Securing your home in the Dominican Republic

Most condos provide some form of security from great to "you have to be kidding"

We do have an alarm system in our home but it is only an internal one and does not call out to anyone.  A very loud siren and the outside security lights come on. 

Lighting is also a good thing outside

Many hire a watchyman but they can be VERY unreliable and many times the culprit when it comes to a robbery

Many also have dogs for protection. We have two a small 15 pounder who is the barker and a 140 pound rottie who is the biter/enforcer.

Window bars if installed properly and a good secure door and locks.

A sense of awareness of your community is also important.

Bob K

Good points Bob.

There is  a couple of monitoring companies in Santo Domingo,  But only there. I am not aware of any others.

Security is important.  Be very careful who you allow in your home!  From friend of friends to  workers or installers......just be careful.

Thanks for your input Bob. I believe home security is one of those topics that is needed especially for new residents who might be enchanted by the ocean and Palm trees. Caution should always be taken, especially if you don't live in a gated community or condo. I like suggestions, looking forward to hearing what other measures, the rest of the crew adds. Dogs are still#1 in my book.

And remember a gated community does NOT equal protection necessarily. OFTEN there is more targeted crime where you have more expats living.

Investigate thoroughly - all gated communities are NOT the same.  My office is in a "gated" community.  Well the gates are attended 7 am to 7 pm but not at night. Illusion of security and nothing more. 

Take all the precautions necessary, do not rely on others, you are responsible for your own safety. 

Remember that everything is a deterrent only. IF someone really wants to get in they will.  Be smart about this,  be aware and be careful. 

Last point -  everything is just stuff - except your life and those you love.  They matter, stuff does not.

There are also risks while driving and there are instances of "mentiras" * if involved in an accident or come across one and try to help.  The solution may be to use a dash-cam, body-cam, etc to document the truth.

A "mentira": A friend's brother was driving in Cibao, when two motorcycles collided in front of him.  He stopped, and took the two injured motorcyclists to the hospital.  There one of the motorcyclists claimed that the car hit them (<- "mentira"), it would have gotten ugly if the other motorcyclist did not eventually refute the story.

Well, in our south-east corner of Cabrera, El Jamo, we
have 3 medium size dogs, 1 barky chiuawa (chsp),
8' frost fence with hedge,bars & great neighbours.
We sleep peacefully.
Good forum!

Having dogs in and outside is good. They bark at everyone they don't know. Day or night. Most Dominicans are terrified of dogs and won't go anywhere near them. It's a big deterrent.

Living next to family members of yours or of your friends is also a very good idea. There is someone always around to watch for intruders. Usually, strangers don't just walk into a compound type of area.

Thick gates on all windows and doors and carports are also good. But if the place is out on its own and nothing around it, then it can be a sitting duck if no one is around to watch it if the owners are away. That's why locals choose to live close to each other rather than out in the boonies on their own. If a rich person has a place out in the boonies you can be sure there is 24/7 security or most likely there are high walls and barbed wire so nothing is getting in or easily out.

MASSAGEWIZ wrote:

Just curious to know what are the best tips each person can provide for securing homes or apartments in DR.

In most countries the very best security you can have doesn't cost a penny - it's your neighbors. Especially the nosy ones, which most neighborhoods have one or two of. Make sure to get to know your neighbors and do whatever it takes to get them to like you. The nosy ones are most important in this respect, they're the ones who, for the lack of anything important to do with their lives, find it necessary to take care of everybody else's..... and to gossip about them too. Surprise her with a coffee cake you've baked / or him with a six pack of beer. Win the nosy one over whatever the cost. They are better than any guard dog, and you don't have to feed them as often or take them for a daily walk. Yet, surprisingly they ARE the ones who are going to be watching your place like a hawk and will be alert to the first sign of trouble.

Cheers,
James

Great advice everyone...,I love the nosy neighbor suggestion oddly enough I live next door to one of those here in NY... Keep the suggestions coming guys....Thank You.

Yes, the locals are afraid of dogs.   BUT, they are known to throw poisoned meat over the walls or through the grill work.  They lace it with valium or arsenic, rat poison & the like.   I've always trained my dogs to only accept food from my left hand & never to eat anything on the ground.   It takes time & effort to accomplish this, but well worth it.   I taught them to growl if anyone tried to give them food, including me, from the right hand.  There are many other small things you can teach them.   Any kind of dog can learn if you start them as puppys.    I've had Captain Haggerty of James Bond fame try to buy my German Sheperds.. I'm not a trainer, I just know dogs, horses & parrots.   PM me if you want some tips on this subject.        All the other ideas are good valid tips to utilize.    Be safe, be comfortable.

gypsy good advice on the  dogs and poison.  Our dogs only accept food from one of us and they must sit before allowed to eat.

Bob K

gypsy401 wrote:

Yes, the locals are afraid of dogs.   BUT, they are known to throw poisoned meat over the walls or through the grill work.  They lace it with valium or arsenic, rat poison & the like.   I've always trained my dogs to only accept food from my left hand & never to eat anything on the ground.   It takes time & effort to accomplish this, but well worth it.   I taught them to growl if anyone tried to give them food, including me, from the right hand.  There are many other small things you can teach them.   Any kind of dog can learn if you start them as puppys.    I've had Captain Haggerty of James Bond fame try to buy my German Sheperds.. I'm not a trainer, I just know dogs, horses & parrots.   PM me if you want some tips on this subject.        All the other ideas are good valid tips to utilize.    Be safe, be comfortable.

