Crime Rate in Ecuador

Thank you for being the voice of reason!   

suefrankdahl wrote:

I guess I am unable to bite my tongue and give my less than expert opinion.

Having aced two very difficult statistics courses I can tell the that the results of any statistical analysis are a function of who is doing the research and why.  The results of any study can be manipulated to help the researcher prove that his theory is correct. Yes, you can lie with statistics. I would be very interested to see statistics regarding your contention that solved and prosecuted crimes are deterrents. I am sure you are aware of the correlation between incarceration and recidivism which contributes to such high crime rates in this country.

I think the State Department warnings reflect the vulnerability of people that work in their embassies and some of  the activities they engage in eg.intelligence. For that reason I believe they present the worst case scenario. Though most travellers likely do not check State Dept websites it might be a bit of CYA. With the increase of anti-American sentiment over the last decade and a half and perhaps more so since the Snowden disclosures American tourists and expats might  be at slightly higher risk. For the expat that WANTS to assimilate and presents himself as a warm, friendly individual he/she is less likely to have problems. Suspicion and fear are palpable.

Another thing you might consider is that someone with expensive running clothes might  be followed home and then find himself the victim of a burglary. I know you are concerned about "violent" crime but if you reread the State Dept warnings you will find that most of the crime in EC doesn't rise to the level of Central America, LA or Chicago. At this point gangs are not an issue .

I do not mean any offense to the gentleman from Arizona but if you go to a Third World country expecting to find more crime you probably will. Perhaps if you truly do retire you will be able to leave your law enforcement/corrections background in Arizona

Another very frightening statistic that I have come across is that there are firearms in one out of three American households. I doubt seriously that you would find that in Ecuador and the weapons that are there certainly don't come close to that degree of lethality. We are recognized the world over for our gun culture.

Sue

Sue, I enjoyed reading your reply. I added your second post to the bottom of the above quote so I can respond to all of your comments in one post. I totally agree with you regarding statistics. Example: Suppose I am running for reelection as sheriff and campaign on the notion that I have reduced violent crime by 25%. My opponent argues that is a lie, violent crime is worse. I show you crime statistics showing the number or reported violent crimes has dropped, which should mean that violent crime has dropped. Maybe yes and maybe no. Maybe people are not reporting the crimes. A year after the L.A. riots, the city officials bragged that certain crimes had dropped and police involved incidents had also dropped. What they didn't tell you was that the rank and file police officers were no longer doing their jobs with any level of enthusiasm. They were ignoring crimes and criminals, afraid to be accused of violating anyone's rights. The number of crimes had actually increased, yet statistically, they appeared to have dropped.

Some crimes are hard to hide in statistics. Murder, for instance, cannot be hidden very easily. Murder rates around the world are probably accurate. In the U.S. they are  committed at a rate of 4.8 per 100,000. In Mexico the rate is 21.5 per 100,000. Hunduras has a murder rate of 90.4 per 100,000. Brazil is 25.2 and Ecuador is 12.4. The U.S. has a much lower murder rate than any of these countries. Can we agree on that?

Are you suggesting that solving a violent crime and prosecuting the perp and sentencing him to prison is not a deterrent? You actually need to see studies proving that catching criminals is better than letting them continue committing crimes? I do understand the high recidivism rates in the U.S. I would suggest they are manipulated to make them appear lower than they really are. I would suggest they are in the 90% and above rate. Where I was employed, they would release a convict and that man would go live with his aunt in Alabama. He then killed someone and was put back in prison, in Alabama. But because he didn't return to the prison in California, where we held him previously, he was statistically a success and not a recidivists. The same is true of a man released from prison who goes out and kills someone, but is shot and killed by police during attempted apprehension. Since he was killed and was not returned to prison, he was statistically a non-recidivist.

