The Police in Costa Rica Won't Do SHIT

Fact is, the police in Costa Rica aren't going to do shit to help you if their has been a crime perpetrated against you. I'm talking mostly about the sort of crime that you have the best odds of being the victim of- robbery, theft, breaking and entering, simple assault etc. Yes, they can be friendly and nice, yes they will fill out all the appropriate paperwork, but unfortunately, that's where it STOPS. There's many reasons for their lack of any concrete follow-thru but that's for another video and another post. So, whether you want to travel to Costa Rica or live in Costa Rica, it's all about taking personal responsibility. Here's our perspective on the effectiveness of the police in Costa Rica.



TONS of Costa Rica Tavel Info and VIDEOS on our websitc: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

Robber and Thief Juan Carlos Salazar Mena Caught on Tape AGAIN

Robber and Thief, Juan Carlos Salazar Mena, has been a busy Criminal. From Pital, Costa Rica, Juan Carlos Salazar Mena robbed us about 10 days ago and after we posted the video of him breaking into our apartment, people have come out of the woodwork to email us and let us know they too were victims of Juan Carlos Salazar Mena's handiwork. We even got sent a video (poor quality but definitely Juan Carlos Mena) of him breaking into a business. He was caught, but Costa Rica being Costa Rica, nothing was done, so the owner was hoping to join forces with us and help put a stop to Juan Carlos Mena.

This picture is of Juan Carlos Mena Salazar and if you live in either Pital, Aguas Zarcas or La Fortuna, you might want to watch your back and your stuff, when he is around. He is very unassuming, skinny as fuck, kinda cute in a punk-kid kinda way but don't be FOOLED, he will seek out an opportunity. Check out the video below to see Juan Carlos Salazar Mena up to his old tricks.

If you have any information on Juan Carlos Salazar Mena, please email us. We'd appreciate it.



TONS of Costa Rica Tavel Info and VIDEOS on our websitc: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

Pital Costa Rica Thief and Robber Juan Carlos Salazar Mena

This is what a thief looks like and Juan Carlos Salazar Mena is a THIEF. Juan Carlos Salazar Mena is originally from Pital Costa Rica but spends time in Aguas Zarcas and La Fortuna.

After videotaping Juan Carlos Salazar Mena breaking into our apartment in La Fortuna, the emails started pouring in. Apparently, Juan Carlos Salazar Mena has robbed many other folks and businesses. Juan Carlos Mena doesn't just focus on Gringos, a Tico man reached out to us in hopes of helping us put Juan Carlos Mena behind bars because he had broken into his business as well, also videotaped and CAUGHT. But Costa Rica being Costa Rica, absolutely NOTHING was done.(We will be posting that video on our YouTube Channel as well, so L@@L for it).

The first video below is actually the second video we did in regards to Juan Carlos Salazar Mena and is an update 4 days after the initial break-in with the bottom video being the break-in caught on tape.

Juan Carlos Salazar Mena is a skinny little punk, unassuming but extremely sneaky and conniving, so if he's around your area, you're going to either want to beat the fuck out of him or at least keep a watchful eye on his every move. And if you do happen to cross paths with Juan Carlos Salazar Mena, please contact us, we'd love to chat with him **just to ask him why he chose a life of crime, nothing more**Swear, nothing bad.

We're not going to let this go until justice comes to Juan Carlos Salazar Mena, he's hurt WAY too many people- hard working people trying to make their way in life. Motherfucker needs a life lesson.





TONS of Costa Rica Tavel Info and VIDEOS on our websitc: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

Juan Carlos Salazar Mena from Pital Costa Rica is a THIEF

Juan Carlos Salazar Mena from Pital Costa Rica is a THIEF. Juan Carlos Salazar Mena lives in La Fortuna Costa Rica at the moment but also spends time in Pital, Aguas Zarcas and Manuel Antonio. Juan Carlos Salazar Mena is not just a one-time thief, he's more of the 'career' variety. And like all thieves, Juan Carlos Salazar Mena is a shifty, sneaky, sketchy, scumbag.

Juan Carlos Salazar Mena lived next door to us with his girlfriend. Juan Carlos Salazar Mena from Pital broke into our apartment months back and stole a laptop. We knew it was him but couldn't prove anything. We knew he'd be back as that's what scumbag thieves like Juan Carlos Salazar Mena do. We were ready. And the below video is the result. If there's any doubt in your mind just watch the video until the tattoo of the 'star' above his left breast shows up.

