How can expats help fight crime in Costa Rica?

I think all we can do is assure people that it is NOT a dangerous place. If you look at the crime per capita, with some increases over the past years, it is still low.
Furthermore, many times the people who are killed are killed or assaulted are victimized because they associated with criminal elements or because they did something stupid like tell their neighbors they have a safe full of money in their house...

I don't think there's anything you can do, as a legal resident, to really change the government at a national level. We're a very small minority and don't even vote and I think there may even be something in the law about how we're not supposed to get involved in political campaigns. (Not sure about that.)

At a local level though you could organize neighborhood watch programs and that type of thing.

However, it's not really unsafe here in Costa Rica. In the bigger towns - especially San Jose - one shouldn't wander around in high crime areas, and should get in and out of official taxis, not walk around. That's true in all cities in the world pretty much. If your area does have a high crime rate then maybe work with the Ticos to petition the mayor to spend more on police and help organize neighborhood watch programs.

I think if one doesn't hang around criminal elements, doesn't walk around at night, and doesn't wear fancy clothes and jewelry, one will be very safe here.

  well said san Ramon ,,
statistically the crime rate per capita is NOWHERE near  where I used t live in Los Angeles where shooting people for fun on freeways was a great pastime for some ...and as far as what we can do... lets not have some newbie suggest WE have enough money to just GIVE to Ticos ..I am on a limited budget and maybe that couple are NOT,,BUT that is just what the government here wants to hear HOW RICH all of us "Gringos" are..so why not descriminate with prices ? AS IS THE POPUAR pastime here.
After living here 32 years I have learned that you are called a "Tonta" or "Tonto"if you just hand Ticos  (or the govnmnt $$$ ) They already have the misconception that we ALL have a dollar tree in our garden..I DO NOT, and learned from an ex Tico husband how NOT to be called a Tonta ( Idiot ) as I once was for  my first 2 years here..I would give anyone who rang the doorbell    and told me a phony "sob story " or had an "emergency   a free ride to wherever..even if I was in the middle of lunch etc,, Yes Indeed I was the epitome of a  "Tonta"
And I used to give, as we do in England,  every family on our road, a Huge Basket of expensive goodies for Christmas...thinking they were all Poor Ha ha ( I later learned most were from a rich family who once owned the property we bought as well as some  other properties.
My ex (a Tico who left for the Usa at age 6 months so was really not of the sme mentality) tried to warn me that I was creating  a monster and how true that was...He used to take the bus to work and was embarassed to tel me that many Ticos would point to our house (Notknowing he also lived here at the time )  and snickering as they aid oh just ask he Tonta there she will giv yu anything...or  be yur free taxi.. YESit HURT to hear ..butwat hurt morewas whenI suddenly had togobackto England for free Cancer surgery..for 6 months...in hospital...and my ex called me daily .When I asked  him if the neighbors were giving a tamale for Christmas; he laughed as he told me  " NO  but they know you are in Hospital with Cancer but  each famiy  had rang the gate bell several times  demanding  "WHERE IS OUR  CHRISTMAS BASKET"
Of course when I stopped  giving the baskets...I was then a bad woman ...true so just saying.... we learn as we go.....My ex also tried to tell me the women CHOSE notto work as we had offered them often...but they would ather have babies fom different men who then MUST  pay them  a monthly " Pension" until the chlid is 18.. So no need to work...I found that to be hard to believe ...but true   Many of my neighbors drive BRAND new BMW's  or Mercedes,  which cost around $65,000 ..not exactly poor eh?
  However there are a few I learn to semi- trust but REAL  friends ? nope., except   when giving something  or buying lunch ,.
.My friends around the world  whom  I love dearly, at least 25 of them  and been dear frinds for 10 to 53 years , and if needed would donate an organ to each other,( not a piano organ either) ,I have loved and visa versa, some for for 50 plus years
but 32 years in Costa Rica  and  I am ashamed to say I have only made "fair weather friends"  or only "aquaintences" who charge $$$ for tiny favors...
However I I love the weather in my area Heredia Hills . so still here...Many old er Gringos ,with fat wallets ,guys who have managed to hook up with the help of their financial support may  "take umbridge " to this BUT the truth hurts buddies LOL WHEW nic to get that off my chest ..but as I said IDO love our climate and my friends fro all over the world who visit my farm/lodge or I my go nuts LOL. (oh have i ?  Ps :  crime is not the issue in my book ....