If you have questions about State Department warnings, call them and don't guess at what they mean. I have contacted them before and they told me they apply to all Americans traveling in foreign countries, not just State Department employees. I do not think the average criminal in Ecuador knows who Edward Snowden is. Anything he has ever said has no affect on crime in Ecuador, in my opinion. Wanting to assimilate and being warm and friendly can be helpful and reduce the risk of being a victim, and it can also make one more vulnerable. If you have studied criminals, especially sociopaths, they see kindness as weakness. A kind woman I read about was moving from Flagstaff, AZ to Sedona, AZ. She hired a day laborer to help her load and unload the heavy boxes. She was found dead in her new home in Sedona and her vehicle was found a week later back in the eastern U.S. She was a kind, trusting woman and was killed because the opportunity was there to rob her and get away. Read the most popular forum site, "The unofficial web page of the greater Cuenca expat community". Nards is a great guy. He is intelligent, thoughtful, he has assimilated in Cuenca, he is careful, he is the most interesting man on these forums. And guess what? Yup, he was a victim of a home burglary. He took precautions, but he was a victim. Why? Don't know for sure. I would strongly suggest it was because he was an American, who was seen as someone with more valuable possessions. We all know what the average wage is of someone in Ecuador. It is a fraction of what most retirees are making on social security and 401k's and other investments. When you move to a poor country and are perceived as rich, it is often difficult to hide that wealth, or perceived wealth. Even your choice of sneakers can make you stand out. Read Nard's posts regarding his burglary. He has moved into a safer neighborhood and taken more security measures to avoid a second burglary.

I was hoping you would express concern or even outrage at the 1% rate violent crimes are being solved in Ecuador. That statistic should concern people living in Ecuador. It may suggest more than underfunding of police. It may suggest corruption in the police departments there.

You mentioned the propensity for Americans to own guns. It is an amazing statistic. This past Saturday, I sold a generator to someone. I was asking $1200. He offered me $1000 and a Serbian made 9mm hand gun. Isn't that crazy? I have not owned a gun since I left my job as a police officer in 1984. I'm married and we would have to agree on owning a gun and we would need to take a class and buy a gun safe and buy ammunition and discuss various scenarios regarding the use of the gun for self-defense. It just seems like a lot of work. But I took the cash and I took the gun. It is unloaded, hidden in a drawer. I doubt it will ever leave the house, but we will end up taking a class on self-defense.

Thank you for posting your thoughts on crime in Ecuador.

The Wayfaring Stranger

wjwoodward wrote:

Hi the wayfaring stranger,

You absolutely proved the point I was making! You and your buddy came to Rio for World Cup, a specific event that everyone knew was going to be used to target foreigners here and governments all around the world told their citizens how to protect themselves.

Your friend didn't take precautions and was robbed on his LAST night here, bet he was all boozed up and just didn't give a tinker's damn. You took the reasonable precautions and WEREN'T ROBBED.

But your brief experience here is so much more relevant than that of someone who's been in some of the most dangerous parts of favelas in all of Brazil at times when even the police wouldn't venture in and I'm not pushing up daisies just yet!

Go lock yourself inside your house, bar the windows and bolt the doors, lock and load your 12 guage and even then you're not going to be safe enough to satisfy you. If you're here posting just to stir the pot and get people who are here in South American countries and have tons more experience with living here than you do pissed off at you, it seems to be working.

I'd suggest you stroke them all off your list of potential retirement spots, you're never going to be happy here and with your attitudes you're sure as Hell not going to have any friends here either. In South America you need to park the "Superman" attitude that some of you guys have at the door when you come in because it just doesn't work down here. Trust me, don't want to get the local people in any South American country having a hate on for you! Not wise at all. The good ol' US of A ain't perfect either my friend. If it were nobody would leave it, now would they?

Mr. Woodward.

I didn't prove any point you were trying to make. You simply do not read or understand what I write. You imagine something and then begin writing about it. You write about how my friend and I were attending the World Cup in Brazil and how I was careful and my friend was not. Where did I say that my friend and I attended the World Cup? I can't find it anywhere. Was there a World Cup in Rio in 1982? I don't think so. We were there in January of 1982. It was crazy hot and I spent most of my time on the beach. The crime was one of opportunity. Two prostitutes approached us at night near the beach. They began groping us and I decided to run away. My friend laughed and said they were harmless. He sent them on there way and a few minutes later noticed his wristwatch was missing. I laughed about it.

The OP asked a serious question. Are the statements made by the State Department true? I believe they are. The person who first responded to the question stated they are true and Ecuador is no place for a family. The second person responding seemed to suggest the information from the State Department is true but you can protect yourself by taking certain precautions. Others posted and said the State Department information is BS or it was not true. That the U.S. lies because they do not like the leader of Ecuador. I suppose that is a possibility.

