Street Crime in Brazil and Expats

Sorry to hear this.
Again my opinion, we have been letting our guard down ("devolving"). One needs to be aware at all times, we get into a routine! One goes to their favorite dining, bar, shop about every week. Believe me we are being observed! If a pattern is notice the "bad guy" will take advantage.

Oi Abthree,

Also sorry to hear about that attack, but happy you were able to avoid it!  When I was a soldier, we used to talk constantly about "situational awareness"....if something didn't look right, watch out! 

I learned this fast many years ago now, after seeing little kids standing in a rice paddy, away from the road, with their fingers in their ears!  Our lieutenant had a couple of grunts open fire on the road ahead, and exploded a device before it could take out one of our trucks.  Lesson learned!

Abthree,

Really Sorry to hear that.  Where did it happen? Which state and city do you live?

I guessed the muggers usually also always tried to steal your phone in addition of other valuables?

Sorry to hear that Abthree. Hope you and your spouse are safe. Could have been worse (with weapons involved). We live to see another day with our loved ones in this time of crisis.

Thanks, all.  I don't want to overstate things:  these were juvenile snatch-and-grabbers, not seasoned thugs, although there's no telling what the future may hold.  The intent was probably to hit me with a running jump and knock me down, or at least to stagger me.  If so, he drastically miscalculated our relative mass, and effectively just bounced off instead:  his first shock.  His second followed it immediately, when two large, masked men spun to confront him and his accomplice.  They took one look at us and ran for it and we, more shocked than anything else (and only masked because of the quarantine!), after determining that we weren't hurt and nothing of real value was taken, saw no reason to pursue.

We're in Manaus, Amazonas.  This kind of thing can happen in any major city if someone let's their guard down, as we did at the wrong moment.  In retrospect, that block seemed abnormally crowded in defiance of the lockdown, and all with young men, but we were intent on getting to the pharmacy at the other end and didn't put 2+2 together.  A word to the wise.

Sorry to hear about that my freind...Desperate times Create Desperate people..thanks for the "Reminder" We are Differant and we are targeted...yet as in any Port City the Crime is a factor...
Glad you two were safe and in good shape at 6 ft 1 and about 200 lbs they think twice about me and if all else fails I put the English in there face and ask WTFACE are you looking at and that solves a lot of BS =Brasilian Stuff....

in Brazil, just as in the USA, the only thievery problems I encounter are with bankers and bureaucrats.  Banco do Brazil sequestered a big hunk of my money recently and threatened to keep it forever, but some very aggressive phone calling was finally able to free it up.....

Sorry to hear that.I lived in the US most of my life and when I go to Brazil Porto Alegre and other cities nearby where my relatives live I am very careful.I don,t go out by myself in the evenings,simple clothing to blend in with the Brazilian style,no jewelry of any kind,no watch,just in my pocket,those money belts worn under clothing,some money inside my shoes,no cell phone on display and muted ring.It is a shame.I never take buses,just "lotacao",those shared vans and taxis.Extremely careful while walking on the streets.My ids are inside the money belt around my waist and credit cards too.In my pockets just some money for transportation and some food.Don't ever use  sandals with socks and Hawaiian shirts,you'll be spotted USA. I myself trying to look  Brazilian and somehow  they see me as a foreign.

Remember you are expats. Care should be used when challenging a government which you can be removed without due process.
RIP James

It´s the reason why I live in more prosperous areas. Lesser crime, better standard of living/amenities and more frequent and visible police presence. Never got mugged but ok, some guys unloaded some things of their interest during a move, they cloned my cards, but mostly of financial damage are unpaid loans from Brazilian "friends."

Sorry to hear Ab about the incident...

robal

Another way is to look at a city not so large where the economy is thriving, about a population of 165,000 where you wouldn´t be so visible and a populace where the racial
combination wouldn´t make you stick out like a sore thumb. A small city like a population of 30,000 was not a good experience to me and so with cities over a million where the public security budget is strained.

robal

robal wrote:

Another way is to look at a city not so large where the economy is thriving, about a population of 165,000 where you wouldn´t be so visible and a populace where the racial
combination wouldn´t make you stick out like a sore thumb. A small city like a population of 30,000 was not a good experience to me and so with cities over a million where the public security budget is strained.

robal

Yup...I like cities 150 to 300,000...there Iideal and I move quick , after the incident with Ab..I toned down and left the diamonds at home and I dress down...