Here's a recent article on crime in Central America. Costa Rica comes in 2nd safest, next to Panama. Personally I felt much less safe in Panama, but maybe that was just a fluke. I don't like seeing guys with machine guns all over the place... especially when they extract bribes from people...

http://qcostarica.com/costa-rica-is-the … l-america/

First thing is DONT get too friendly with the locals.  And don't be handing out stuff to them.  We have made this mistake.  They aren't as poor as they want you to believe.  We have helped so many in our community and now we are faced with them breaking into our homes and stealing from us.  They do believe that we are rich and haven't struggled all our lives to get to where we are today.  All they see is the "stuff" we have, the homes we are buying and building and think it's their right to take from us.  When our journey first began in CR, we didn't feel this way, but now it's 10 years later and sorry to say, the shine has definately gone.  You can only take so much!  Yes the country is beautiful, weather amazing, etc., but if you start to feel unsafe (especially in a country where the police have absolutely no power to do anything and are not prone to helping gringos), it's time to rethink where to live in your retirement.  This behaviour is definately going to catch up with them.  Remember it wasn't that long ago that people were flocking to Acapulco and look at it now.  Costa Rica has become a very popular place but if the locals continue to bite off the hand that is helping them, their economy, tourism, etc, it won't take long for that to bite them in the you know what.  Don't be blinded by their pura vida lifestyle!

cratedivision wrote:

First thing is DONT get too friendly with the locals.  And don't be handing out stuff to them.  We have made this mistake.  They aren't as poor as they want you to believe.  We have helped so many in our community and now we are faced with them breaking into our homes and stealing from us.  They do believe that we are rich and haven't struggled all our lives to get to where we are today.  All they see is the "stuff" we have, the homes we are buying and building and think it's their right to take from us.  When our journey first began in CR, we didn't feel this way, but now it's 10 years later and sorry to say, the shine has definately gone.  You can only take so much!  Yes the country is beautiful, weather amazing, etc., but if you start to feel unsafe (especially in a country where the police have absolutely no power to do anything and are not prone to helping gringos), it's time to rethink where to live in your retirement.  This behaviour is definately going to catch up with them.  Remember it wasn't that long ago that people were flocking to Acapulco and look at it now.  Costa Rica has become a very popular place but if the locals continue to bite off the hand that is helping them, their economy, tourism, etc, it won't take long for that to bite them in the you know what.  Don't be blinded by their pura vida lifestyle!

I definitely agree that no one - gringo or Tico - should have their homes burgled.

But I have helped my Tico friend, given him stuff, and have never had a problem, going on 3 years now.
He is trustworthy, and a good friend who also gives me things and helps me with his time and possessions. I need something and he has it, he gives it to me without even saying "you need to pay me for this". Because he knows if he needs something and I have it, I'll give it to him. It's a 2 way street.

I think the reason why many gringos are seen as targets (and again I don't think this is right, but it's just how it is) is because the gringos build huge 3-4 bedroom luxury homes for just the 2 of them, they put it all behind a big fence, and/or in a "gated community", drive a fancy new car, and so yeah, it's like painting a big sign that announces: "This is where the rich gringos live.  Burgle here."

Also, the rich gringos seldom have any Tico friends and many of them don't even speak Spanish, and they treat the Ticos as "less than" themselves. Not ALL but many gringos indeed have this attitude and profile. So that doesn't help matters.

As to the police I totally agree with you. They seem to have zero interest in finding those people who burgle (sometimes it's Nicaraguans, not Ticos) and in the rare instance they do find them, they are given a slap on the wrist and let go to do it again. 

Again I am not in agreement with Ticos or Nicas stealing from anyone - and they do steal from Ticos as well - but when gringos come down here with tons of money, drive expensive cars, dress in fancy clothes, and build ostentatious homes behind gates... it is rather divisive. It's like saying "We want to live here in your country but we want nothing to do with "you people" other than to use you to work for us."

Many gringos never befriend Ticos or get to know them or their families.

But again, no one should be robbed or burgled in any case.

