Crime in Ecuador 2019

Statistics have numbers with a p number etc. This is not stats but a number in a paper, huge difference. Could the number be real? Sure. Could it be fake? Yes.  It is primarily used to sell more papers.  So one should use caution in getting a cab and also believing this number. Let us assume the number are real based on what is reported. If you were the head of the police in Qyito wanting an increase in funding would you possibly report more crime? If you were the head of the police in Quito and you received a huge increase last year in finding would you report less crime? Be vigant in what a newspaper says and the cab you take. You will be both safe and smart.

Thanks for the information.

Ok, crime is increasing or the reporting of it is, maybe.

My question is about express kidnappings and decreasing the chance of being a victim.  I agree, know the taxi driver.  But what about owning a car?  Will that be safer and then used sucured parking?

I don't worry a lot but I like to be aware.

Robin

I think it would be safer.

RobinJoel wrote:

Thanks for the information.

Ok, crime is increasing or the reporting of it is, maybe.

My question is about express kidnappings and decreasing the chance of being a victim.  I agree, know the taxi driver.  But what about owning a car?  Will that be safer and then used sucured parking?

I don't worry a lot but I like to be aware.

Robin

Yes your own car would be safer. An investigation for instance reported that 70% of express kidnappings occurred in yellow taxis in Quito. The remaining 30% were in private vehicles either the victim's or the criminal's (pirate taxi for instance).

As for secure parking, it really is best. Get good full-coverage insurance (todo riesgo), and install a satellite tracking device which should lower your deductible in case the car is stolen by 10-15%.

How about taking the bus vs a taxi?

Bigbrad2008 wrote:

How about taking the bus vs a taxi?

The only type of crime on buses that we hear and read about is petty crime. Especially, snatch and run where the thieves would time the “snatch” just as the bus opens it door.

So if you are worried about violence, take the bus? Better for the environment too

I think people should be aware rather than worried. That’s the point of this thread to bring awareness of specific types of crime that we have in Ecuador. Crimes like express kidnappings, scopolamine drugging and modus operandi of sacapintas.

I agree, and bring aware might have you choose a bus instead of a taxi. LOL. We do agree, use your brain and think.

We can debate the percentages all night. But what is the government and specially the police doing about it? I’ve been watching videos in Spanish of south Quito where bands of thieves and drug addicts live in squatter camps close to the Machangara river. The ojos de águila cameras in some of those places don’t work from lack of maintenance and because criminals smash them. Most of these vagrants come out in numbers to do their deeds in the evenings but not always. The transportation is good all over the city so they can operate anywhere at any time! I’ve seen videos of vigilantes catching thieves in the act and beating the crap out of them and the cops are nowhere to be found. It’s unnerving considering Quito use to be safe years ago. Is pepper spray legal to carry in Ecuador? I’m fluent in Spanish but that’s probably not a deterrent.

That is my point, to really know if a place is more or less dangerous you need to examine the percentages. Watching videos might make you do the wrong thing and be unsafe. But be aware of your surroundings

norviato1 wrote:

We can debate the percentages all night. But what is the government and specially the police doing about it? I’ve been watching videos in Spanish of south Quito where bands of thieves and drug addicts live in squatter camps close to the Machangara river. The ojos de águila cameras in some of those places don’t work from lack of maintenance and because criminals smash them. Most of these vagrants come out in numbers to do their deeds in the evenings but not always. The transportation is good all over the city so they can operate anywhere at any time! I’ve seen videos of vigilantes catching thieves in the act and beating the crap out of them and the cops are nowhere to be found. It’s unnerving considering Quito use to be safe years ago. Is pepper spray legal to carry in Ecuador? I’m fluent in Spanish but that’s probably not a deterrent.

