just use cheap $10 ones for diving, wear them for the kick out and then they go in BC pockets just before descending.

Anyway.... I hate thieves and would really enjoy catching one to show them that crime doesn't pay.

 

[flots am]

After roughly 10 years of diving Bonaire I finally have two (yes TWO )crimes to report

It's a little more work, but I always bring my stuff back to the room for a rinse and hang up.

 

[Stoo]

dang .. and that is one of the things you like to think your fellow divers are above doing

I don't worry about my gear with my buddies... But my beer fridge...that's a whole different story...