However I don't want our forum visitors to think this is rampant. A small percentage of Ticos and gringos both do get burgled occasionally but a lot of if depends on how and where you live, and I've observed that it depends on things like this:

1) if you live right on the street you better have bars to protect your house from breaking and entering. Houses visible from the street or right on the street are targets, especially if no one is home a lot. You'll need bars up and see the other tips below. I personally would never buy a house that sits close to the street and better if it's not even visible from the street.

2) A security system is important to have or at least a convincing pretend one. Lights that come on at night with movement are cheap and easy to install; 2-3 cameras with signs that say "You're being filmed" in Spanish are a great idea.

3) Being part of the community, having friends in the community and having a reputation for being a nice person who likes and respects your neighbors and community helps make you less of a target. I agree that establishing yourself as a rich gringo that gives stuff away is not a good idea. As I said I give stuff to my friend and he gives stuff to me. But don't go around being Santa Claus as it paints you as a "rich gringo" who has plenty and can afford to be taken from.

4) Every gated community I know of has been burgled more than once. It seems this crime often involves an insider (a gardener, a guard, and in one case I know of, a gringo who lived there!).  Personally I think living in a gated community makes you a target but if you must live in one then I suggest you find out how secure it's been. How many times has it been burgled or robbed? Do they keep changing guards and gardeners? Do they have 24 hour security?

I'm not saying I won't ever get burgled or robbed, but if I do I'll be surprised because I don't dress or act rich,  I treat everyone well and respect everyone, and I have implemented the above security measures.

In my opinion dogs are a waste of time in terms of security and they just annoy your neighbors. If someone wants to rob or burgle you they'll simply kill the dog or in many cases just throw it some meat and it'll eat while they steal. Make a note of how many people you hear about that have been burgled, who had dogs. Dogs are a waste of time as security unless they are professionally trained to attack. Even then they can be killed quickly and efficiently.

Well I don't splash my so called wealth around - I live in a nice home yes, but that doesn't mean I should have a target on my back.  I do not own a car (drive a rental), don't wear crazy jewellery and have attempted to be part of the local community.  As a matter of fact we and our neighbours donated a good sum of money to have paving done in the village.  I have employed locals and paid them very well compared to others  -  always treat them with respect and dignity.  I do agree that likely the thieves are quite familiar with our comings and goings and are likely connected to the community (they seem to just know way too much to make these robberies random).  In any event, I don't care who you are - no one needs to live in fear.

I agree "No one needs to live in fear". And I do not.

Hola,it sounds like cratedivision has had bad luck here in Costa Rica.My experience has been pretty good.I've been here 18 years,and have had two instances of crime in that time.My first trip here my rental 4runner was broken into while I was out surfing at Playa hermosa,and the first house I bought in 2002 was broken into by a neighbor kid.The kids dad found out and dragged his son over to my place by the ear to apologize, and pay for damages.When I fisrt came here costa rica was a total free for all crime,and drug wise.Around where I live there are alot more police now.Crime has dropped because of this,and there are less drunk drivers.They are building a new transit police station in my pueblo as I write this.People can help themselves by not asking around for drugs,soliciting prostitutes,walking around at night drunk,and inviting strangers over.Fence in your house,and buy a dog.When I lived in the United States I was appalled by all the gang violence,homelessness,and drug addiction.I am originally from Santa Cruz,Ca.which is kind of a high end beach town,and all this was going on when I was there.None of that we have here in Costa rica.MS -13 gang members head north,not south from El Salvador because a certain political party in the United States wants open boarders.I feel safe here,and so does my family.I'm stoked to be here,and I'm staying,,,pura vida...

I am in total agreement with what cratedivision has stated. Unfortunately, nice people also know 'not so nice people...'

kohlerias wrote:

I am in total agreement with what cratedivision has stated. Unfortunately, nice people also know 'not so nice people...'

This is why it's good to keep a low profile in my opinion.
Don't be ostentatious - which includes throwing money around for good causes. Or if you need to throw some money around to help someone or the community, beg them to keep it quiet.

If you dress and act like a Tico, have Tico friends, and don't flaunt wealth you have a lot better chance of "flying under the radar" of those who would burgle or rob you.
Note that robbing includes charging "gringo prices" which I'm sure we've all had happen to us. Hard to avoid that one, but I've learned to always ask EXACTLY how much something - product or service - costs before buying anything or employing anyone for any service.

