Crime rise in Palermo - It is out of control!

There are 20 replies in this Thread which has previously been viewed 3,044 times. The latest Post (January 22, 2024 at 1:00 PM) was by Rice.

    In the last two days, I have read about crimes in Palermo that made me question my decision to live and invest in this country.

    Crime #1 - A man jumped on the roof a pickup of the Volkswagen shop on Honduras y Coronel Diaz to destroy it with a bat.

    The people of VW managed to bring him down and call the police. This is 4 blocks from where I live, in front of La Alacena.

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    www.lanacion.com.ar

    Crime #2 - A group of 5 boys stopped the car on Av. Córdoba to take a piss (literally) against a building external wall. The doorman told them to go away, so they grabbed the glass bottles they had in car to break them and tried to kill him. He made it with just some bruises, but a broken bottle is a pretty powerful tool in the wrong hands. The doorman is 49 years old.

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    Cinco hombres atacaron en patota a la víctima, de 49 años, que resultó con politraumatismos y debió ser internada por las heridas sufridas; los agresores…
    www.lanacion.com.ar

    Crime #3 - A 42 y.o. man was murdered in an ice-cream shop by a thief who wanted to steal his cellphone. The thief stabbed him on the streets at 10.45 PM and managed to enter the ice creams hop to ask for help. He gave his name, an explanation of what happened and his last words were "I don't want to die".

    The victim was an engineer and a father of a 4 months old baby.

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    These are terrible crimes of violence. Because everyone knows there is no police enforcement, it is surprising there hasn’t been more of this, sooner than now. As the economy and drug culture worsen, so will violent crime.

    It's so sad and leaves me wondering what the hell I'm doing planning to spend more and more time there.

    I bet the presidential candidates are all talking a good talk on tacking crime and improving justice as well.

    Quote from Bombonera

    It's so sad and leaves me wondering what the hell I'm doing planning to spend more and more time there.

    I bet the presidential candidates are all talking a good talk on tacking crime and improving justice as well.

    I was thinking about you, @Bombonera , the other day. My uncle used to go on vacation to Cuba with a group of friends after he retired. He finally had the money and the time.

    He returned to Cuba on his own and with my aunt on several occasions. When I moved to Argentina, he came to visit as he was interested in finding a cheap place where to spent the winter months (Europe's winter months) and thought that maybe Argentina could be an alternative to Cuba, since I was here.

    He never came again, I guess it is worse than Cuba.

    I think he was especially upset by the many mindset/safety adjustments that it involves living here.

    For example, I told him to not wear his golden necklace, and he said it was his father's (my grandpa's) and he wore it at all times. Fine.

    I told him to bring cash because withdrawing money from the machines is a nightmare (not only it is costly, but sometimes you can withdraw so little money that it is really not worth it or there are no bills in the machines).

    He was a banker in his days and carefully calculated the amount to bring, including extra in case of emergency etc. However, given the scarce supply of stuff in Argentina, if you bring enough to replace all of your belongings, you are bringing a lot of money which makes it even risky.

    He came with about 5,000 euros for a 20-day holiday with my aunt. I told him to bring around with him just the money necessary for the day and leave the rest at home. He wasn't comfortable with leaving 5k cash at home. Uhm....

    He insisted that we should go to a bank and rent a security box. He was laughed at at the bank - he was just a tourist! No DNI, no CUIT... and for 15 days? People join waiting lists to get a safety box in banks!

    He was convinced that by paying he could get whatever he wanted, whereas Argentina's bureaucracy won over his stubbornness. As a result, he brought 5k with him at all times, which scared the hell out of me. I told him it was riskier than leaving the money at home, but he didn't budge. Fine.

    One day we were at the Retiro Railway Station, waiting to catch the train back to San Isidro. He decided he had to change his t-shirt because he had sweated in the hot weather and we were about to catch a train with full blowing A/C. When he removed his shirt, he revealed the hanging money pocket he was wearing. I wanted to die right there and I was expecting thieves as monkeys jumping on him.... nothing happened but it was a revealing experience. What he considered risky was not what I considered risky. Or he was just overconfident.

    Living here requires several adjustments and people who are not ready to compromise, won't be able to enjoy Argentina.

    It is not for everyone. I commend all of you who think to retire in Argentina. It makes sense financially, but there is more to it than taking a plane and finding an accommodation.

    That's quite a story serafina

    I've been visiting since 1991 and have friends there too so the financial side is merely a benefit rather than a driver in decision-making for me. I have a clear vision of the life I'd live there.

    Once you've taken care of everyday basic personal security (eg don't change your shirt in Retiro Railway Station!) everything else is out of our control.

    I often think about Palermo being a hot-spot for opportunistic muggings, especially against foreigners who have let their guard down, but none of the crimes you reported even fit that category.

    It's sad.

    serafina , for your sake, I’m glad your uncle didn’t move to Argentina! He is so naïve that you would have worried about him 24/7.

    I’d have died of embarrassment if someone I was with decided to whip his shirt off in Retiro station, even if he weren’t displaying a dangling money pouch for all to see! Thieves probably left him alone because they thought he was a police plant.