The police in La Fortuna are very familiar with Juan Carlos Salazar Mena. He gets busted a LOT. Unfortunately, nothing happens except maybe a night at the police station. Totally worth something like a laptop. The police saw the video, knew right away who it was. The OIJ (the FBI of Costa Rica)also saw the video. They did NOTHING. Juan Carlos Salazar Mena spent 24 hours at the police station while the police and the OIJ twiddled their thumbs. *We are not surprised by the lack of follow-up by the police and OIJ by any means. They're in name only, real police work is foreign to Costa Rica and is well documented. We will be documenting the same.

This isn't over. We will be documenting what happens AND we will get a lawyer. And no, we are not disillusioned by Costa Rica. We still love it here, so don't go there. The video of the break in is below. Check it out. Share it, pass it on. God forbid some unexpected business hires Juan Carlos Salazar Mena.



TONS of Costa Rica Tavel Info and VIDEOS on our websitc: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

Barbed Wire in Costa Rica- the Hypocrisy

San Jose Costa Rica is a city of barbed wire, much of it, of the razor variety. Iron bars on windows and doors are pretty much the fashion sense for every house and business in the area as well. A practical people, looks don't count for much here, as long as it functions properly, aesthetics be damned. Bottom line- razor wire and iron bars provide security. Seems obvious right? Protecting ones personal property and such. Obviously it's not.

This video was made after receiving the 215th email on the subject of how much barbed wire is used and seen in Costa Rica and how as a tourist, many were APPALLED.

This video has nothing to do with Costa Rica per se and shouldn't be viewed as a knock on this beautiful country.

This video is somewhat of a sarcastic slap in the face, to the many times, ignorant and arrogant thinking of North American tourists. Hypocrisy at its finest. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less.

TONS of Costa Rica Tavel Info and VIDEOS on our websitc: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

Surviving Crime, Murder and Corruption in Costa Rica

Here's how to travel to Costa Rica and survive crime, theft, murder and overall mayhem. You know, because it's around every corner.
So this dude from Connecticut, Howard Daniels Jr. writes an editorial to A.M.Costa Rica (Your daily English-language news source Monday through Friday'....whatever) and gives his take on why tourism is down in Costa Rica. His reasons, here's the exact quote:

"The reason that North Americans are not going to Costa Rica as much anymore is twofold. #1 crime and #2 tired of dealing with bribe dealing police."

This subject is a pet peeve of mine and I've written about it numerous times. So, I'll let the VIDEOS BELOW do most of the talking. But here's my bottom line: I would say that 98.9% of the BAD things that happen to tourists while in Costa Rica are a direct result of their STUPIDITY when traveling abroad. #2- Their are exceptions but 99% of the time, if you're bribing a police officer, it's because you got caught breaking the law and with some of the fines here, you'll hope the cop is 'corrupt'. However, they have been known to 'shakedown' tourists on occasion as well, but this is more the exception than the rule and don't forget, you do have recourse when a bad cop tries to pull a fast one.

Lastly, only the worst of the worst stories get printed, so perception and drama RULES on the internet. If tourists weren't so STUPID, crime against them wouldn't be so high. Yeah, I said it.

*Living here is an entirely different matter.

If you are traveling to Costa Rica, watch all the videos below from beginning to end and I can assure you, your risk factor will be cut to about '0'. I have much more INFO about crime and it's effect on tourism in this blog but don't stop there, visit other sites and get more perspective as well.

Our ORIGINAL video about Theft and Crime in Costa Rica:



Renting a car, you don't want to skip this one:



Perspective on 'corrupt' police officers in Costa Rica:



Perspective on this 'murder' and 'crime' thing in Costa Rica:



Plan on riding the public buses:



Backing up your Travel Documents:



TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

Why wouldn't they STEAL your STUFF in Costa Rica?

They steal YOUR stuff in Costa Rica but they don't steal MINE.
It's really quite simple, they steal your stuff in Costa Rica because they CAN- that's it.

The 'flat tire' scam perpetuated against unaware tourists visiting Costa Rica is the BEST example of my viewpoint regarding this overblown, media hyped issue.

Ironically, just knowing about the 'flat tire' scam makes it virtually impossible for the thugs to pull it off. HELLO! Don't pull over. (Watch the VIDEO below if you don't know what I'm talking about).