You are becoming irrational. Telling me to lock myself into my home and telling me that I will never be happy in Ecuador. I really don't need you to tell me what I should be doing. You had the opportunity to respond thoughtfully to the OP, who stated she was scared, and you chose to attack me personally. I understand you may be angry. It only makes you irrational. Others seem capable of discussing crime and crime statistics without attacking others personally or making up stuff while insisting every word you type is the honest truth. It clearly isn't.

I'm not telling anyone to avoid Ecuador. I'm trying to help the person who started this thread make important decisions about personal safety in a foreign country. You have let yourself get emotional and defensive and it is showing by the personal attacks. I don't find that helpful and the person who asked about the validity of the State Department warning is likely being distracted by your comments. Try responding thoughtfully to her and avoid attacking me. Can you do that, please?

the wayfaring stranger wrote:

Sociopaths and predatory types victimize the weak and hunt them down like hyenas hunt their prey on the Serengeti. In the same way a white couple will stand out in Harlem, Americans and Europeans stand out in Central and South America.

A few days after that plane crash, another airliner crashed outside a similar size town in Columbia, not so far from Ecuador. ... local villagers had stripped corpses of all valuables, including pulling out gold tooth fillings. I understand the same thing happened recently, after the Malaysian plane was downed in the Ukraine. The Russian separatist's removed watches and other valuables from the bodies of the dead and from their luggage. Some cultures have greater respect for life and the dead killed in such tragedies.

If you do not live in South Central L.A., or go there to buy or sell drugs, you reduce your chance of being a victim of a serious crime.

We all watched how people behaved after Katrina hit New Orleans. I also believe that in the remaining 98% of the U.S., the local citizens would not desecrate the crash site and remove valuable possessions. Is that clear enough for you?

I suggest you do not respond to posts on this forum when you are angry because you say things based on emotion and not fact. it actually is possible to discuss crime in Ecuador without getting emotional and defensive. Try it.

LOL.  I'll post what I want, where I want, and when I think it's appropriate.  So sorry if that offends you.  Your anger comes through loud and clear.  And I admit, I can be angry when the only comparisons I see you make involve people that are obviously not "white" or are culturally different. 

If you expect to find a little Flagstaff in Ecuador, or are only moving for the climate, you best stay at home.

I really liked your blog. It was informative and unbiased and I totally agreed with everything you wrote about. You know what you are telling people, is just the simple truth. South America is not everybody's bag, but I love it here so far.

Joanneinict wrote:

the wayfaring stranger wrote:

Sociopaths and predatory types victimize the weak and hunt them down like hyenas hunt their prey on the Serengeti. In the same way a white couple will stand out in Harlem, Americans and Europeans stand out in Central and South America.

A few days after that plane crash, another airliner crashed outside a similar size town in Columbia, not so far from Ecuador. ... local villagers had stripped corpses of all valuables, including pulling out gold tooth fillings. I understand the same thing happened recently, after the Malaysian plane was downed in the Ukraine. The Russian separatist's removed watches and other valuables from the bodies of the dead and from their luggage. Some cultures have greater respect for life and the dead killed in such tragedies.

If you do not live in South Central L.A., or go there to buy or sell drugs, you reduce your chance of being a victim of a serious crime.

We all watched how people behaved after Katrina hit New Orleans. I also believe that in the remaining 98% of the U.S., the local citizens would not desecrate the crash site and remove valuable possessions. Is that clear enough for you?

I suggest you do not respond to posts on this forum when you are angry because you say things based on emotion and not fact. it actually is possible to discuss crime in Ecuador without getting emotional and defensive. Try it.

LOL.  I'll post what I want, where I want, and when I think it's appropriate.  So sorry if that offends you.  Your anger comes through loud and clear.  And I admit, I can be angry when the only comparisons I see you make involve people that are obviously not "white" or are culturally different. 

If you expect to find a little Flagstaff in Ecuador, or are only moving for the climate, you best stay at home.

