Safety in Peru

This is definitely a topic that will generate a wide variety of answers depending on where people are located, but based on my experience and what I have seen on the news.

Lima is a big city with what I would consider, for the most part, to be typical big city problems. You have areas that are not safe to travel in and areas that are. Tourists are often targeted at intersections around the airport where it is not uncommon for someone to break the window out of the car and grab your bag or purse. Robberies of businesses in some areas seem to be on the rise, but where my brother-in-law and step-son live in Surqillo, seems to be a fairly safe neighborhood, I have never felt unsafe there even walking around at night.

Cusco, while not as big as Lima, is still a big city and due to the high number of tourists does have its share of problems as well. The two main concerns in Cusco seem to be with pick pockets and people grabbing unattended bags or backpacks. Restaurants are a common place for this where one person usually acts as a distraction while a second person takes the item. In short most of the issues here are non-violent and can be prevented by maintaining a good level of awareness.

Huarocondo, this small town that I live in really has no crime, there are petty issues that the local police have to deal with like property disputes and other disagreements, but there is no problem walking anywhere in Huarocondo, weather it is day or night. In short a very friendly and tranquil town.