Well guess what? Almost nothing to do with theft of personal belongings has to happen during your visit to Costa Rica.

It's not my intention to tell you how to avoid theft while in Costa Rica, that INFO is EVERYWHERE on our sites and in our videos, so feel free to graze. But it is my intention to call 'Party Foul' on the whiners and complainers out there who have had their stuff taken and BITCH and MOAN about how crime is out of control in Costa Rica because they had a "bad experience." Some crime is unavoidable, wrong place, wrong time, I get it, but 97% of the time it is avoidable, if you did your homework prior to visiting here that is. If not, yeah, stuff can get stolen, but really, who's fault is that? How stupid are you to come to a foreign country and not do a little homework first. In this case, STUPID is because STUPID doesn't.

Now don't take this out of context. I'm not talking about the folks who get their stuff stolen and accept a percentage of responsibility for their irresponsibility. I'm talking about the 'fucks' who get their stuff stolen and place the blame solely on Costa Rica and then tell their sad story to everyone and anyone who will listen, which just might make them appear MORE stupid.

My hope is that more Costa Rica bloggers, expats and others who care about tourism here will get the WORD out that Costa Rica is still a SAFE place to travel as long as you pack a little common sense along with your hiking shoes. Also, confront the 'repeaters' who are bad-mouthing Costa Rica perpetuating and over-blowing the issue of crime on the forums, message boards and in blogs etc.

Oh,for the record and as they relate to crime- owning a home and LIVING in Costa Rica are different than visiting Costa Rica because the truth is, many people who own homes here have been broken into, especially around beach towns.

Here's my video about the 'flat tire' scam and a message to the people that fall for it:

Make your own video or EMBED this one somewhere, we need to FIGHT back.
TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

WHY pickpockets think your HOT

Gay or straight, if you're OUT partying in Costa Rica you'll need to know this.

*Sorry girls, this is mostly a guy thing since when it comes to the possibility of having a sexual encounter guys tend to think with the wrong head- what can I say, you're smarter.

Hey Guys! I've seen this happen personally and have heard about it often enough to know it can be a problem... and it doesn't matter if you're dancing with the boys in a gay club such as La Avispa or doing shots in one of the many 'straight' bars and discos located inside El Pueblo, you need to be AWARE of this little, how should I say, distraction.

First, it's a vacation for god sake, it's not difficult to understand how the following scenario could play out... but when you ENTER alcohol and/or other party favors, inhibition seems to get tossed aside like a $2.00 hooker (now that's a bargain basement inhibition) and as euphoria (or inebriation) sets in, simple problem solving may as well be quantum physics. Read that as, your dick doesn't do math.

But who cares, chillin' and partying in Costa Rica , right now, all is right with the world. Until...

...the man or woman of your dreams begins to dance with you.

"WTF? How HOT is this... so 'out of my league' but dancing with me, ...ME, SWEET!"

Enter- quantum physics.

"Whatever, I'm going to just ride this out and see where it goes...... fuck it, I'm on vacation in Costa Rica BABY!"

"Nice, feeling all over my ass.... whoaaa, comin' around the front.... I must be looking HoT tonight."

Sober, red flags would fly as soon as 'wet dream' began to dance with you since hook-ups are only this E-Z in the movies, that is, unless you PAID for said 'wet dream'- that's a different kinda movie.

One of two things is about to happen- Pick-pocketed right there on the dance floor by 'wet dream' or an accomplice OR taken outside and mugged when you had something a little HOTTER in mind.

Sorry guys, Beauty and the Beast rarely happens, it's an exception and you are NOT it.

But I understand, every once in awhile it's nice when quantum physics makes sense,,,, at least for a few moments that is.

Party Pointers: Taxi from club to club, don't walk anywhere. Don't party or go out alone if you can help it. Be careful as to how fucked-up you get. Carry only the money you need for the night and your I.D./passport. Keep nothing in your back pocket. If you must carry a credit card, hide it, ditto for your passport. Tell SOMEONE or EVERYONE your basic itinerary for the night, even if it's just updating your status on FB or Twitter but let SOMEONE know and double especially if you're going out solo- the hotel receptionist is a good start. Personally, I carry a switchblade, even into the clubs, but that's me... yeah, I hide it. And remember, keep a healthy skepticism when someone approaches you from out of the blue and is either overly flirtatious or somewhat aggressive when attempting to pick you up. *They could just be a prostitute working too hard.