Lots of times when you ask how much some service costs they say "Barrato!" instead of giving a price. Don't fall for it, Say "I need a price before I can give you the job - either hourly or a set price." If it's hourly then you have to supervise to make sure they don't take their sweet time to do it.

And you call this living a normal life?????  Watching everything you do, everything you wear, everywhere you go and waiting to be ripped off for services and products.   Don't want to live my life "flying under the radar" because I'm a gringo - sorry!

cratedivision wrote:

And you call this living a normal life?????  Watching everything you do, everything you wear, everywhere you go and waiting to be ripped off for services and products.   Don't want to live my life "flying under the radar" because I'm a gringo - sorry!

So you don't want to accept that you are a gringo living among Ticos?
Obviously you don't like it here. So when are you leaving, for your own happiness?

We just accepted it when we had items stolen. My wife used it as an excuse to go shopping! People forget that costa rica is a very poor country. I doubt this will change anytime soon.

Costa Rica is NOT a poor country - sorry!

'Accepting theft' of your property is not the answer. Every time something is stolen from you, go and report it to the police.

Hahahaha.....this is a joke - our place was busted into, screens broken, windows pried open (locks broken), furniture upheavled, mess everywhere and we lost a lot of stuff and guess what......police took report and said "we can't help you, we need to see the robbers doing the crime".  Then we try to get help from insurance company since our place is insured - same response from them.  They can only go by police report.  We had pictures galore, a very extensive list of what was taken, etc. and we GOT NO HELP FROM ANYONE.  So sure, go ahead and report it - I can almost guarantee nothing will happen.

No, no joke.

We, too, were victims of multiple break-ins and theft. We did get some items back. To accept the thievery is like giving the culprits permission to do it again, since they perceive you can afford to make new purchases.

Armadillo wrote:

We just accepted it when we had items stolen. My wife used it as an excuse to go shopping! People forget that costa rica is a very poor country. I doubt this will change anytime soon.

It seems that you are forgetting that not everyone is Rich and can just go buy new stuff to replace the stolen goods.

Please report all crimes and if the local police don't do something go to their bosses at the county level or wherever.

No one should just accept crime, no matter what kind of crime it is or how rich you are.

There seems to be a very Tico attitude, to accept anything and everything. Some things are just not acceptable, and one of them is theft and other crimes.

It may not be a poor country, but there are a lot of poor people who live here. And then there are those who come here and have no job and so they steal.

Of course this is not acceptable, but I'm just saying that there are a lot of poor people who are tempted to steal.

But no one should accept these crimes and we should do everything we can to catch the people who do it and stop them.

Insightful discussion, sincere appreciation to all.

@samroman you mentioned -every- gated community you know someone who has been robbed.  Curious if anyone has any specific crime insights on the Escaleras / Costa Verde Estates community.

Are these thefts happening when people return to Canada or the US for the summer? For those who Airbnb their house when they go home are there theft problems?

Blackwatch.......The owners of these air b&bs,do not provide security or even mention that burglary is a problem,whether they are here or not.May God forbid the owners lose money by telling what is going on.Theft doesn't sleep in Costa Rica...

I meant if the thieves are stealing TVs and furniture it must get expensive running an Airbnb? Especially if they are breaking windows each time.
Are these break ins primarily happening when snow birds are back home in the states or Canada? Or are they breaking in and stealing laptops etc during the day when you go to the beach?
Is Panama or Mexico any better?

Some families would have someone remain home, instead of leaving the house empty whether it was grocery shopping or away for a weekend. If returning for an extended period, they get a house sitter.  It may worth considering to purchase a condo. However, not all condo's provide security and not all security is trustworthy.

Our main worker and his wife were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary outside on the farm and had invited many guests. We had locked all of our 8 farm dogs up in a bodega to keep them out of the traffic coming into the farm.  In the middle of renewing their vows, the security alarms started up in our house and most of the males...except the local priest... jumped up and ran towards the house where the thief was trying to back out of the kitchen window, then took off running. Well, some of the guys were on our ATV's, some on motor bikes or in their pick up trucks and some brandishing guns as we all lived in a rural area. Anyway it was pandemonium...and hilarious to watch....and thankfully no-one get injured. Turned out this was a short term employee who had heard that an event was taking place and he thought we would be occupied at this particular time of day.