From abroad, you sure know quite a bit about Quito. Yes, in some areas the police rarely patrol, and it’s not limited to areas in south Quito but also some areas in north. Crimes that make the news are almost always about centro-North and Cumbayá or the affluent areas of the capital. Nobody writes about or talks about the "ghetto" areas but for people in north Quito we know that some areas in the south are no-go areas. There is even a joke about it, that the Madonna or Virgin of El Panecillo has turned her back on that part of town as her face is facing north and her back towards the south.    

As for what the police is doing, I don’t know but I think we need more of them. Some communities take matters into their own hands, for example closing off two or more blocks and setting up checkpoints with security guards so strangers can’t pass through and in essence creating gated communities out of city blocks. Some neighborhoods have private security booths at corners of streets.  Recently, Quito elected a new mayor who will take office next month, and he ran on a platform of improving security, so we shall see.

Even though my working classish neighborhood in Guayaquil isn't gated, there's a little police station about 1 block from me. Theres also a network of private security guards in the community, according to my girlfriend. The guard works basically from dusk till dawn, watching over the parking lot and the homes that surround it. There are other guards who cover the streets in the commercial parts of the neighborhood. And there are lots of security cameras at the intersections and around the neighborhood schools. The next door neighbor did a massive, modern remodel and brought in a smarthome security system from the states. I pointed out the tiny cams to my girlfriend.

Thanks, I have an Amazon fire stick, smart lights, plug in, remote speaker so I can just tell Alexa's to turn on/off lights, turn on plug in things, change the channel, play music in my other room etc. I saw a low cost security system that works via WiFi and it is Alexa compatible. It is easy to set up, wireless and you can get emails etc if it detects something. No monthly subscription. Would that easy low cost security system be worthwhile? I will rent so I do not want a hard to install system. It can call the cops if they are in the USA but it might take awhile lol. It does sound a loud alarm that anyone with 100 feet can hear. Would that be a good thing?

Bigbrad2008 wrote:

I saw a low cost security system that works via WiFi and it is Alexa compatible. It is easy to set up, wireless and you can get emails etc if it detects something. No monthly subscription. Would that easy low-cost security system be worthwhile?...It does sound a loud alarm that anyone with 100 feet can hear. Would that be a good thing?

I think that sounds like a great idea! If you like the price, give it a shot.
One of my friends in Ohio lives in a high crime neighborhood. He recently installed a six cam smart system by himself and he is not a technical dude. He loves the remote monitoring by smartphone, the notifications when people come to the doors. it gives him great peace of mind. The cameras are unobtrusive, like about the size of a baseball.  He, like me, had been under the impression that the systems would cost 10-20x the price, so he had never bothered to investigate it.

The system I am looking at is cheap, like 70 bucks. It has a motion detector and two magnet like things that go on door and window. It has no camera but does go off and email you if the sensors are set off.

I live in the US but was born in Quito Ecuador eons ago lol I still have relatives left there and visit occasionally. For a number of years I’ve been thinking of going back as I’m tired of Trumpland. I live in central Florida in a small beach town with extremely low crime rate. I often go shopping at Walmart very late at night and nothing happens. Other than that there’s not much here and Ecuador is a much better option in many ways. If it wasn’t for the crime I’d be there right now. It’s hard to choose!
I’m considering Cuenca because everyone says it’s quite safe. I was there in the 80´s and even Quito was ok then. My brother has a house in Cumbayá that’s rented and we all know it’s not completely safe there either. So, no matter which way the virgin is facing the pelucones are getting hit as well. Let’s hope the new mayor will do something about it. Word gets around and Ecuador depends so much on tourism.

My advice, move to Ecudoar, wear a MAGA hat and you will have a forcefield of safety and all the women will love you.

You’re too funny 😁

Take a look at this video so you can identify the thief that stole your cell phone 📱 lol

https://youtu.be/sXjTl7x0f5o

norviato1 wrote:

I live in the US but was born in Quito Ecuador eons ago lol I still have relatives left there and visit occasionally. For a number of years I’ve been thinking of going back as I’m tired of Trumpland. I live in central Florida in a small beach town with extremely low crime rate. I often go shopping at Walmart very late at night and nothing happens. Other than that there’s not much here and Ecuador is a much better option in many ways. If it wasn’t for the crime I’d be there right now. It’s hard to choose! I’m considering Cuenca because everyone says it’s quite safe.

