Robberies in Tamarindo

13POSTS

10 years ago

I just had to leave Costa Rica asap聽聽so changed my dates of departure...I stayed at Marrey\ZullyMar hotel in Tamarindo and was robbed $6,000us ,100,000colones and 200$Ca
the son of owner came to help me with the old safe and saw the money...two days later il was gone
I wonder who did it since only the father,daughter and son had a copy of the key...
and then a week prior to my聽 departure , my deceased mother and sister's delicate gold chains, stolen with my watch and聽聽2 new pairs of sunglasses...
Another room was also robbed in the safe....Managment changed the locks to the safe but still have a copy of the key....This hotel is far from being secure
Plus the noise on the street聽 with the clubs make it difficult to rest and sleep...
This hotel Marrey聽 is where Budget rent a car is also situated.accross the wonderful restaurant La Palapa and the Cabinas ZullyMar just beside it is great, nothing to do with the dispicable ways of the MarRey hotel
As I told my story to friends in town, I heard of so many other robberies
So sad Such a beautiful Nature....may the nature of Ticos and Ticas take a path of little more honesty and not see us as open bank accounts to just dig in ...we are a joke to them,聽聽
moniica Peloquin from Montreal,Quebec

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kohlerias ViP

1572POSTS

10 years ago

Very sorry to hear this.
Did you report this to the police? Or I should say the OIJ, who are responsible for the investigation, when over a certain amount.

amourdelavie Member

13POSTS

10 years ago

yes to the local Tourist police聽聽聽but only the jewllery is insured聽 not the money stolen

amourdelavie Member

13POSTS

10 years ago

please how can I correct the title Robberies ? I try edit but it 's only fo the text? thanks

kohlerias ViP

1572POSTS

10 years ago

You should have reported it to the OIJ, but if you are now out of the country, it may be聽 impossible to do so. If you聽 can contact the tourist police, ask them if they reported it to the OIJ. These officers are the 'real deal' who check for fingerprints, etc.
I don't understand though why you had such a large amount of cash ... especially now with the ease of getting funds out of an ATM.
Suggest you write a 'letter to the editor' on one of the online papers such as or that will bring attention to the 'lack of security' at the hotel.
Good luck.

pebs Serial expat

349POSTS

10 years ago

Shame no ioone warned yuou of lack of safety in both Tamarindo and Caribbean coast BUT honestly anyoone bring that amount of cash and jewelry to a 3rd world country is ASKING for troublle ,...There are safer places to live here where I have lived for 25 years (Heredia Hills
Many people come here with a false sence of security and do noot do their homework prior ..Sorry for your聽 loss

amourdelavie Member

13POSTS

10 years ago

yes I had a large amount I took out of my bank account to have a good price on implants and the hotel wanted cash....never again of course
and to take fingerprints means
I would have to move away from the hotel at once
hire a lawyer to defend my position
make war in the hotel
live stress up to a point I can't take at my age, and alone
I had friends to whom this happened and they told me how much the lawyer costed
how much time it took with police, lawyer,going back and forth to Liberia and Santa Cruz and yet it was in the car so not having to make your 3 months suitcases and leave ....and to go where??? I tried ,beleive me not an easy task聽聽 TAke prints? all of the staff mentionnedhad聽 come into the room聽聽 so then Play Sherlock Holmes ??? I am a journalist and therapist....I had many options, I choose the one that could let me breathe until I ran out of air and flew to peaceful Montreal . It's cold yet my people make me feel at ease with their warm聽 openess....The Ticos are friendly and sometimes to come nearer to you and your belongnigs so to easier take them from you...It,s a way of equalizing their minimal gain with work ata $2 an hour. I feel compassion for them , forgive the poor yet not the聽 rich management.

amourdelavie Member

13POSTS

10 years ago

I am a world traveler and journallist at one time in the travel world
My chains were small not show offs, delicate souvenirs of my loved ones and one night I took them off for a massage ...the next morning ...gone
and the cash ,yes of course never again but it was for a better price on teeth work...
The management came into my room, into my safe so It's my lack of jugement that I let him helped me with the old safe so it would open....now I know no to trust even them....really sad.
I am happy for you who had not any such experience.
I am still in love with Nature of Costa Rica, a little less with the nature of some of their workers who might be upset with our lifestyle while they are woking hard for little...
i understand
monica

gjpn Contributor

123POSTS

10 years ago

Wow, as a world traveller, I must say I surprised that you would think that a prudent thing to do. Hotel safes are slightly more secure than putting it under your mattress.聽 I'm sorry for your loss.