Blackwatch.....All the above mentioned in your post,including the toothbrushes.Are you wanting to hear only the 'gush cake' about Costa Rica ?

Are there any places better in warm climates for theft?  Less theft I mean.

I don't know why, but I don't have the option to quote the post here on my phone. Anyway, this is for Blackwatch.
I doubt you will find any Latino country or cheaper-to-live country where breaking in and stealing is not a problem.

But don't be too discouraged. You can do many things to discourage thieves.

One thing you really can't do is leave your home alone for more than a few days, especially if your home is visible from the road, and/or known to Ticos or Nicas.

People I know who live in gated communities have someone stay in their home while they are gone. They will sometimes get a house sitter, or will pay a Tico that they trust. Of course you won't know a Tico you can trust for quite a while. You have to get to know them or get solid references.

I have been lucky in that I have a solid trustworthy Tico who has had the key to my home for 6 years.

However I have heard stories of people who thought they could trust a friend, and then that friend ripped them off.

I have never been ripped off.
And I have left my home alone for up to a week, but having my friend drop by and check it out once or twice a day, which really isn't that much protection. But my house is not visible from the road and few people know it is here, and those who do are people who are good people and know that I am a good person. That helps some.

I keep a low profile in my community, but the people who do know me know that I contribute to help the community whenever there is a drive for Road repair or whatever and the gardener handyman that I employ on a regular basis reports to his family that Im a good member of the community and treat him well.

Some things you can do are to:
*put lights to come on at dusk on a schedule with a timer when you are not home,
* use a motion detector security light or two
*post no tresspassing signs with pictures of a fierce dog even if you don't have one,
*use video with posted signs showing the video camera and
*have neighbors you can trust to keep an eye on things.

The best thing to do is to get a gringo house sitter. I used to sit for a couple of friends before I moved here. So they would contact me and I would use the opportunity to have a week vacation with a free place to stay, while taking care of their cats or dog, watering the yard, whatever.
I think there are websites where you can find house-sitters with ratings and reviews. And you can post on Facebook in a community page for where you live,  asking if anyone has a recommendation for a house sitter who has references. Of course be careful not to give your address or information about you on said page, especially when you plan to be gone.

If you just take some of these precautions, you should be able to have a bed and breakfast, especially if it is not left alone for too long at a time.

The other option is to build a small house for a single adult male guard or older couple who would live there and watch your property for you. However, again, it has to be somebody really trustworthy with good references.

Samramon: thank you. I have thought about just renting for 6 months a year then I don’t have to worry about break ins when I’m back in Canada or running an Airbnb from afar.
I have also considered finding a property with a guest house and employ a family to take care of the property and manage rentals when I’m not there.
I do agree that this is a common problem in poorer countries. But even in Canada and the US seasonal cottages are often broken into.
I haven’t heard that this is as much a problem in Panama though.
Pedasi Panama is another place I have considered. Very low population but not as lush as CR.

What you must consider is the unknown expense of keeping a local family living on the property. It gets expensive.

I am not saying 'don't do this', but having been in a similar situation, I know both the good and the bad for doing it.

Suggest you read information on the links provided. Read as many of them as you want, but hopefully most of them.

Renting for a year is a great idea. Panama has some good things about it but to me it seems like a police state with guys with machine guns standing around checking you on the road and on the highways in little guard shacks.
I assume it's because lots of cocaine passes through there.

The one thing Costa Rica always had for many years was "Its Safe"....Right LOL, Those days are over. Costa Rica is way more dangerous than the skewed numbers have you believe, most crime isn't even reported. So pitching crime statistics is an absolute joke. ***....sad but true, the brashness and violence of it all is getting worse by the day. I built a business here with a partner and we have 35 employees all making a decent living for Costa Rica standards, we are bringing the Costa Rica Branch to a close and sadly for our employees taking the jobs elsewhere as my partner and his young family no longer feel safe. We are not alone. I now tell US businessmen and retirees alike to consider elsewhere as this country isn't what it used to be and its more expensive than most US states. We are set to hire hundreds over the next few years and have USA clients wanting us to service there accounts with CR employees. See ya!!! As long as the government keeps its people poor...which it does, the thieves are going to multiply and they will jump your fence.