There's a shocker. Someone who fails to debate a topic intelligently or factually decides the next best thing is to play the race card. Very classy of you. Just in case you ever visit an inner city or the Ukraine, neither place is made up only of people of color. The people being accused of removing valuables from the crash site in Ukraine were all white people. You sound like someone who says that if you criticize the President of the United States, you are a racist. I don't find your comments offensive. I find them poorly written, void of facts, and of little value to the original poster who simply asked if the State Department warnings were true.

Tell me why you think Americans are moving to Ecuador? If not for the climate, the most likely reason is to stretch their retirement expenses. To live well among the poor indigenous people who earn a mere fraction of what the foreigners earn who come there and inflate the cost of living. How very thoughtful of you. I'm sure you think hiring a few of them to scrub your floors will make it all right, but they are quickly losing the ability to purchase property in their country, thanks to the steady flow of expats wanting to live like kings and queens at their expense. 15 years ago it was Costa Rica. Ten years ago it was Panama. Now those places cost about the same to retire in as most U.S. cities. I don't blame anyone for looking out for themselves and their families and trying to find a more affordable retirement destination. Just don't pretend what your doing isn't having a profound affect on the economy and people of Ecuador.

I think you all can relax now, our OP is unlikely to be a victim of Ecuadoran criminals as he is also pursuing questions into Hungary, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina. Unfortunately he is not even in possession of his own passport so I don't think he'll be immigrating to Ecuador any time soon.

But he does seem to be a current victim of crime in Dubai, where his passport has been confiscated by his employer.

LOL, just trying to keep it simple for you. 

You're the one that first brought race/ethnicity (and now politics) into the conversation.  Why was that?

the wayfaring stranger wrote:

Some crimes are hard to hide in statistics. Murder, for instance, cannot be hidden very easily. Murder rates around the world are probably accurate.

Chicago Magazine recently reported that claims by the mayor and police chief that Chicago's murder rate dropped last year were false, because several cases that were clearly murders were reclassified as 'unexplained deaths' or some similar term.

But your basic point is quite valid -- crime stats are fudged by politicians, and are not comparable internationally for other reasons. In the Philippines, where I lived previously, it was understood that it was a waste of time to report crimes, since the police were unlikely to do anything (or, often, even to show up).

the wayfaring stranger wrote:

Read the most popular forum site, "The unofficial web page of the greater Cuenca expat community". Nards is a great guy. He is intelligent, thoughtful, he has assimilated in Cuenca, he is careful, he is the most interesting man on these forums.

Needless to say, I am on the side of wayfaring stranger who will make a fine addition to the Ecuador expat community.

P.S.
Speaking of crime, a 33 Ecuadorian woman was raped just down the street from me about a month ago.  I live along a river and there is a small wooded area which she was passing through at around 8 p.m.  Also a house a little ways down from me had their front gate forced open with a pry bar and 4 propane gas tank were stolen.  The thieves also tampered with the electrical panel which leads me to think they were trying to discativate the house alarm. However,  the alarms have backup batteries, so that would not have been effective.

Here is something interesting regarding alarms I learned.  The majority of the alarm monitoring service in Cuenca rely on your phone line to notify them when your house alarm is activated.  One company--Alta Tecnologia-uses radio waves via an antenna they put on your roof.   The antenna might be better option because  a thief can cut your phone line in front of your house to prevent the monitoring service from being notified.

Hello all 

Could we stop throwing spears and this little quarrel please? We perfectly understand each and everyone's position but arguing like this does not help at all.

We are little by little straying off the initial post made by DXBDINO28 which is :

                   How safe it is for Family Life in Ecuador?

Let's get back to this, ok ?

Regards
Kenjee
Expat.com Team

An earlier poster said that crime seemed to be on the rise in Cuenca.? Do you think most of it is against expats? Is it just a big city with a growing poulation and more crime? Do you think the cops even have a clue or care anyway?

LeftClique wrote:

the wayfaring stranger wrote:

Read the most popular forum site, "The unofficial web page of the greater Cuenca expat community". Nards is a great guy. He is intelligent, thoughtful, he has assimilated in Cuenca, he is careful, he is the most interesting man on these forums.

Hey, Sue - I think these guys were made for each other.

John

Which guys? The whole thread is getting out of control

The National Police have made a real effort to respond.  They have established the Unidad de Policía Comunitaria (aka community policing) sub stations all over Cuenca.  If you go to your local UPC (If you go to the wrong one they will direct you  the correct UPC station) and with your cell phone and cedula will give you a number to dial in case of an emergency.  You do not have to stay on the line.  The number goes to the watch desk and a unit is immediately dispatched to your residence.

