Comments on: 10 Ways to avoid Crime & Scams http://bigtravelweb.com/travel/2009/06/29/10-ways-to-avoid-crime-scams/ Ultimate South America travel tips on hotels, flights, destinations, holiday types, beaches and more. Thu, 23 May 2013 22:55:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Patrick Meaney http://bigtravelweb.com/travel/2009/06/29/10-ways-to-avoid-crime-scams/#comment-1521 Patrick Meaney Thu, 08 Dec 2011 19:12:36 +0000 http://bigtravelweb.com/travel/2009/06/29/10-ways-to-avoid-crime-scams/#comment-1521 11. If you're out past dark in part of a city, and there is no one else around. Keep your guard up, and listen to the background noise. Be prepared to run. I was with a group of people coming out of a restaurant at 11:20 pm in Old City Cartagena in August 2010, and about 3 or 4 blocks out, one of them had her purse stolen. But I heard the guy run up, I reacted very fast and chased him. As he hopped in his get away taxi, I started kicking it and yelling-- a cop on a motorbike heard the commotion, and another taxi saw me, and picked me up. I don't know if that was safe of me to do or not, but we did catch the thief and his get away driver, and they were put in prison for 2-6 yrs (supposedly). Anyways, while everyone else was talking, I remember having a protective feeling and just being aware of my surroundings, and so instead of being in a conversation, I could hear him run up from behind a corner, and I was right on his heels. So, if its night, and you're alone- you shouldn't be. Make it so you're not in that type of situation. But if you think you're alone, it could be that you are not. So try to pay attention in case anyone is sneaking up on you-- be ready to run if you're in such a dark, isolated urban environment. 11. If you’re out past dark in part of a city, and there is no one else around. Keep your guard up, and listen to the background noise. Be prepared to run. I was with a group of people coming out of a restaurant at 11:20 pm in Old City Cartagena in August 2010, and about 3 or 4 blocks out, one of them had her purse stolen. But I heard the guy run up, I reacted very fast and chased him. As he hopped in his get away taxi, I started kicking it and yelling– a cop on a motorbike heard the commotion, and another taxi saw me, and picked me up. I don’t know if that was safe of me to do or not, but we did catch the thief and his get away driver, and they were put in prison for 2-6 yrs (supposedly).

Anyways, while everyone else was talking, I remember having a protective feeling and just being aware of my surroundings, and so instead of being in a conversation, I could hear him run up from behind a corner, and I was right on his heels.

So, if its night, and you’re alone- you shouldn’t be. Make it so you’re not in that type of situation. But if you think you’re alone, it could be that you are not. So try to pay attention in case anyone is sneaking up on you– be ready to run if you’re in such a dark, isolated urban environment.

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