Cuenca is without a doubt safer and is one of the reasons why it’s often recommended, especially to solo seniors on this website. It’s safe, has amenities, good health-care facilities, etc.

But, if you like Quito, don’t let crime discourage you. Some of the precautions that are posted on this thread may seem perplexing but they become second nature. It’s simply different here and we have to adapt, but personally I’ve never felt unsafe in the capital. I live alone in a house, and sometimes travel and never had an issue. But, I’m also part of a neighborhood Whatsapp group and friendly with neighbors, so we look out for one another. The neighborhood also has consistent police patrols. Sometimes, I come home very late, and sometimes I go out very late to get a snack or coffee.

The crime, and the statistics and the happenings, I follow everything that is related to Quito, my home. And, I’m under no illusion that bad things happen and neither do I downplay them. As a resident, I accept the reality and adapt accordingly. Sometimes, we simply love a destination and accept the good and the bad.

My understanding is that you are receiving information from relatives in Quito and taking that feedback into consideration. Perhaps, you can try living here and if it doesn't suit you then move to Cuenca.

Cuenca is safer than Quito but it doesn’t mean there’s no crime. I talked to a Canadian that moved there and was robbed by using scopolamine. He said he woke up in the hospital after 4 days of being in a coma, not knowing what had occurred. I asked him if he knew the assailants but he didn’t want to elaborate. I suspect he did something stupid like bring someone over to his apartment, maybe not. Who knows? Bodies have been found on the rivers in Cuenca but it wasn’t determined if they were homicides. Another Canadian was found dead in his apartment in el Centro de Cuenca but that case could have been of natural causes. You hear about it once and then no follow up. I think they’re concerned about the effects on tourism. Quito definitely has more to offer in the scheme of things but scares the heck out of me even though I was born there. From the time I was a child living there to what it’s today is totally different. I have relatives that I virtually don’t know as I’ve been gone forever. The one’s that I still have contact with are fairly old and can’t accompany me around. It’s a dilemma lol Basically that’s why I feel that Cuenca is a better fit even though I only have Internet acquaintances there. I did live in Ibarra, Otavalo, Tulcan and San Lorenzo when I was teenager for one year. One of my aunts had a chain of hotels at the time. Pickpockets have been around for years but violent crimes are  fairly recent in Ecuador’s history. Things have changed drastically!

As long as you have inequalities, you’ll find crime in copious amounts.
The have not’s have to take from the have’s lol
Still don’t know if it’s legal to carry pepper spray in Ecuador? 🇪🇨

I do not know but I would not do it.

I find myself thinking about crime, our perception of it, our reaction to it, our anxieties about it.
I think about the suburban Cincinnati neighborhood where i was living from 2008-2016. I owned a standard middle-class home in a middle-class neighborhood built in the early 70s. I think also about how different neighbors--- living on the same quiet culdesac--- dealt with security.

Here's how I did it: I insured my home and cars well, above my income, above my net worth. I bought a liability umbrella policy. I put in brighter light bulbs in every outdoor fixture. I installed heavy duty strike plates on the doors and heavy screws. i deadbolted the doors at night and locked the cars parked on the driveway. I carried less than $40 in cash.

That's it. I didn't own a gun or pepper spray. I didn't have any kind of home security system. Eventually got a dog but she was for companionship, not security

Several neighbors on my culdesac had alarm systems-- more than half, based on the signs in the windows and such. Some also had camera systems. A few neighbors had trained security-type dogs (like dobermans and german shepherds). Several had guns, i presumed, because of the NRA stickers on their pick up trucks.

We were all on the same little street, reacting to the situation of risk in different ways, because of our individual circumstances and our own beliefs about how to handle risk. 