The system is not gps but location based. 

If you do not speak Spanish it would be best to bring someone with you who does.  (the police officer will put the number-more like a code- in your phone.  The name is Tía Poli).  Several families where we live in Cuenca have are also part of this program.  As it is a metric for evaluation, the police are more than happy to sign you up.

Cuenca is a growing city.  There was an article in a local paper about the concern for urban sprawl.  Crime is a part of life.  Since I live in Cuenca and not LA or Franklin, VA...crime in Cuenca is what concerns me and what precautions I can take to avoid it.  But I also know from my experience in law enforcement that a lot of street crime is wrong place...wrong time.  Cuenca is not South Central nor Mayberry.

Hi Joan...    forgot the rest.  You gave me something to think about. I am applying for my Permanent Resident Visa for retired folks here tomorrow [in Ecuador] and it has been exhausting, costly and exasperating, especially since I am no Spring Chicken.  I did not think that there were that many Americans, Canadians and Europeans living here, that it would make such a profound impact on the Ecuadorian people in the housing market, or any other prices for goods. I love to volunteer, and I have been teaching English. I have found some really nice new friends here, and I really want to stay. Yes, I came for the weather, and the more affordable living, but it did not occur to me, that I was taking away from the Ecuadorian people. I thought, when I buy something, I would be helping their economy. I have been here on an extended visiting visa, and have spent an awful lot of money so far. I am a very positive person and I have enjoyed visiting the mountain region around Bucay and other small towns. The only crime I have seen was on the nightly News on TV, and far away from where I live on the other side of this 4 million people city. There are things people can do, to stay safe.

AmberFenton wrote:

Hi Joan...    forgot the rest.  You gave me something to think about. I am applying for my Permanent Resident Visa for retired folks here tomorrow [in Ecuador] and it has been exhausting, costly and exasperating, especially since I am no Spring Chicken.  ... The only crime I have seen was on the nightly News on TV, and far away from where I live on the other side of this 4 million people city. There are things people can do, to stay safe.

Hi Amber,

Like you, I'm no spring chicken (I like to think I'm well aged) and will hopefully be moving to Ecuador sometime early next fall or winter. I'm heading to Cotacochi.  I've never been good with humidity, love mountains (I grew up in the Catskills of NY--but have lived on the Great Plains of Kansas for many years now) and I really think I'd enjoy a much slower and simpler way of life.

I think what bothers me when there is talk about crime is the simple fact that there is crime everywhere, always has been ... always will be.   We could swap stories all day ... lol, no one would ever leave their houses to go across the street.  Just drop a Kansan into NYC, or a New Yorker into Kansas City, and there's a learning curve--where you can and can't go, where you should or shouldn't live.  I've lived all over this country from NYC to South Central LA, never had a problem.  The only physically violent crime I've ever had happen to me was in a very small (less than 2,000) town in Arkansas.  Never saw it coming, but crimes of opportunity happen ... You're just as likely to get your cell phone or purse stolen by some little punk here in downtown Wichita as you are anywhere.

It sounds like you've carved out a good life for yourself in Guayaquil. I think if the government of Ecuador thought that expats were only there to take away from their own citizens, they'd make it hard if not impossible to emigrate. They are not.  Overall, I've been told that there are less than 10,000 expats (of all nationalities) in Ecuador.  They are not overrunning the Ecuadorian population (16 million) in the same way they are in Costa Rica (80,000 expats--4 million Costa Rican's)  I doubt they ever will. 

Get that residency permit, live your life to the fullest, and give back what you can.  Enjoy!