You guys are making me reconsider my purchase as I'll be leaving the house unoccupied for months at a time. Granted it has window security as well as steel doors on the storage.

But all the comments on theft paints a very bad picture.

What you have to remember is not to trust someone just because they speak English... You can be taken advantage of by expats, just as easily.

LiveLifeWell2020 wrote:

The one thing Costa Rica always had for many years was "Its Safe"....Right LOL, Those days are over. Costa Rica is way more dangerous than the skewed numbers have you believe, most crime isn't even reported. So pitching crime statistics is an absolute joke. ***....sad but true, the brashness and violence of it all is getting worse by the day. I built a business here with a partner and we have 35 employees all making a decent living for Costa Rica standards, we are bringing the Costa Rica Branch to a close and sadly for our employees taking the jobs elsewhere as my partner and his young family no longer feel safe. We are not alone. I now tell US businessmen and retirees alike to consider elsewhere as this country isn't what it used to be and its more expensive than most US states. We are set to hire hundreds over the next few years and have USA clients wanting us to service there accounts with CR employees. See ya!!! As long as the government keeps its people poor...which it does, the thieves are going to multiply and they will jump your fence.

Sorry to hear that. What would you consider as a better option for a warm climate like CR?

It is impossible even in Spain, much a safer country....unless you have plenty of money to settle someone reliable in your house....but even then there is no guarantee...

LiveLifeWell2020 wrote:

The one thing Costa Rica always had for many years was "Its Safe"....Right LOL, Those days are over. Costa Rica is way more dangerous than the skewed numbers have you believe, most crime isn't even reported. So pitching crime statistics is an absolute joke. ****....sad but true, the brashness and violence of it all is getting worse by the day. I built a business here with a partner and we have 35 employees all making a decent living for Costa Rica standards, we are bringing the Costa Rica Branch to a close and sadly for our employees taking the jobs elsewhere as my partner and his young family no longer feel safe. We are not alone. I now tell US businessmen and retirees alike to consider elsewhere as this country isn't what it used to be and its more expensive than most US states. We are set to hire hundreds over the next few years and have USA clients wanting us to service there accounts with CR employees. See ya!!! As long as the government keeps its people poor...which it does, the thieves are going to multiply and they will jump your fence.

I am sorry you ran into so many thieves and had to close your business. A loss for all.

However your post borders on racism when you say "all Ticos steal". That is an incorrect and  horrible thing to say. No different than saying "All gringos steal". Do YOU steal then?

I think you might want to edit that post to say "... a lot of Ticos steal" or "quite a few Ticos steal". Or even if you want to say "All the Ticos we hired stole from us". But saying "all Ticos steal" is very insulting to an entire culture and country of people!

I have certainly known of gringos and Ticos being robbed/stolen from.
But I have lived here 6 years and never had one thing stolen from me.

Let me be completely accurate: I left my passenger window down by mistake in a Maxi Pali parking lot and someone reached in and stole my backpack. But if you do that in MOST areas of the world, you will likely have something stolen. Where I lived in the USA (nice area) I would also expect someone might steal something from my car if I left the window open in the parking lot of a mega store.

Another thing: I totally disagree that living in Costa Rica is more expensive than most USA states.

I cannot afford to rent a house in the USA but I could afford to rent one here.
I cannot afford to buy a house in the USA but I could afford to buy one here in Costa Rica.

Things that are substantially cheaper in Costa Rica than the USA:
*Buying property is cheaper
*Buying land is cheaper
*Building a house is cheaper
*Mechanics are way cheaper
*Gardeners and pretty much ALL labor is 4-5 times cheaper here
*Doctors are cheaper and SOME (not all) medicine
*Medical procedures are much cheaper here
*Dental procedures are much cheaper here
*Fruit and veges are generally cheaper here
*Some clothes are cheaper (some are not)
*Some appliances are cheaper (some are not)
*Taxis and buses are cheaper here

So... in general (and I live on a small pittance of Social Security benefits) living in Costa Rica is substantially cheaper than in the USA. I could not have afforded to buy land, build a house and live well in the USA without dipping into my paltry savings.
Here, I can, and have for 6 years.

