Crime Rate in Ecuador

just like in my home-country Canada,  Ecuador does not allow guns. If you bring one and smuggle it in, you risk an uncomfortable visit to a prison, and then you are sent back. Of course, those who wish to have one, which usually are the criminals involved with drug smuggling, I am sure there are ways to obtain a gun illegally. Not worth the risk, though. I am almost 70 and have never needed a gun in my entire life. I refuse to live with that kind of paranoia. I just follow good advice, don't roam around alone in dangerous areas, don't go jogging after dark, don't flaunt your gold jewelry and just try to take normal precautions, when traveling.

Yes "Civil" sevants. I've read here how often the laws change, like the weather. Depending on whose line your standing in things will be different. Also the big disconnect between what the embassy tells you and what actually goes on Ecuador. Tongue biting and patience always critical with bureaucrat

It is possible to have a gun/ bring one.. But you must apply for permission to have one. I have been told that u have to say that shooting is your hobby... You are a hunter.. ..when applying... I do not remember what agency you have to apply with...

[Moderated: Off topic]

Hi all,

This thread seems to go off topic despite several warnings.
Once and for all, please stay on topic or we'll moderate.

Thanks
Armand
Expat.com Team

Armand wrote:

Hi all,

This thread seems to go off topic despite several warnings.
Once and for all, please stay on topic or we'll moderate.

Thanks
Armand
Expat.com Team

Bravo Armand. You are exercising the same restraints as the Venezuelan  government when it comes to censoring any opinions that don't coincide with you own. There is a saying in the U.S. I might not like what you are saying, but I will fight for your right to say it and speak freely. Something you might consider before modeling your actions after Venezuela.

Also, if you simply read the last dozen posts on this thread, perhaps one of them was related to the original post. Yet you failed to remove the posts about learning languages, buying guns, residency requirements, etc. Oddly, well probably not oddly, more like predictably, you only removed my post, and it was directly related to the OP. I was merely asking for more specific terms and not generalities when discussing crime and safety. To say crime happens everywhere is to ignore that fact that crime can often occur at rates 100. time greater in some places, making it seem utterly foolish to compare, for example, the safety of living in Syria vs. Canada.

If you are in the mood to openly discuss the reason you chose to pick my post to delete vs. deleting this one as well and pretending you did it because it was off topic, I'd love to hear an honest explanation. And to the OP, I feel you got several replies that could help you make your decision about Ecuador. You might continue gathering additional information on the topic of violent crimes in Ecuador on a web site which is less censored and doesn't mind giving you the bare honest facts.

I think enough has been said on this subject. Maybe it's better to take the whole thread down

suefrankdahl wrote:

I think enough has been said on this subject. Maybe it's better to take the whole thread down

Why do people fear information so much? Why is it that when one or two people are finished with a thread, all others should be finished? Taken down? Seriously? Like hear no evil, see no evil. Sue, just keep repeating; sticks and stone may break my bones but words that I don't like need to be permanently removed. Or something like that.

We really should be able to have an honest discussion about crime rates and risk factors for expats, without the side suggesting it's no big deal running to mods to shut down the thread. How about making the decision to quit viewing a thread when you no longer benefit from reading that thread? Is that entirely impossible to do?

Enough has not been said on the subject. It never will because crime will continue and victims want to warn others. Non-victims may want updated crime data or statistics. For example, Columbia was once far more dangerous than it currently seems to be. People thinking of moving there may want to know that information. In my opinion, Ecuador does not surpass my own personal threshold for safe place to retire. It would have to have an increase in violent crimes and burglaries to do that. But I do find it more than a little disturbing that the police in Ecuador are incapable of, or unwilling to solve more than 1% of the crimes that are reported. That should alert expats that they need to secure their valuable and consider renting in a building that provides additional security. Discussing such things should not cause fear or personal attacks or requests to close down the discussion. This thread should remain available for all to view in the future. Other expats can benefit from the information posted here.

Perhaps you should consider starting your own little expat "crime" blog?  I'm sure people there will be flocking to you to share all their horror stories.