Jo Anne (still in Wichita)

Hi Joanne and Amber-

I've been told that most crimes are crimes of opportunity which for the most part you can prevent. It sounds like they are working on the problem of home burglaries in Cuenca per Quit00819 which is a good sign. Third world cops are notoriously corrupt but I'm sure Correa is invested in making places like Cuenca safe to keep the pensionados coming.I have to wonder about the rape case mentioned. Was she unaccompanied? Is it usual or safe for an Ecuadorian woman to be out walking at that hour? Maybe the State Police will be able to figure out how to set up cell phones for 911 type calls  that can be made from anywhere. It might have helped this poor woman.

thank you, Jo Ann in Wichita, Kansas. I love positivity in peeps and that kind of out-look has been with me as long as I can remember back.  I used to go to all the Festivals in downtown Detroit, and believe me - I did look a whole lot different than the majority of folks, with my blond hair and blue eyes. LOL   I had a blast, loved the music and I did not care, if they thought I was a crazy white lady. Same here. I was downtown today, with an Ecuadorian friend and I did not see one other Whitey [Gringo]. If anybody has a problem with me, it is their problem, not mine. Picking up all the translated documents, and having them notarized took a lot of time and patience, then to photo-copy everything and run some other errands -  so I did not get to the Ministerio on time. Helas, on Monday then. They do make it hard to immigrate, though, not just in my case, but I have heard a few horror stories. I will always be German/Canadian and an Ex-pat here. You will need to get accepted for the Permanent Visa, and then obtain what they call a cedular, it is an ID card for everyone, and you have to have that thing with you, where-ever you go. The simplest thing, like buying a silver chain, requires either the Passport or that cedular. You can ask your Consulate for a list of all necessary documents, letters, etc. you will need. They prefer all translations to be done here, since every South American country has their own kind of Spanish.  Lemme know, if  you need to know anything else. I'll help you out, if you need to know something. There is a lot, I had not heard or read, until I actually got here.   Tooldes,  Amber

I do not agree with the article ! One of the main reasons we move to Ecuador ( Cuenca ) was because of the safety both in Government  and personal !
We are from the Seattle are of Washington State , and did not like watching the news because of all the crime shown in the first 20 minuets ! We gave no worries here ! We plan on living here for a long time and having out Grand children come and vist for the summers !

Hi Crime in Ecuador is on the rise but not that bad. Yes the Ecuadorian seem to be going after the Americans but it's our own fault here as most American are willing to pay $3 for a $1 taxi ride pay four time more for item that an Ecuadorian pay nothing for American are even willing to pay $7-12 cover charge to eat out just because the menu is written in English , And Most that are writing in this Blog Don't even go out they stay home 6 out of the 7 days ,  Stay in the US don't waste your time here,  My wife and I are returning back to the USA as many other American here are as will, Over all the Ecuadorian don't like American

Vega325 wrote:

Hi Crime in Ecuador is on the rise but not that bad. Yes the Ecuadorian seem to be going after the Americans but it's our own fault here as most American are willing to pay $3 for a $1 taxi ride pay four time more for item that an Ecuadorian pay nothing for American are even willing to pay $7-12 cover charge to eat out just because the menu is written in English , And Most that are writing in this Blog Don't even go out they stay home 6 out of the 7 days ,  Stay in the US don't waste your time here,  My wife and I are returning back to the USA as many other American here are as will, Over all the Ecuadorian don't like American

I've always found that what you put into your life, is what you'll get out of it.  I think many expats  that settle anywhere (not just Ecuador) think that it's going to be just the same as the country they left. (certainly not all--AND please know that I'm not saying that you are in that category)  They want the same infrastructure, the same amenities, the same groceries, etc.  They expect everyone to speak English, and cater to their wants/needs, they want to be and think they are "special." 

Those expats that leave their expectations at the border and are willing to learn, are much more likely to be accepted.

So Vega325 may I ask why you are returning to the US? And what is it you like about Ecuador, if anything? And why did you go to Ecuador in the first place?  Was the reality of Ecuador that much different than your expectations? Just some questions that cropped up, reading your two posts.
All the best,
James

If you pay that much for a taxi then you can't read the numbers on the meter
!  As far as cover charges the are only two out of hundreds that charge ! If you can't read the menus e and can't afford a dictionary then please go back to the USA ! But I don't see what your laziness has to do with the crime rate !'

Amen ! And as I told a couple that complained about the US if you don't like it turn in your  pass port or visa and go home !