Crime: It depends on where you live, if your house is visible from the street, if people know a "rich gringo" lives there or not, if you walk around like a rich gringo, if you are known and liked in your community, if you drive a fancy car or wear expensive clothes and jewelry, if you have a huge house on the hill... etc. Those are all factors. You might not do any of those things yet still be robbed or stolen from. True. But in general those things are what lead to a lot of the crime. Ticos thinks all gringos are rich, and by the standards of what many live on, we are, by comparison.

So yes, I will acknowledge that crime is a factor. It is something you need to have security in place for and be careful about.

But I know plenty of people who hire Ticos and have Tico friends who have never been stolen from. I also know people who have been ripped off for hundreds of thousands of dollars by trusting Gringo developers (some have posted here on this forum).

I was lied to and almost ripped off by a gringo real estate agent, and a gringo construction engineer almost ripped me off but I got a clue before both could complete their crimes.

I would not advise the gentleman who posted above or anyone else to buy a house here that will be empty for weeks or months at a time. That is asking for trouble. You would need to have someone you can trust watch it or live in it. But it would have to be someone you trust completely and create a contract stating they have nor will have any possession of the home or anything in it and with x amount of notice they must vacate.

I have a Tico friend who has the key to my house. Nothing has gone missing in 6 years. In fact I have trusted him with Power Of Attorney for my property and car at times for certain reasons. I would trust him with my life. He's one of the best friends and most loyal trustworthy people I've ever known.  He is very poor. It isn't like he doesn't need more money. His entire family are good people. I would trust any of them. Many, many Ticos are good - very good - people! So I cannot have you insulting all Ticos the way you did!

I seriously object to your painting ALL Ticos as thieves. That's just WRONG.

The definition of racism is treating someone different due to the color of their skin.

Costa Rica is inherently a racist society, you are called a “Gringo “. Blacks are called “Negro” and Asians of any descent are called “ chino’s”.

You yourself have said walk talk and dress poor so you won’t be victimized by your Gringoness. RACIST

So you can’t have a belief system that is OK with “ all gringos are rich” and not ok “all ticos steal” they are both as true as each other.

We n fact the belief that all gringos have a money tree as you say is why it’s deemed socially OK to steal from Gringos. RACIST

Pot meet Kettle.

LiveLifeWell2020 wrote:

The definition of racism is treating someone different due to the color of their skin.

Costa Rica is inherently a racist society, you are called a “Gringo “. Blacks are called “Negro” and Asians of any descent are called “ chino’s”.

You yourself have said walk talk and dress poor so you won’t be victimized by your Gringoness. RACIST

So you can’t have a belief system that is OK with “ all gringos are rich” and not ok “all ticos steal” they are both as true as each other.

We n fact the belief that all gringos have a money tree as you say is why it’s deemed socially OK to steal from Gringos. RACIST

Pot meet Kettle.

You are digging yourself into a hole.
What I said (in part):
"Borders on racism"...
and:
"I think you might want to edit that post to say "... a lot of Ticos steal" or "quite a few Ticos steal". Or even if you want to say "All the Ticos we hired stole from us". But saying "all Ticos steal" is very insulting to an entire culture and country of people!"
I stand by that.

LiveLifeWell2020.......It is refreshing to read from someone tell it like it is !....Even among us Ticos,you can't share too much info between each other.I left Costa Rica as soon as I could get a visa and to work legally in the U.S.....I had always been treated fairly by everyone in America and when people asked where I was from,I'd tell them,'Costa Rica this and Costa Rica that'.....I came back a few years ago,with my wife,to live on our farm in Guanacaste and there is no way in hell,I can tell anyone I came back with a U.S. style pension or how long I worked in the U.S.!!!! The Tico is envious and will saw the floor underneath each other too,'Serrucha Pisos'.Anytime we have service people or have to negotiate a price,I have to hide my gringa wife .Even with my own family in San Jose,it has changed the dynamics on how they relate to me.MY cousin,tried to steal my Grandmother's house,by getting into her file,my other cousin stoled enough money from his former employer,to open his own bar.Once in awhile,someone in the family comes through looking for me and I just feel......terror.