Most people think that the main sport of Tamarindo is surfing, but it's actually ripping off tourists.聽 I live 10 minutes from there, and I go there once a month if I have to. The rest of the coast, however,聽 is beautiful and less touristy.

pebs Serial expat

349POSTS

10 years ago

#10

PS the $2 per hour is WELL outdated ....whatever "they " say

Sanbuenaventuraman Active member

58POSTS

10 years ago

#11

Tamarindo has the highest rate for missing Gringos in all of Costa Rica.

amourdelavie Member

13POSTS

10 years ago

#12

ys $2.00 an hour at my hotel Marrey since I speak聽 Spanish fluently , am journalilst and therapist, I like to get close to staff,taxi drivers, restaurant owners and servers etc

monica from montreal

pebs Serial expat

349POSTS

10 years ago

#13

$2 an hour is illegal but after owning a hotel I know that staff LIE so that tourists feel sorry for them and tip more I had MUCh experience with this...But you can not stop them from telling lies .I wish I had a dime for every time a tourist asked me why I only pay $2 NOT TRUE...they have a minimum wage scale depending on what type of work they聽 do.
Ask a lawyer.

1 member reacted to this post

kohlerias ViP

1572POSTS

10 years ago

#14

Any employee, both legal or illegal can go and report to the labor board, their complaints regarding salary, working conditions, non-payment of CAJA or INS....and they usually win.

Unfortunately, unemployment is high and most employees do nothing as they don't want to lose their job...until they quit or are laid off.

Tingo Rick Active member

39POSTS

10 years ago

#15

IT IS SAD THAT YOU EXPERIENCED SUCHAN ORDEAL AND YES IT IS ALMOST NATURAL FOR TICOS AT LEAST IN THE BEACH AREA TO THINK AND DO AS THEY DO. I HAVE LIVED HERE IN THE SAN RAMON AREA FOR OVER 8 YEARS AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM. 99% OF MY FRIENDS ARE TICOS AND THEY TREAT ME WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT

tamerlanesunny New member

7POSTS

10 years ago

#16

rethinking our聽 interest in living聽 in costa Rica, checking other places聽 like聽 central Florida great retirement聽 also some coastal cities like Mrytle Beach聽 s.C.

TerrynViv Serial expat

651POSTS

10 years ago

#17

Good for you.聽 If you are already having second thoughts Costa Rica is not for you.聽 Some of us thrive, some go home, some stay and are unhappy and others like yourself might save two out of the three possibilities.
Cheers .... Terry

amourdelavie Member

13POSTS

10 years ago

#18

hello聽 and thank you for caring to reply
I heard of San Remon as an international community?
is it in a mountain area?
monica

TerrynViv Serial expat

651POSTS

10 years ago

#19

San Ramon sits at around the 3000 foot altitude similar to where we live and I consider us to be in the mid mountain range.聽 Monteverde for example is around 4700 feet above sea level.聽 Hello from a fellow Canadian (Alberta)
Cheers .... Terry

Tingo Rick Active member

39POSTS

10 years ago

#20

YES ABOUT 45 MINUTES FROM THE AIRPORT聽 GOOGLE SAN RAMON ALAJUELA COSTA RICA

Tingo Rick Active member

39POSTS

10 years ago

#21

I LIVED IN FLORIDA FOR 30 YEARS -MIAMI聽 HIALEAH DANIA聽聽ORLANDO聽 SARASOTA聽聽AND BRADENTON.ALL ARE EXTREMELY HOT AND HUMID ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTH聽 RENTAL ARE VERY EXPENSIVE NOT TO MENTION CAR INS聽 ELECTRIC ETC I GOT TIRED OF IT AND FIRST VISITED CR IN 1993.聽 WILL NEVER GO BACK TO USA EXCEPT TO VISIT MY CHILDREN FROM MY X OR CONNECT IN ATLANTA OR LOS ANGELES TO MANILA WHERE I ALSO LIVED FOR 8 MONTHS

1 member reacted to this post

kenjee ViP

19610POSTS

10 years ago

#22

Tingo Rick wrote:
I LIVED IN FLORIDA FOR 30 YEARS -MIAMI聽 HIALEAH DANIA聽聽ORLANDO聽 SARASOTA聽聽AND BRADENTON.ALL ARE EXTREMELY HOT AND HUMID ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTH聽 RENTAL ARE VERY EXPENSIVE NOT TO MENTION CAR INS聽 ELECTRIC ETC I GOT TIRED OF IT AND FIRST VISITED CR IN 1993.聽 WILL NEVER GO BACK TO USA EXCEPT TO VISIT MY CHILDREN FROM MY X OR CONNECT IN ATLANTA OR LOS ANGELES TO MANILA WHERE I ALSO LIVED FOR 8 MONTHS

Hello Tingo Rick and thank you for your participation on this thread.

Please avoid writing with your caps lock on for future posts.