Joanneinict wrote:

Perhaps you should consider starting your own little expat "crime" blog?  I'm sure people there will be flocking to you to share all their horror stories.

What about you, Joan? Would you also show up to post off-topic nonsense and mock everyone interested in exchanging information.

What, exactly do you think you are contributing here? View your last four or five posts. None had anything to offer related to the request made by the original post.

There will always be a Gladys Kravitz on internet forums, sticking her nose into others business with nothing helpful to offer. But I say, so what, you are welcome here. I would never want to see your comments censored. If you choose to mock people who become victims of crime while traveling in Ecuador, that's your decision.
 
Glays Kravitz

LOL, name calling?

Joanneinict wrote:

LOL, name calling?

Nope. I've just seen a lot of those types of people on forums. Don't be so thin skinned.

Back on topic. I just came across this post on a "Discover Quito Ecuador" blog. It is written by a couple living in Cuenca.

Discover Quito Ecuador


More Crimes In Ecuador, Or Just More Gringos NOT Taking Crime Seriously?

There seems to be more reports of crimes throughout the country of Ecuador. Of course authorities would love to keep its touristy image and keep the crimes all under wraps but thats hard to do when violent crimes are happening throughout Ecuador on a consistent basis.

Crimes on the coasts of Ecuador seem to be more prevalent. Why is that? Well, lets find out. But first let us say this. If we do not make an effort to stay safe while living in a third world country, we will eventually become victims of crime as statistics say so.

More Naïve Gringos Means More Crime

Not all gringos are naïve, only those who are careless about personal safety in a third world country. Ecuadors gringo population is growing and perhaps many of them are first time South America travelers.  Weve warned before that South America is not a good first time travel destination, and yet, we see more and more gringos every day on the streets of Cuenca behaving in ways that are targetable for a theft, robbery, or home invasion.

If WE notice these details, how much more will a thief whose job it is to rob foreign tourists and expats? The thief is not going to go for the people who are not sporting anything of value, or who seem to look like they can run after them, or who dont act lost or fearful.  Its not that gringos havent heard these warnings.

One north American retired lady confessed to us that what fun is owning jewelry, if I cant wear it.  Welcome to South America!

Salinas Ecuador Armed Robbery/Home Invasion

Lets take the latest home invasion in Salinas for instance. Go ahead and read the article first then come back to this blog post. You can read the full article here.

Frank and I know the Milina and Italian neighborhoods very well because we walked around all over the area, we even looked at some houses for sale, we talked with owners, and we saw up-close the neighborhoods. We go into much more detail about what we think of this area in terms of living in our new Ecuador Coastal Travel Guide. You will not want to miss out on reading this book if you are thinking of visiting or moving to the coast of Ecuador.

In a nutshell the Milina neighborhood, just like the Italian neighborhood next door to it, are not anything to write home to mom about.  It is a work in progress. When we were in those neighborhoods twice in one week, we saw many young men walking around in groups with nothing to do. That for us was a dead give-away. What do these young men do all day? How come are they not helping their mother or father in the family shop, working at a job, or on their computer, or whatever?

Okay, but thats still really not why the British couple got robbed. Heres why.

Soyou are a gringo from the UK and you move into your new home, being probably the only foreigner in the neighborhood. So everyone in Salinas knows the new British couple lives over there in that house. You know why? You are the talk of the neighborhood, thats why? Not to scare anyone but until the tittle-tattle that "the gringos live in that house over there" dies down, you'll be the talk of the neighborhood.

What happens next is why they got robbed.

The gringo couple become lax and leaves their gate unlocked, because how else could the gun-wielding robbers push a steel gate in as the article states? So the gate was not lockedthere is no way two men can push in a steel gate, unless it was unlocked. Ummmmm.

Andthey got robbed. Now it was probably not the first time they left their gate unlocked and the young men walking around, neighbors walking by, whoever saw this relaxed attitude about security took advantage.  This is all it takes to become a victim in Ecuadoran unlocked gate.