And lastly, don't forget the condoms, after all, I could be wrong and this could be your LUCKY night.

"Yeah, right."
TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

Crime in Costa Rica one woman's VIEW

For many, ONE trip to Costa Rica just isn't enough.
Believe me, it's NOT just hype- Costa Rica really is ALL that... and MORE. It's why D'Angelo and I live here and why many people return to Costa Rica time and time again. Like Elaine.

We met Elaine through TWITTER. She's been coming to Costa Rica for the last 10 years or so and loves the country as much as D'Angelo and I do. She's traveled all around Costa Rica by herself... pretty impressive if you ask me. Now, she brings people down to Costa Rica but I'll get back to that in a minute. I had a chance to sit down and talk to Elaine about her experiences in Costa Rica and what she felt about the whole, "Crime is running rampant in Costa Rica..." bullshit. Here's what she had to say:



*Again, we're not saying crime isn't somewhat of a problem, we're just saying about 98% can be AVOIDED with common sense.

Like I mentioned above, Elaine has taken her passion for Costa Rica and turned it into a little side business by bringing people here and showing them around, kinda like a personal travel companion/guide. After spending quite a bit of time with Elaine it was evident that she's not in it for the money, she just wants to spread the LOVE for Costa Rica to others... I like that. Reminds me of me.

Elaine gave me permission to pass along her website, so if you have any questions about traveling in Costa Rica, by all means: Costa Rica in Nature

Just in case you missed it, what I had to say about crime in Costa Rica:



TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

Stupid Tourists get REINFORCED

Crimes committed against tourists visiting Costa Rica usually involve a petty theft of some kind for the simple fact many tourists lack common sense when traveling abroad.

Well, now STUPID tourists have a friend in Costa Rica. The powers that be have buckled under the pressure and have decided to give 'Stupidity' one more chance to be less STUPID, by placing 2 booths in the San Jose Airport, aka the Juan Santamaria International Airport, in order to provide tourists some crime prevention tips. This is called reinforcing STUPIDITY.

This out today in AM Costa Rica (this is not the entire article):

"José María Tijerino, the minister of Gobernación, Policía y Seguridad Pública, said that by contacting tourists early there were more opportunities to provide information for a safe visit.

The agencies appear to be responding to the many negative experiences that have given Costa Rica a bad name in other countries. For example, the U.S. Embassy reported that in 2009 more than 1,200 U.S. passports were reported missing or stolen there."

Okay, maybe booths at the airport are a good idea. My point is who in their right mind would travel to a country and not do at least a little homework before traveling? I can guarantee out of the 1,200 passports missing or stolen, about 1,100 were due to some sort of irresponsibility on the tourists part.

In the AM Costa Rica article they also mention the flat-tire scam:

"Crooks use the punctured tire routine to get tourists, usually in rental vehicles, to pull over and expose themselves to highway robbers."

This is EXACTLY what I'm talking about. ANYONE who is visiting Costa Rica should already know this with just an hour or two of pre-travel research. These 'booths' can't tell you anything you shouldn't already KNOW.

I suppose it's how it ALWAYS is- the responsible taking the responsibility for the irresponsible- STUPIDITY should be PAINFUL, and to many tourists it often becomes just that. And of course it's these idiots that shout the LOUDEST about how dangerous Costa Rica is, unable or unwilling to take responsibility for their lack thereof. *Their should be an asterisk next to the 1,200 missing passports with the percentage of those that could have been avoided through common sense.

In an ironic twist, these guys followed our Travel Tips and had no problems while in Costa Rica.
KNOW THIS: it's the STUPID tourists giving Costa Rica the bad name.....

I'm sorry, I'm just so OVER this topic.

TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

Murder in Costa Rica and don't call my Mom a Bitch

Violent crime is UP in Costa Rica. Murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault and over-all MAYHEM are all on the rise in Costa Rica. San Jose Costa Rica- DANGEROUS. Limon, Costa Ric- also DANGEROUS.
Everywhere you TURN, there's someone with a gun ready to separate you from your valuables. BEWARE!

"WHATEVER,.... I call BULLSHIT!"

I don't doubt crime is on the rise in Costa Rica. Hell, just the fact there's a recession would at least partially explain the rise, but there are also many other factors that I won't get into, at least not right now.