ROFLMAO!
One less rhinestone cowboy in the interior of Bahia.  It's all for the best! 

abthree wrote:

ROFLMAO!
One less rhinestone cowboy in the interior of Bahia.  It's all for the best! 

Yup, now I just need to learn to leave the necklace and gold nugget at home...lol....and their not Rhinestone or Swarovski. ......VS....smh..they do look fake ...kkk

Wimpy Criminals are They...lol....

Only seen Grizzly's with bone "bling".

Texanbrazil wrote:

Only seen Grizzly's with bone "bling".

robal wrote:

Texanbrazil wrote:

Only seen Grizzly's with bone "bling".

Got a Walrus tooth also...the Bears are Cross breeding. ....just Sayn...lol...

abthree wrote:

ROFLMAO!
One less rhinestone cowboy in the interior of Bahia.  It's all for the best! 

Well lookey here, it may get worse....

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/26/worl … isons.html

Alascana wrote:

abthree wrote:

ROFLMAO!
One less rhinestone cowboy in the interior of Bahia.  It's all for the best! 

Well lookey here, it may get worse....

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/26/worl … isons.html

One more reason to stay in the house.

What happens when two Grizzly's from same family mate? Do they start playing a banjo in the jungle?

I hope your ok , for what i have is 2 guard dogs i trained for attack . Cane Corso and a presa canário . These are for home and go to the ponte for small grocery. Anyone who gets too close to me my wife or my daughter are in for a nasty surprise. Everyone tends to keep away from us. But your right. Being integrated into the community is important. We get left alone because my grandfather in law is a preacher for evangelics in our hub community and we know they can be worse than the criminals here haha.  As far as guns goes not sure if I'd invest in one due to the limit of bullets here. Not sure if it varies per state but is what it is. Don't dress like a baller or that you have money. I look like a broke brega funk Guy most of the days so people don't even look at me much haha

Where did you get the Cane Corso???
Send me a PM and price ????...

What state you in ?

The United States...lol...just joking...kkk

I am in Bahia and Permabucho  is across the River....I get around....
Juazerio Bahia...Petrolina Permabucho. ......

In Brazil, just like all the rest of the world, the smaller towns and rural communities are much safer than the big cities.

Alascana wrote:

The United States...lol...just joking...kkk

I am in Bahia and Permabucho  is across the River....I get around....
Juazerio Bahia...Petrolina Permabucho. ......

Right your in luck. I'll get you his contact details. He's in recife here with me. Eu amor nordeste

Mikeflanagan wrote:

Alascana wrote:

The United States...lol...just joking...kkk

I am in Bahia and Permabucho  is across the River....I get around....
Juazerio Bahia...Petrolina Permabucho. ......

Right your in luck. I'll get you his contact details. He's in recife here with me. Eu amor nordeste

Good Looking Out, I havd worked with the Corso....the Dog of Prey is my 2nd Choice..found one in Peru to much travel and hassle....
I can get to Recife....

He can deliver in most cases not sure about with covid. But you can work the details out with him. Loves his doggos. Mine came from Canada same with my presa canario

I away carry some form of defense with me. My first defense is called be aware of what going on around you not keeping my head looking at my phone. I care a dummy wallet that has mostly expired cards in it and little money. My credit card can be replaced from US. Usually in a week. I use a US carrier that allows me WiFi calling no charges can call US, Canada and Mexico. So far the carrier only monitor call over the system not WiFi. Tried to see if the Brazilian companies allow WiFi calling they don’t have it they say. Here the funny part I am using there system to do WiFi calling.

yeah wifi calling is generally either hardware or software specific so it would not have much to do with the carriers as wifi calling would technically just be using data for calling vs gshm/cdma/whatever frequency your carrier is using for phone calls. so if you had a tablet you could do wifi calling. like i use google fi , so can just use my computer to make calls as normal if anyone steals my pixel , i can pinpoint where they areand have pf pick my phone up in no time lol