Christmas a boom time for thieves

You can be a victim in your home, car or on the street and the National Police remains powerless before the wave of crime that is sweeping the country.

The new security laws are supposed to give more power to policemen, but little has been achieved due to political interests although the presidential campaigners call for a crack down on crime.

Here are a few samples of recent criminal activities in our city.

A furniture store deposit in Curundu was robbed this week, as criminals in Via Transistmica stopped cars in order to assault drivers. As police forces gathered in the crime area, assailants carrying guns and machetes, attacked a Corredor – Santa Librada bus, taking the money and jewelry of the driver and the passengers. Meanwhile, in Colon, a Venezuelan tourist was assaulted in full light of day.

As if this wasn't enough, nothing attests to the insecurity statistics that are constantly fed to us more than the personal narratives we hear, on a recurrent basis, from friends and relatives.

An email circulating this week speaks of the express kidnappings and car jackings that have become common place in the city. The victim was walking towards her car outside Albrook Mall at around 7:00 p.m. in the last week of November, when three men wearing masks and gloves forced her into the back seat of her car and drove away.

Although she was parked closed to the mall and under good lighting, as soon as she opened her car's door to throw in her bags and purse, she was hit in the back and shoved into the back seat. She was told to remain quiet or else be murdered.

The three men searched the car and took all her belongings and made repeated death threats. They took her wallet and debit card and forced her to reveal the pin number.

Her life was further threatened when the assailants realized she only carried $60 in cash, and had only $40 on her debit card, and did not know the pin numbers for any of her credit cards. Two assailants in the car started beating her, spat on her, and verbally abused her? threatening to kill her if she couldn't come up with the pin numbers.

While driving they passed several main avenues, including Via Brazil, through a police stop, several Corredor Sur toll booths, and stopped for beers and cigarettes. But no one was alerted. After much debates among the assailants she was finally released.

A similar incident was reported happening near San Francisco, in mid daylight last Sunday, when two men hijacked a Mercedes and took the woman driver around town so she could empty her ATM accounts.

Home invasions and robberies have led to one death, and numerous injuries and have occurred in many parts of the city from Coco del Mar through Avenida Balboa to Ancon.

Readers are warned to be constantly alert, especially during the holiday season where historically assailants and thieves increase their operations.

Don’t go to the mall alone. When entering your car, make sure to lock the doors immediately. If possible, drive cars without tainted windows (they tend to attract express kidnappers). Never stop your car, even if you hear heavy noises or disturbances, as these are usually used by assailants to get into cars and steal purses and belongings.