I agree with everything you said entirely!  I have lived in Ecuador 3 years now and before that in Santiago, Chile  and Argentina traveling throughout these countries.  I am a middle-aged woman traveling independently and have been robbed once by a guy who took advantage of me as I staggered off a long-distance bus after 12 plus hours --in Puerto Lopez EC>     I was exhausted and not paying close attention  -- it was thus my fault but the situation was what it was and could not be helped.  Soon I discovered my monadeiro was gone with my cedula (EC ID) and $30 -- also my ATM card.  My vacation money was in a money belt closely held and that theft would have made things very bad indeed but no problem there. No violence at all.  THe fear- mongering is for uninformed or new travelers (inexperienced) is challenging.  I would not worry very much about Ecuador but be smart, watch your stuff and don't flaunt the family diamonds --- practice common sense -- come ahead, Ecuador is a wonderful little country!.

sueb4bs wrote:

--- practice common sense -- come ahead, Ecuador is a wonderful little country!.

Problem with commen sense, is it's not very common at all.

To post a reply to the original question and ignore the jabs and jibes of all the repliers:

I am a resident of Ecuador and enjoy my life here.  I do not think it is particularly hazardous place to live.  But I agree with the State Department article on the crime rates here.  On my second trip to Ecuador, I was robbed by a snatch and grab thief in Guayaquil.  This happened as I was wearing a gold chain around my neck that I had worn for 25 years in the states.  In Salinas earlier this year, I was targeted by two youths who were very drunk but managed to deflect the problem.  Three weeks ago, I had my phone stolen from a zippered pocket in my backpack that was on my lap while on a bus.  I was targeted at the bus station in Ballenita when I used my phone to call my wife.  I know of other expats who have been held up, attacked in their home, robbed leaving bars, robbed by ladies or their handlers, robbed while eating, and so on and so on.  Many of these were brought on by their behavior or are simply crimes of opportunity, as in my case. 
But the violence is simply not the same.  Four expats were killed in a year... where I lived before, 4 were killed in a day.  We don't expose ourselves to the wrong people and we leave as little of our possessions in view as possible.  We also have two dogs who are very vocal.  We also maintain good relations with the police and the local government.  Problems can occur but there are ways to avoid them or at least most of them.  I'm staying here.

I think I may have done something similar with the dummy wallet thing, but I'm curious...how do you do this, and what do you put in it? small change only, some plastic library cards?
Concerned about crime...but stuff really does happen everywhere.  .I did a medical escort to Manchester, England.  My work done, I took buses all over the city sightseeing,  got in before dark (this was when there were problems  in London, & spreading,  few years ago)   by 6pm, back in the hotel, full scale rioting in broke out and we were ordered to our rooms (from the bar, of course) Next morning, with all the glass storefronts broken out, I got a train to Scotland,,only on arrival, to discover, my wallet and all in it, gone. stupid me, in a crowded train station.
I let down my guard, because in English speaking country? feel stupid to this day, never did it in Asia. maybe keeping up your guard that much is a lot, on a day to day basis.

Joanneinict wrote:

Vega325 wrote:

Hi Crime in Ecuador is on the rise but not that bad. Yes the Ecuadorian seem to be going after the Americans but it's our own fault here as most American are willing to pay $3 for a $1 taxi ride pay four time more for item that an Ecuadorian pay nothing for American are even willing to pay $7-12 cover charge to eat out just because the menu is written in English , And Most that are writing in this Blog Don't even go out they stay home 6 out of the 7 days ,  Stay in the US don't waste your time here,  My wife and I are returning back to the USA as many other American here are as will, Over all the Ecuadorian don't like American

I've always found that what you put into your life, is what you'll get out of it.  I think many expats  that settle anywhere (not just Ecuador) think that it's going to be just the same as the country they left. (certainly not all--AND please know that I'm not saying that you are in that category)  They want the same infrastructure, the same amenities, the same groceries, etc.  They expect everyone to speak English, and cater to their wants/needs, they want to be and think they are "special." 

Those expats that leave their expectations at the border and are willing to learn, are much more likely to be accepted.

Amen!!! And making an effort to learn and speak Spanish is a good first step. Gringo or not  it IS their country with so much to offer.

suefrankdahl wrote:

Amen!!! And making an effort to learn and speak Spanish is a good first step. Gringo or not  it IS their country with so much to offer.

Thanks Sue ... I'm totally working on my Spanish, and will probably enroll in at least one course at the University before I come.  I'm still looking at an 18 month-2 year move date.