My way of handling things in Guayaquil is the same. I may be a naive person, I guess my Cincinnati neighbors thought that. I insure myself beyond my net worth. I have put in brighter lights around the building here myself. Soon, I will upgrade the doors and locks, it is near the top of my to-do list. I try not to worry about it.

norviato1 wrote:

Cuenca is safer than Quito but it doesn’t mean there’s no crime. I talked to a Canadian that moved there and was robbed by using scopolamine. He said he woke up in the hospital after 4 days of being in a coma, not knowing what had occurred. I asked him if he knew the assailants but he didn’t want to elaborate. I suspect he did something stupid like bring someone over to his apartment, maybe not. Who knows?

Unfortunately this type of crime occurs regularly in Ecuador and in one post I linked to a source that stated 386 cases were reported in Quito in one year alone. It's a despicable and disturbing way to rob someone because a slight overdose could result in death. Exercising  precaution such as those posted on this thread can minimize this particular risk.

Bodies have been found on the rivers in Cuenca but it wasn’t determined if they were homicides. Another Canadian was found dead in his apartment in el Centro de Cuenca but that case could have been of natural causes. You hear about it once and then no follow up. I think they’re concerned about the effects on tourism.

Some of the bodies that are discovered account for some of the desaparecidos or the people who disappear. About 98% are eventually found alive, but about a 150 or so bodies turn-up each year in rivers, ravines, woods, etc. Ecuador is actually doing something about it as it has a special police unit dedicated to the desaparecidos. I think that Ecuador is also the first country in South America to create a database on disappeared persons. So, there is accountability unlike other countries where people disappear and are forgotten.

Quito definitely has more to offer in the scheme of things but scares the heck out of me even though I was born there. From the time I was a child living there to what it’s today is totally different. I have relatives that I virtually don’t know as I’ve been gone forever. The one’s that I still have contact with are fairly old and can’t accompany me around. It’s a dilemma lol Basically that’s why I feel that Cuenca is a better fit even though I only have Internet acquaintances there.

To be afraid will undermine quality of life and considering you feel so strongly about crime in Quito then IMO, it’s better to live in Cuenca and have peace of mind. As for only having internet acquaintances, that’s not bad for a start. I think most of us who moved here came without having any kind of connections. Considering you are fluent in Spanish and English, socializing and the transition will easier for you.

I did live in Ibarra, Otavalo, Tulcan and San Lorenzo when I was teenager for one year. One of my aunts had a chain of hotels at the time. Pickpockets have been around for years but violent crimes are  fairly recent in Ecuador’s history. Things have changed drastically!

This is true and I think the increase in violent crime is attributed to a number of social issues including gangs, drugs, abuse, etc. But, we have something going for us in that the murder rate has decreased significantly over the past decade. Also, express kidnappings are much less now than they were several years ago. The murder rate is 5.7 it was 22, expressing kidnappings were in the hundreds now despite re-emerging remain far less. So, it's probably true that Quito is not as safe than 30 or so years ago as my neighbors tell me all the time, but it's definitely safer than 2012 statistically.

norviato1 wrote:

As long as you have inequalities, you’ll find crime in copious amounts.
The have not’s have to take from the have’s lol
Still don’t know if it’s legal to carry pepper spray in Ecuador? 🇪🇨

That is absolutely true and poverty is indeed a culprit in crime.

As for the pepper spray, they sell it here. I recently saw them at Autozone displayed on a counter. I know some women carry it, but when I asked a friend if it was legal. He replied that I might face trouble if it's found in the car at a checkpoint.

You're a senior citizen, carrying it, no one will give you a problem. Just buy it locally.

Being a senior citizen, the robbers might.

Bigbrad2008 wrote:

Being a senior citizen, the robbers might.