    My husband was going out for a run this morning (Sunday, around 8:30-9 am) and said that there was a car with a broken window right outside our building. They stole something from inside.

    Also, in the news I saw a report on how there is a new crime technique that involves breaking into people car’s to steal their house keys while they are dining out. From the car registration paper they get the house address and then they simply get in using the keys.

    Hence, don’t leave anything in your car when parking it on the street!

    Con la llave de los dueños: detienen a dos ladrones en Villa Crespo y alertan sobre una nueva modalidad delictiva
    La nueva modalidad de los robos es ingresar a los departamentos con las llaves de los dueños sin violencia y sin romper nada
    www.lanacion.com.ar

    Last night I asked my husband to go out to try a beer place 4 blocks from here. We were sitting outside on the sidewalk so that I could smoke. I got a notification on my phone and I took it out to look at it. My hubby told me that it was dangerous and that the man sitting at the table behind ours, who was speaking on the phone while we were there, was a prime target for phone stealing. This is in addition to the his warning on phone stealing that has been targeting people waiting at bus stops.

    As soon as I finished drinking I asked to go back home.

    I am kinda annoyed by all of this. Maybe I need to spend some time in a safer place to recharge before school starts again and I am bound to stay here.

    I have to say that I am missing the UAE more than I think I would.

    Over there it is extremely safe and you can walk with your phone on your back pockets or in hands or even let it on a public surface without fearing it will be stolen.

    I was also amazed that in the malls, some stores had bookshelves where you could leave your shopping bags unattended to shop in comfort. Nobody steal anything as the punishment is certain and very harsh.

    I have to say I am getting curious to know more about Muslim countries if their justice system is so efficient.

    Edited 2 times, last by serafina: Merged a post created by serafina into this post. (January 21, 2024 at 9:19 AM).

    Quote from serafina

    I am kinda annoyed by all of this. Maybe I need to spend some time in a safer place to recharge before school starts again and I am bound to stay here.

    I really couldn't be arsed living like that hence why we rarely go to the capital now. When we have no choice but to go it's by remis and the driver waits for us to bring us straight back.

    Is it really safer out there? I’d love to hike in the countryside. It is one of the peaks of Italy that I miss here. Whenever I visit my mom, I take a daily stroll in the countryside and in the woods. I love the smell and the quiet and not having to worry about my car parked as nothing happens. And here I am, surrounded by miles of pampa and not knowing a place where I could do a similar activity without fearing for my belongings or safety.

    Quote from serafina

    Is it really safer out there? I’d love to hike in the countryside. It is one of the peaks of Italy that I miss here. Whenever I visit my mom, I take a daily stroll in the countryside and in the woods. I love the smell and the quiet and not having to worry about my car parked as nothing happens. And here I am, surrounded by miles of pampa and not knowing a place where I could do a similar activity without fearing for my belongings or safety.

    I've not heard of people being robbed in the street here. Most of the crimes are amongst the same type of people with grudges to bear.

    As for hiking in the ountryside here....waste of time, it's boringly flat with endless fields of cereal crops.

    Quote from Rice

    serafina , for your sake, I’m glad your uncle didn’t move to Argentina! He is so naïve that you would have worried about him 24/7.

    I’d have died of embarrassment if someone I was with decided to whip his shirt off in Retiro station, even if he weren’t displaying a dangling money pouch for all to see! Thieves probably left him alone because they thought he was a police plant.

    I was in Maastricht a few years ago when a young woman in an open-top sports car stuck at traffic lights decided to change her t-shirt. It definitely wasn't a money pouch that she left dangling...

    Quote from UK Man

    Didn't know you were a cleaner.....

    He can sweep every inch if enough motivated. :yay:

    Quote from UK Man

    I really couldn't be arsed living like that hence why we rarely go to the capital now. When we have no choice but to go it's by remis and the driver waits for us to bring us straight back.

    I was thinking about your post, today. You have mentioned installing a camera safety system and that when the AySA guys rang your bell, you didn't answer when you saw a van outside the gate and called to check if it was really them. We want to hear your wife's side of the story! It seems your view may be kitkat-coated. :S

    Edited once, last by serafina: Merged a post created by serafina into this post. (January 21, 2024 at 9:57 PM).

    Quote from serafina

    I was thinking about your post, today. You have mentioned installing a camera safety system and that when the AySA guys rang your bell, you didn't answer when you saw a van outside the gate and called to check if it was really them. We want to hear your wife's side of the story! It seems your view may be kitkat-coated. :S

    Who are the AySa guys? :scratchead:

    Having the camera systems installed was the wife's idea. It's a good idea especially for the quinta and the MIL's house which still has everything in it. We don't visit either every day so being able to check to see all is okay puts your mind at rest.

    Quote from UK Man

    Who are the AySa guys? :scratchead:

    Having the camera systems installed was the wife's idea. It's a good idea especially for the quinta and the MIL's house which still has everything in it. We don't visit either every day so being able to check to see all is okay puts your mind at rest.

    Water company