Vega325 wrote:

Hi Crime in Ecuador is on the rise but not that bad. Yes the Ecuadorian seem to be going after the Americans but it's our own fault here as most American are willing to pay $3 for a $1 taxi ride pay four time more for item that an Ecuadorian pay nothing for American are even willing to pay $7-12 cover charge to eat out just because the menu is written in English , And Most that are writing in this Blog Don't even go out they stay home 6 out of the 7 days ,  Stay in the US don't waste your time here,  My wife and I are returning back to the USA as many other American here are as will, Over all the Ecuadorian don't like American

There is anti-American sentiment all over the world. The minimum wage for an Ecuadorian is $360 a month. You are RICH by comparison In the US it would probably cost you $3 for a taxi before it had even started moving and $.25 is quite a bargain for a bus ride as well. Gringo prices remain quite reasonable in my opinion.

Hi Joanne,

One of my degrees is in Foreign Language (French/Russian) I bought a cheap (used) Latin American  Spanish book. Romance languages are very similar so not too difficult for me. My advice to you is to get a conversational Spanish book for starters. There is a lot of grammar and stuff you don't need to know and why waste the time and money taking a class.They say that English is actually the most difficult language to learn. There are more exceptions to the rules than there are rules.

We are way off topic. The gentleman who started the thread cited the State Department warning which has been debated here. It was one of the first things I read when researching Ecuador. I didn't find much of it frightening. Crime is a fact of life and much of it can be be prevented by watching your P's and Q's. North Americans, Europeans and probably now Chinese are always potential targets. The only thing I read that scared me was about bandits stopping long distance buses and robbing everyone. I can't believe that happens often.

suefrankdahl wrote:

Hi Joanne,

One of my degrees is in Foreign Language (French/Russian) I bought a cheap (used) Latin American  Spanish book. Romance languages are very similar so not too difficult for me. My advice to you is to get a conversational Spanish book for starters. There is a lot of grammar and stuff you don't need to know and why waste the time and money taking a class.They say that English is actually the most difficult language to learn. There are more exceptions to the rules than there are rules.

Hi Sue,
Thanks for the encouragement!  I took French and Italian during my undergrad years (not that long ago, BTW ... I started college at 50) Now, I'm now finishing up a MA in history.  Italian is much closer to Spanish than I thought, so it hasn't been too bad.  And living in Kansas, there's a chance every now and then to use it, beyond taco, enchilada and burrito.     I thought auditing a class next semester might give me a chance to use it on a more regular basis. I did find a course for Latin American Spanish online, so I'll give that a go also.

Joanneinict wrote:

suefrankdahl wrote:

Hi Joanne,

One of my degrees is in Foreign Language (French/Russian) I bought a cheap (used) Latin American  Spanish book. Romance languages are very similar so not too difficult for me. My advice to you is to get a conversational Spanish book for starters. There is a lot of grammar and stuff you don't need to know and why waste the time and money taking a class.They say that English is actually the most difficult language to learn. There are more exceptions to the rules than there are rules.

Hi Sue,
Thanks for the encouragement!  I took French and Italian during my undergrad years (not that long ago, BTW ... I started college at 50) Now, I'm now finishing up a MA in history.  Italian is much closer to Spanish than I thought, so it hasn't been too bad.  And living in Kansas, there's a chance every now and then to use it, beyond taco, enchilada and burrito.     I thought auditing a class next semester might give me a chance to use it on a more regular basis. I did find a course for Latin American Spanish online, so I'll give that a go also.

Same thing here, mucho mexican restaurants and at my age have learned that senhorita is a compliment. Large Mexican population here. Oregon is big agricultural state. I startyed practicing with the guy who cut my grass

Honestly, if you believe everything the US State Dept says about traveling anywhere but the US, you would never go anywhere. Of course there are places here that are more dangerous. I would not live in a remote area. I would not spend much time in Guayaquil, but we live in Cotacachi and walk everywhere early in the AM or even at night. I have lived in cities in the US that are way more dangerous. Read the precautions, follow the same rules for travel that you would in Europe, but don't stay away because you will miss out on a great experience!

Does anybody know the gun laws for carrying a handgun in public?   What is the policy for bringing a gun into the country?

Check on the Embassy of Ecuador online or your local area Consulate for Ecuador.  They can tell you.