Here you are picking on the elderly, I could probably kick your behind haha 🤡😜🙃

lebowski888 wrote:

I find myself thinking about crime, our perception of it, our reaction to it, our anxieties about it.
I think about the suburban Cincinnati neighborhood where i was living from 2008-2016. I owned a standard middle-class home in a middle-class neighborhood built in the early 70s. I think also about how different neighbors--- living on the same quiet culdesac--- dealt with security.

Here's how I did it: I insured my home and cars well, above my income, above my net worth. I bought a liability umbrella policy. I put in brighter light bulbs in every outdoor fixture. I installed heavy duty strike plates on the doors and heavy screws. i deadbolted the doors at night and locked the cars parked on the driveway. I carried less than $40 in cash.

That's it. I didn't own a gun or pepper spray. I didn't have any kind of home security system. Eventually got a dog but she was for companionship, not security

Several neighbors on my culdesac had alarm systems-- more than half, based on the signs in the windows and such. Some also had camera systems. A few neighbors had trained security-type dogs (like dobermans and german shepherds). Several had guns, i presumed, because of the NRA stickers on their pick up trucks.

We were all on the same little street, reacting to the situation of risk in different ways, because of our individual circumstances and our own beliefs about how to handle risk. 

My way of handling things in Guayaquil is the same. I may be a naive person, I guess my Cincinnati neighbors thought that. I insure myself beyond my net worth. I have put in brighter lights around the building here myself. Soon, I will upgrade the doors and locks, it is near the top of my to-do list. I try not to worry about it.

You guys that grew up in rough areas have a clear advantage. I went to private schools and everything scares me haha 🙃😜🤡

vsimple wrote:

norviato1 wrote:

As long as you have inequalities, you’ll find crime in copious amounts.
The have not’s have to take from the have’s lol
Still don’t know if it’s legal to carry pepper spray in Ecuador? 🇪🇨

That is absolutely true and poverty is indeed a culprit in crime.

As for the pepper spray, they sell it here. I recently saw them at Autozone displayed on a counter. I know some women carry it, but when I asked a friend if it was legal. He replied that I might face trouble if it's found in the car at a checkpoint.

You're a senior citizen, carrying it, no one will give you a problem. Just buy it locally.

You have a good philosophy about everything and that certainly helps you cope with adversity.

One the latest robberies in Quito was quite shocking really. I believe it was a young student returning to his car in Cumbaya and attacked with a rock that broke his eye sockets and now needs titanium plates to hold his eyeballs in place. No helpless senior citizen there.
My sister in law sister’s live in excellent parts of Quito and have to organize a team to go to the bank to withdraw money and they do it at different branches so they’re not pinpointed. They are all Ecuadoreans and speak the language. When my family here in the states hear that, they think maybe not about living back there. I know, I have to stop being a chicken, read the statistics and buy a 70 dollar alarm 🚨 lol 🥵🤡

Maybe yes maybe no, but I will not be the guy robbing you, or guys. They will be young, hungry, and maybe armed. And of course you will have time to react as they yell at you 5 minutes before they rob you. Lol

Bigbrad2008 wrote:

Maybe yes maybe no, but I will not be the guy robbing you, or guys. They will be young, hungry, and maybe armed. And of course you will have time to react as they yell at you 5 minutes before they rob you. Lol

I do appreciate your encouragement, you’re priceless lol 🥵😳
Hungry my foot, they’re drug addicted, I’ll gather up some videos about that and post them.
No necesito 5 minutos para darme cuenta jaja 😑

BigBrad2008:
You know, considering you’re 60 years old yourself, you shouldn’t be calling anyone senior citizen and talking about women wanting you. Ironic! haha 😬

With a MAGA hat on they do. But lewboski has good advice be careful when and where you go and have little of value to steal.  That might be the best

Bigbrad2008 wrote:

With a MAGA hat on they do. But lewboski has good advice be careful when and where you go and have little of value to steal.  That might be the best

After 60 we’re not worth much anyway, so they’d be wasting their time lol 🙂