But living HERE and TRAVELING HERE are almost two entirely different things. This post is about CRIME as it relates to traveling here. Living in Costa Rica and dealing with crime is a different thing.
<<<<<<<<<<<<< Ummmmmm...maybe you should consider leaving the BLING at home.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<

I STILL maintain if you follow the advice of our VIDEOS and other INFO and other responsible Costa Rica websites regarding crime and theft etc, your likelihood of being the victim of a serious crime while traveling around Costa RIca is REMOTE- "YEAH, I said it."

Here's a VIDEO we did about Violent Crime on the RISE in Costa Rica. Hope it Helps.



TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

Robbed and BEAT UP on the Bus

Back from San Jose, Costa Rica after a week of ADVENTURES and video-taping. It appears because of what happened yesterday on our way home, I can't talk about the BUSES in Costa Rica enough. Here's the story, it's worth a read if you're planning a trip to Costa Rica and traveling around by bus.

We went to 'La Parada de San Carlos' (the bus stop in San Jose to get to La Fortuna by way of San Carlos aka Ciudad Quesada). You would need another bus stop if you want to get to La Fortuna via San Ramon- La Parada de San Ramon.

Everything was fine, we got to San Carlos and stopped long enough for a quick bathroom, snack break and we were on our way. A few minutes outside of San Carlos the bus breaks down. Within 30 minutes we were on another bus (not bad considering it's Costa Rica), but since we had to scramble for seats, D'Angelo and myself were situated in the back of the bus, our friend Ed, who went with us to San Jose, was more in the middle of the bus. If we wouldn't have broken down, we would have all been sitting close to each other and things probably would have unfolded much different.

The closer we got to La Fortuna, the more the bus filled up, so people were standing in the aisles. Commotion ensued by our friend Ed. I heard him yell, "I saw you take it!" Apparently a man pickpocketed a wallet from an Israeli man's baggy, cargo-style shorts. The Israeli man's girlfriend was yelling, Ed was in the 'face' of the original perpetrator and another man, was headed to the back door of the bus, followed closely by the Israel man. I heard him say, "You can have the wallet, just give me my credit cards."

Like I mentioned, if we were all sitting together, I DEFINITELY would have been more involved, but this was happening fast and quite frankly, D'Angelo and myself really didn't know 'who' did 'what' to 'who'.

Israeli man followed the guy off the bus. *I should mention, this 2nd perpetrator was BIG for a Tico, wide shoulders, big arms, tattoos, I'm sure you get the picture and Israel man was pretty much the opposite, skinny, tall and probably hadn't been in a fight in his entire life. Israel man and perpetrator 2 were off the bus in front of the back door when I heard Israeli man say something like, "What the fuck man..." and that's when I saw the punch- one HARD punch to be exact and Israeli man went down, he wasn't knocked out, but definitely 'dazed and confused' for about 5 minutes.

So, perpetrator 2 got away and if perpetrator 2 was the 'thug' of the group, this other dude was a complete PUSSY- kinda big, but was pleading and whining and crying telling anyone who would listen he didn't do it- like the little BITCH that he was......... Ed didn't AGREE and neither did the others on the bus who wouldn't let him leave....... and either did the police who arrested him.

*Israeli man was fine after about 15 minutes accept for the nice size cut on his head.
GUYS- it's all about distraction here, KEEP on EYE on your STUFF, in the overhead luggage compartment and what's in your pocket..................... it only takes a SECOND.

Better yet, money belts, money in your socks or fanny packs (way gay but very effective) are much better options than the pocket of a baggy pair of cargo shorts. And the only reason it unfolded like it did, is because Ed saw the guy do it, Israeli man didn't have a CLUE.

Don't be CLUELESS- because when shit like this happens to you and you BLAME Costa Rica- it pisses us OFF (I'm not sayin Israeli man would do this......I'm just sayin.) Be VIGILANT and AWARE at all times and you will cut down your risk factor to almost ZERO.

But really, fanny packs are GAY.
TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

Theft, Crime and STUPID Tourists

Theft and Crime on the Rise in Costa Rica... I wonder why?.
The above was reported in my favorite 'Daily English-language 'internet' news source Monday through Friday', AM Costa Rica. But I won't be BASHING them TODAY.

You know, the stupidity of people appears to know NO BOUNDS, at least judging by the above SCAM. In this day and age of infinite amounts of easily accessible INFO, there's just NO excuse for not knowing certain things. Okay, skip that, even a 15-year old has heard, "If it sounds to GOOD to be true..."