Regards
Kenjee
大咖福利影院

beach1girl Member

2POSTS

9 years ago

#23

Amourdelavie, as I read what happened in Tamarindo and how you ended your report: may the nature of Ticos and Ticas take a path of little more honesty and not see us as open bank accounts to just dig in ...we are a joke to them, I recalled what the author of The Costa Rica No One Talks About wrote in his book and his call to Costa Ricans for a change of mindset towards all foreigners in order, as the author wrote, to improve not only the well-being of those foreigners who visit you or elect to live in your country
but also your own well-being and create a better Costa Rica, one that will attract more visitors and investors? Here's the author's page where you can get more information about the book francoissylvain.com/

sleeperwagon Member

18POSTS

9 years ago

#24

Tamarindo is scary at night imo. especially if your not the partying type. sounds like chaos from the hotel i stayed at.聽 though it was gated and guarded, made it feel even more insecure. almost a feeling of, if this hotel was not gated and guarded all hell could break loose. i dont know. maybe i was just paranoid lol...

Sanbuenaventuraman Active member

58POSTS

9 years ago

#25

There are more murders in Tamarindo than there are in the Jamaican city of Limon.聽

Sanbuenaventuraman Active member

58POSTS

9 years ago

#26

Killers know where there are no police presence in Costa Rica.

sleeperwagon Member

18POSTS

9 years ago

#27

Wow reading some horror stories. what are the laws in CR for owning a gun. perhaps arming ones self atleast in your own home. looks like as mentioned earlier, a very loud security system and a dog perhaps..

kohlerias ViP

1572POSTS

9 years ago

#28

Only if you have Permanent Residency status or are a CR citizen, is it legal to own firearms.

Sanbuenaventuraman Active member

58POSTS

9 years ago

#29

Never leave a home unattended.聽 One lady took her dog to the vet, gone two hours and lost her fridge.
The security guards at (some) gated communities get paid commissions from thieves for advising them when homes are vacant.

sleeperwagon Member

18POSTS

9 years ago

#30

Sanbuenaventuraman wrote:
Never leave a home unattended.聽 One lady took her dog to the vet, gone two hours and lost her fridge.
The security guards at (some) gated communities get paid commissions from thieves for advising them when homes are vacant.

Lost her fridge? lollll gees. hearing all of this certainly puts alot of doubt in peoples minds. IMO, if your going down there, it is to get away from the North American ways. you dont need to be standing out in places like that. the simple life... i dont think anyone would wanna rob you if聽 you simply blended in.

Sanbuenaventuraman Active member

58POSTS

9 years ago

#31

Petty theft is a hobby down here.聽 Even the monkeys took my hose and left it up in a tree.聽 I had to get my wife to climb up and get it.聽 One guy (a few years back) had his bathroom stripped of the toilet and sink.

1 member reacted to this post

kohlerias ViP

1572POSTS

9 years ago

#32

Blend in?
Thieves will rob anyone, they are not particular...

TerrynViv Serial expat

651POSTS

9 years ago

#33

And yet there are many of us who have not had a problem.聽 We were robbed twice in rural Alberta but here we have been golden.

Sanbuenaventuraman Active member

58POSTS

9 years ago

#34

Based on population verses the number of murders..... Costa Rica has a murder rate problem which is much greater than in Alberta.聽聽

sleeperwagon Member

18POSTS

9 years ago

#35

A thief is a thief...agreed. But you are more likely to get robbed if you are flamboyant or flashy if you know what i mean... you gotta show less than what you have and say less than what you know. if you aren't street smart, then yes, get ready to get robbed. Mentality in third world countries is different. coming from Canada or US, you best change that attitude, cause you ain't got no chip on that shoulder.

kohlerias ViP

1572POSTS

9 years ago

#36

Since we 'extranjeros' are in minority in Costa Rica, know that many, many more Ticos are robbed or have been the victim of a break-in, than 'us'.

Many own much more upscale homes and drive bigger and more expensive vehicles that the majority of 'us'.

It is a crime of opportunity.

I hope those who have never been targeted, continue to stay that way.

Sanbuenaventuraman Active member

58POSTS

9 years ago

#37

You are correct to a point.聽 Flaunting your riches does bring face to face robberies, but in Costa Rica even the poor have their homes broken into.聽 It's actually easier to break into a poor persons home in Costa Rica than it is to get into a home in a guarded Gringo gated community.聽 Added note:聽 Costa Rica is a developing country, not a third world country.聽 I caught two young boys trying to steal from our property.聽 The police agreed to let them go as long as they reported back to my home at noon the next day, where I provided them with lunch.聽 To make a long story short.... one of them is now our gardener and pool guy.聽 They were just young guys with no hopes of securing employment.

1 member reacted to this post