SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

FORTUNATELY THERE IS VERY LITTLE VIOLENT CRIME IN OUR AREA OF COSTA RICA.  WE FEEL SAFER HERE THAN IN THE US.  OF COURSE, STAY OUT OF "BAD" PARTS OF ANY TOWN OR SAN JOSE (LIKE ANY BIG CITY).  HOWEVER, PETTY THEFT IS UNFORTUNATELY COMMON IN MOST ALL COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLY OF LAPTOPS, PHONES, CAMERAS, TVs, ELECTRONICS, CASH, DEBIT / CREDIT CARDS, ETC.  JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE VACATION, PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO USE COMMON SENSE AND TAKE THESE PRECAUTIONS;

  • REMEMBER TO LOCK ALL DOORS AND WINDOWS OF YOUR VEHICLE AND HOME AT ALL TIMES,  WHEN HOME AND OUT AND ABOUT.
  • LEAVE A LIGHT, RADIO OR TV ON TO MAKE IT APPEAR SOMEONE IS HOME. 
  • DO NOT LEAVE ITEMS IN SIGHT AT THE HOME, OR IN THE CAR.  BRING JUST YOUR KEYS AND ESSENTIALS TO THE BEACH SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO PLAY WATCHDOG. 
  • LEAVE FLASHY OR EXPENSIVE JEWELRY AT HOME, IT'S NOT WORTH POSSIBLY LOOSING IT OR HAVING IT STOLEN.
  • CONSIDER PURCHASING A WATERPROOF POUCH FOR PERSONAL DOCUMENTS, CASH AND PHONE THAT YOU CAN TAKE SWIMMING, TEST IT OUT AT HOME FIRST.  THERE ARE GREAT PRODUCTS, REASONABLY PRICED ON www.amazon.com 
  • CALL 911, OR THE TOURIST POLICE AT 2787-0243 OR CALL 911 IF YOU WITNESS A CRIME.  FILE A POLICE REPORT / DENUNCIA AT THE LOCAL POLICE STATION.
  • BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR VACATION, MAKE A COPY OF ALL YOUR CREDIT / DEBIT CARDS, AND ID / PASSPORTS (FRONT AND BACK), RETAIN A COPY IN A SAFE SECURE PLACE.  IF YOUR WALLET IS STOLEN, THIS MAKES IT EASY TO CALL THE BANKS AND AGENCIES AND FILE A LOST /  STOLEN CARD REPORT.  IF YOUR PASSPORT IS LOST / STOLEN, YOU WILL NEED A COPY OF IT IN ORDER TO GET A REPLACEMENT OR BOARD A PLANE!   YOU WILL NEED YOUR ORIGINAL PASSPORT FOR BANKING TRANSACTIONS AT THE TELLER WINDOW.   WHEN YOU DON'T NEED YOUR ORIGINAL, LEAVE IT IN A SAFE LOCKED HIDDEN PLACE, AND CARRY THE COLOR COPY OF YOUR PHOTO PAGE AND COSTA RICA ENTRY PAGE.
  • CARRY OUR CONTACT INFO WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES, AND THE NUMBER FOR THE EMBASSY (US EMBASSY IS  +011-506-2519-2000
  • MAKE SURE YOUR PHONE IS NOT IN AIRPLANE MODE.  TO ASSIST IN TRACKING A LOST OR STOLEN PHONE,  WRITE DOWN THE IMEI (INTERNATIONAL MOBILE EQUIPMENT IDENTITY) NUMBER, AND KEEP IT SOMEWHERE SAFE, BUT ACCESSIBLE .  THE IMEI NUMBER CAN BE FOUND BEHIND THE BATTERY OR BY DIALING *#06#.
  • IF YOU PHONE IS STOLEN, DON'T BLOCK IT IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THE AUTHORITIES WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TRACK IT.   IMMEDIATELY CHANGE YOUR EMAIL PASSWORD.
  • KEEP YOUR TABLET AND LAPTOP SERIAL NUMBERS IN A SAFE, BUT ACCESSIBLE LOCATION. 
  • WE RECOMMEND INSTALLING APPS ON YOUR CELLS AND LAPTOPS TO ASSIST IN TRACKING THE LOCATION OF, AND RETRIEVING, LOST OR STOLEN ELECTRONICS.  SOME HELPFUL APPS ARE;
CELL PHONES;
http://wheresmydroid.com/  GET THE PRO VERSION
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/find-my-iphone/id376101648?mt=8
LAPTOPS;
http://lojack.absolute.com/en
https://awarenesstechnologies.com/laptopcop.html

Entertainment:
  • Avoid areas with high concentrations of bars and nightclubs, especially at night.
  • Seek entertainment in groups of people you know. 
  • Do not consume food or drinks you have left unattended or accept food or drinks from "friendly" people. 
  • Do not leave a bar or other facility with a stranger.
Sightseeing:
  • Avoid walking around at night in the San Jose city center.
  • Stay alert: crowded tourist attractions and resort areas popular with foreign tourists are also common venues for criminal activities.
  • Steer clear of deserted properties or undeveloped land. 
  • Walk or exercise with a companion.
Transportation:
  • Lock all doors, and keep all windows closed. 
  • Keep valuables on the car floor and/or out of sight of a person who could see them and grab them.  Better yet, leave valuables in your rental home.
  • Leave sufficient space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you to allow you to drive away quickly if necessary. 
  • Be alert to suspicious persons loitering on the side of the road.
  • Use only licensed taxis (they have yellow triangle medallions with numbers painted on the side).
  • Do not stop on isolated stretches of road. (One method of initiating a crime is to bump the victim's car from behind; the unsuspecting victim stops, believing he or she is involved in a minor accident.)
  • Use extreme caution if you have a flat tire. Drivers with flat tires are advised to drive, if possible, to the nearest service station or other public area, and change the tire themselves, watching their valuables at all times. Most car rental companies will cover the damage to the tire.
  • Be wary of strangers offering to help with car problems.
  • Park in secured lots whenever possible, and do not leave valuables in the vehicle. 
  • Travel with a cell phone.  
Financial transactions:
  • Change money in banks or other financial institutions (money changers on the street have been known to pass counterfeit U.S. dollars and local currency).
  • Retain all credit card receipts and check accounts regularly to help prevent unauthorized use of credit cards.
  • Avoid using debit cards for point-of-sale purchases, as a skimmed number can be used to clean out an account.
  • Keep the phone numbers for your banks on a sheet of paper in case your credit cards or bank cards are stolen or lost, or make a copy of the front and back of all your credit cards so in case they are lost you have the data and numbers handy when calling the banks.
In general:
  • Minimize travel after dark.
  • Avoid responding in kind to verbal harassment.
  • Do not store valuables in a car, trunk or glove compartment. 
  • Do not engage in a verbal or physical confrontation with criminals.
  • Don't try to outrun an armed criminal. 
  • Immediately report any suspicious activity to police. If you are with or become a victim of sexual assault please contact the Embassy immediately.
  • Call 911 in an emergency.