Curiously, the article states how the couple has NOW decided to ramp up security in the home after this armed robbery. Weve read this before, people ramping up security only AFTER an assault.  This shows a lack of awareness.   But what if his wife would have been shot and killed. What if they would have raped herremember they had guns.

UPDATE - 2-Weeks after the first armed robbery: The same British couple were robbed again by three assailaints with guns. According to the article they jumped over the fence and the husband was knocked on the head by a gun, and they were robbed.

What does this second armed robbery in the span of two weeks say? It says this UK couple has unfortunately been marked by the bad apples as an "easy" target...

You can read the developing story here.

American Couple Assaulted in Broad Daylight in a Popular Park

It is curious how some people wait until something bad happens to them to change or improve themselves and their surroundings. Rather than change for the new environment and culture, and blend in and practice the security measures posted on popular blogs and written in popular books they remain stubborn and lax with their personal security.

Unfortunately most websites minimize crime, or just give a hodge podge of information that leaves out some important detail because, well, they dont live on a local level.

Take the expat couple who very recently were enjoying a leisurely walk by Parque Calderon in Cuenca Ecuador.  Read the full story here and then come back to this blog post.

Some bloggers do give good warnings, yet it is easy for something to slip through the cracks when just reading around all over the internet.  A solution is to have a comprehensive list of dos and donts  in one place, which is what we do in the DIY Cuenca Landing Guide and which is what we are now doing in the DIY Quito Landing Guide!

in Ecuador you can be assaulted in broad daylight for seemingly normal every day things! It does not matter that the park has police; it helps but it does not totally deter crime because, the perpetrators know that they will not spend any real amount of time in Jail due to lax criminal laws, besides they see older expats walking slowly, perhaps limping, acting lost or fearful...

...they see expensive clothing, purses, cell phones, jewelry and it becomes inevitable that at some point as long as the couple remains lax to their surroundings they will be targeted. Its not too hard to understand.

Do We Feel Less Safe because there Seems to be More Crime in Ecuador?

Absolutely not! Do you know why? Because we actually follow all of our security guidelines listed in our DIY Cuenca Landing Guide and blog. We have never felt unsafe in Cuenca, Quito or the coast. Frank and I recently traveled the entire coast of Ecuador and then Quito, integrating into the culture and blending in as much as possible and never once felt threatened.

Taxi Assaults, Robberies, and Killings


Sadly, a man from Japan got himself shot and killed because he was too determined to get him and his wife a taxi rather than go in the one the hotel offered to call for him. We do not know why the Japanese tourist chose to hail down a taxi right off the street that one evening, but they did and it resulted in his death.

You wonder, did they not read all over the Internet that hailing taxis off the street is dangerous and could result in robbery, assaults, rapes, and killings in the larger cities? Apparently not. Perhaps they could not read English and didnt know that getting into any taxi in Guayaquil is dangerous.

Why People Dont Practice What They Read

We have this lax attitude that it wont happen to me, however, it will happen to me, if I allow myself to be a target of crime through my own vulnerability and naivety. Weve heard of people who have been repeated victims of crime. Maybe they think it wont happen to them a second or third time.

For some of us, we do not heed the warnings because we are too stubborn and haughty. Therefore we do not practice what is advocated to us by others, even if that means our personal safety and well-being.

We want to be in control of our lives through how we see fit, not how others say we should live. We do not want to change to our new environment, blend in, learn Spanish, or anything that takes us out of our dream world and that is the problem.

***The problem with crime in Ecuador is not that there is more of it; the problem is there are more naive gringos moving here making themselves be the victims of crime. ***

Dont let all the recent reports of assaults, shooting, kidnappings, and robberies stop you from coming to Ecuador, just make sure that you follow all the safety guidelines we have written in the DIY Cuenca Landing Guide, on our blog, and in our up and coming DIY Quito Landing Guide!

Here is proof that no matter who you are and how savvy you think you are, crime is just around the corner if we let our guard off.  So then, dont you want to make sure you know all the ins and outs on crime in Ecuador or any third world country for that matter.

Nothing has changed in Ecuador, there is still crime.

-closed for analysis-