Okay, crime IS on the rise in Costa Rica, but no where near the proportions of places like Detroit and most cities in the US, but if crime is on the RISE, then so is STUPIDITY... especially from you tourist types.

You know who you are............ actually, you probably DON'T- you're too stupid to recognize yourself.

Let's see if I can HELP you to I-D-E-N-T-I-F-Y.

Do you....

...believe SHIT like this? You have just been awarded,750,000.00 GBP in the 2009 Online Siemens Lottery,send us the following... or the lady from India who can't access her account and needs your help to do so... and of course she'll pay you back, it's guaranteed.

...believe the nice man on the beach who speaks perfect English when he tells you he'll watch your stuff while you frolic in the ocean waves.

...think your $2,000. SLR camera is fine on the seat of your rental while you run in and get some money from the bank.

...wear Bermuda shorts pulled up to your waist?

...think you LOOK better whitewater rafting, ziplining through the jungle, waterfall rappelling, ATV'ing etc. wearing massive amounts of expensive jewelery?

...leave valuables in your rental car overnight in the hotel parking lot because there's a security guard there?

...go to sleep on the bus while your laptop is in the overhead?

...believe the guy that tells you he knows the BEST souvenir shop, hotel or restaurant?

...know NOT everyone is GENUINE about helping you FIX your flat tire or wiping off the mustard they accidentally spilled on your shirt?

...have 'TOURIST' tattooed on your forehead?

...believe because someone speaks ENGLISH, they are believable or have your best interest at heart?

...think because your hotel room is locked that your valuables are necessarily safe?

...carry large amounts of cash or other valuables at night when you go out on the town?

If you've answered 'YES' to any of these, even the one about knowing the BEST souvenir shop, I really do have some land here you can get pretty cheap... and NO, it's not SWAMP land. Seriously, I do.

My favorite thing about stupid tourists- they're usually the ones who complain the MOST and the LOUDEST- telling anyone who will listen to their horror story of how crime ridden and dangerous Costa Rica IS. And if these, 'no taking responsibility, complaining, whining, pointing the finger' types happen to be writers or bloggers on the internet- LOOK OUT, because they can have some serious negative IMPACT, since Henry and Martha from Omaha tend to believe these IDIOTS.

CRIME and theft are on the RISE because STUPIDITY is on the RISE. Costa Rica is a GREAT country to live or visit, but like anywhere else on the fuck'in PLANET, precautions need to be taken, AWARENESS is a must and homework should be done BEFORE hand.... and could you at least try and fit in a bit more? Have you NOT heard, "When in Rome....?"

I still hold that 95% of theft and crime is YOUR FAULT.

*and please, I know their are situations when precautions were taken, but BAD things still happened. This is an exception and NOT the rule, so don't bore me with your HORROR story- SHIT HAPPENS... even BAD shit.

Check this OUT to Remind yourself of things you may have forgotten you know: Theft and You in Costa Rica.

Here's a couple VIDEOS we've done about Theft and Crime:





We have ALL your Costa Rica Travel Information at Travel Costa Rica NOW. and don't forget our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos posted on YouTube. Hope it HELPS!

Theft on the Buses in Costa Rica

Yup, this is almost a PERFECT representation.
The bus from La Fortuna to San José was packed- pretty typical. She (a gringa from Tennessee) didn’t know she got her backpack stolen until we reached San José… actually, EVERYONE on the bus learned she got her backpack stolen… she was hysterical to say the least. Everything was in it- EVERYTHING meaning- passport, money, credit cards, family pictures, laptop, digital camera etc. What she was wearing, is what she had left. Video: Backing Up Your Travel Documents.

From what she told (everyone), her backpack was pretty big, so she didn’t want to lug it to the back of the bus and risk hitting others in the head (her words, not mine), so she opted to put it in the above rack at the front of the bus, but decided to sit in the back of the bus. You know the rest of the story. For the record, her dad sent her money via Western Union.

I won’t hammer… too much anyway, but I gotta admit, I often wonder why people don’t do a little more homework when visiting a country they’ve never been to before. Even we have numerous articles on this particular subject.