Thank-you from the bottom of my heart. After all these years finally I've run across another dog owner who understands that training a dog not to eat anything that you haven't given it is essential, and not to eat ANYTHING from the ground. Wow, I thought I have been speaking to deaf people all these years whenever I mentioned how very important this is, that it means life and death to your pet.

Your post made my day, and you just plugged the leaky boat that I had come to believe that I was in.

Cheers,
James

We have been using a rottweiler at night to  provide security at our office.  IT is trained this way and will NOT eat anything its owner does not give it.

I am searching for rottweiler puppies and intend to train them this way.  Gypsy I may come to you for some advice........

Excellent suggestion on training the dog to only eat what the owner gives it.  Are they also trained to eat from certain other people (there will be times when the owner is away)?

James, we are kinfolk in the world of dogs.  I neglected to say that a code word must accompany the giving of food. I used gypsy words for all commands.  When they knew them I added English, hand signals, sounds & finally head movements.   For the first 4 months or so, they were with me 24/ 7.   I have many stories of "Budri", the smartest of all.  Planner, I will assist you in any way you need.   Bob, have you had a friend throw food over the wall while you were gone?    It is vital that all the teaching seems like play to the puppy.   Granted,  it takes a lot of time & dedication to do these things.

Gracias Gypsy

Anything I can do to be of service to you Planner shall be an honor.

Hello Massagew.

Last Friday my Mother in law just realized that her car door mirrors were missing. She lives in a gated residential, and still Ladrones find their way to get in and do their stuff.

One thing I would recommend is not to buy a second hand car part or anything else, as it will be contributing to more theft, instead she went to the car concessionaire and purchased the mirrors full price. Unfortunately things like this happen all the time in a country full of social contrast.

Many residents of Sto. Domingo are opting for the installation of security webcams in their homes. Still it's not a long term solution. This country definitely need to invest in Education, and try to leverage the huge difference in the society.

The only solution I can think of, if one can afford it, is to pay for a good robbery protection insurance kind of, or have enough solvency to afford any future lost or damage in your property. 

At the end the most important thing is to be thankful for your life and good health , and don't show any resistance if you experience an atraco ( if you get assaulted give away everything)

Despite the social insecurity, I love this country and nothing will stop me or discourage me to change my way of thinking  about this beautiful island and its people.

Unfortunately ladrones, some police officers, and security guards in the banks and Malls are accomplices

Cheers

Interesting point -  I like the idea in principal not to buy second hand parts!  Sometimes there is no other option! 

I know of many many people who had the car mirrors stolen,  it is a quick and easy theft that can be done anywhere! 

As to theft insurance -  tough to get,  expensive and go ahead and try to make a claim..... often not worth the hassle.  Most times its easier to just absorb it.

Security webcams are an option, only as good as whoever is watching the footage I guess?

There is also a risk with new parts as they can be counterfeit.  It is one thing to buy for example a fake watch, but not if where safety is involved.  There are reports that counterfeit auto parts have caused crashes and serious injury in some countries.  What happens if new brake pads fail in a month, or tempered glass is replaced with regular glass...

http://www.safebraking.com/bad-brakes-c … rd-taxies/

Same issue here with medications. The government has recently cracked down on this but you need to be very careful!

Yes meds here can be crap.  I only use meds from the US or Canada.

As to auto parts we recently had an accident and had major repairs done to our Toyota.  The "new" parts that were ordered and use were certainly "new" but many were sub par and in fact we have replaced one part two times so far.  I also recently bought a used jeep.  The mechanic here who I trust gave me a list of things needing to be done and I brought in two suitcases (70# each) filled with auto parts from the US.

Bob K

We are rebuilding a Mitsubishi pickup truck - same issues.  Some parts are far inferior

Similar fake parts on a motorcycle/motoconcho could make for a deadly mix...


Here's a Kawaksaki blog on the issue of fake parts in the world: http://www.riderforums.com/general-ninj … iew-4.html  see the entry dated 04-24-14, 10:09 AM

70# pounds Bob? What airline do you fly? Most airlines only allow 50# and if you try to pay extra they will not let you    did they let you pay for the extra weight?

Delta Bob???  The owner of our company flies Delta and has huge allowances for luggage.

Actually United Newark to POP. I had enough points to up grade to first class so had 3 bags of up to 70# free.  Actually between the car parts and shopping (lots of food and house stuff) I ended up at 211 pounds and the let the one pound over go.

Bob K

Ahhhh that whole first class thing works.....LOL

Yes it does.  I love it when I am spoiled.

Bob K

If the parts/equipment need to come in checked airline luggage is there a preferred type of bag?    Our own choice was for a wheeled hockey bag and used new pillows, etc for padding.  In Canada and Northern US the airlines are used to handling  hockey luggage.

Ted

P.S.  We have a funny photo of a blue hockey bag on a yola going between Samana and Sabana de la Mar.

Packed it in rolling duffels

Bob K

well i dunno like. i have NEVER had any problem with any repairs ever done, nor any bits replaced, OK some of the replacement bits didn't seem to have the original makers name on them but they worked, which is all that mattered.
these people who live in ex-pat gated ,watchiman protected etc are in my opinion asking for problems. you've emigrated to the RD so get with them.

Well said Granca!