Many of the Travel Books will tell you to sit by a window in order to keep an eye on anything (oversized backpacks etc) that is placed in the underbelly of the bus since that is where most of the theft occurs, me personally, I don’t know anyone who has been ripped off in this manner, but do I have a ton of stories from people who have been ripped off from the overhead inside the bus, usually not a few feet from where they are sitting. Costa Rica Crime- it's YOUR Fault. And just a few weeks ago I wrote about a similar experience: La Fortuna to San Jose- Crime on the Bus.

Check this OUT to Remind youself of things you may have forgotten you know: Theft and You in Costa Rica.

Here's a quick VIDEO about the Do's and Don't of riding the buses around Costa Rica:



We have ALL your Costa Rica Travel Information at Travel Costa Rica NOW. and don't forget our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos posted on YouTube. Hope it HELPS!

La Fortuna to San Jose- Crime on the BUS

Received this email yesterday from some friends that had been staying with us in La Fortuna:

Hi guys,

Well, we should have stayed in La Fortuna. Somewhere between there and the bus terminal in San Carlos MY FUCKING DAYPACK GOT STOLEN!! The worst part is that D'Angelo actually warned us about people stealing your bag from the upper rack in buses. I guess I was thinking that happened when you're sleeping. Not when you're wide awake and it's right over your head (I guess that'll teach me to read on the bus...).

Okay CLASS, I’m not sure how many times we can go over this. We’ve done Travel Tip VIDEOS and written extensively on crime and theft as it pertains to the Costa Rican traveler.

Here it is in a nutshell: In Costa Rica, theft is normally one of ‘distraction’ and/or ‘opportunity’ and the above is a perfect example. So, click on the links in this article, cruise around the sites, and watch the video below to get re-acquainted with things you may have forgotten you know.

There will be a TEST.

>

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Costa Rica Crime- it's your FAULT

I might me overstating on the title, but not by much. Everybody seems to be talking about crime in Costa Rica and how bad it's getting. Everyone is jumping on the bandwagon- the Tico Times, AM Costa Rica, various bloggers and numerous Costa Rican websites, nothing but crime, crime, crime. Endless stories on how Henry and Martha, from Omaha had their vacation of a lifetime ruined by some 'good samaritans’' who noticed they had a flat tire while exiting the airport. Well, I'm OVER IT. Oh, by the way, the scary stuff- guns, knives, physical attacks- those are on the rise, but lets be honest, the majority of those are in and around the San Jose area. Please don't write me about a terrible crime that happened outside the San Jose area just to try and prove a point, those are merely exceptions that could happen anywhere, not the rule.

Does anyone deserve to get ripped off? I think not, but that's not the reality of it, is it? Shit does happen, but thankfully your chances of being a victim of a 'strong-arm' crime are very slim here. Yes, it happens, but HELLOO, that can happen anywhere and I do sympathize with those who have basically been in the wrong place at the wrong time- victims of senseless/random acts of violence. But since no one will say it out loud, I will- 90% of tourists who get ripped off here in one way or the other basically DO bring it on themselves. Crime (as it applies to tourists) here is usually one of opportunity and/or some sort of distraction technique used to separate your valuables from you. That said, if you're vigilant, aware of your surroundings and use basic common sense, you WILL not have a problem, and if you do, it will be less severe because you took certain precautions to minimize your losses. Example- You're confronted outside a bar in San Jose and they want your wallet, jewelry, passport- all the regular stuff. You don't have your wallet, you just brought enough cash to have a fun night, you're not wearing jewelry because you know better and your passport is back at the hotel. So, they get a few bucks and that's about it. Not a great experience, but it could have been MUCH worse.

I was reading a blog on another site and I think the email was written by Henry and Martha from Omaha. They did in fact lose everything, because they did pull over their car. Well, I got news- if Henry and Martha would have done just a little homework on the internet (don't people research potential travel destinations anymore, especially those outside of their home country?) they would have known about this little scam since even the most basic websites pertaining to Costa Rica travel mention it- AND they would have NEVER pulled over, even if the f***'in tires were coming off the rims. I know I wouldn't. Check out these travel tips concerning theft: HERE

I'm just asking people to take some responsibility for their life. Look at things you could have done differently, so you can affect change, instead of generalizing an entire country as a crime ridden trash bin full of thugs and degenerates, because you were irresponsible. A lot of people here make about $1.50 an hour (no excuse for stealing, just sayin) and you left your video camera unattended. Personally, I see that as YOUR fault and if you don't, then well, I guess that’s why you get ripped off and I don’t.