How to Not Get Robbed in Buenos Aires
Advice from an Experienced Victim of Pickpocking
http://voices.yahoo.com/how-not-robbed-buenos-aires-644517.html?cat=46#comments
I wish that I could say that I had never been robbed in Buenos Aires. In
fact, I think I could win the price as the ultimate victim for petty criminals.
Tall, blonde, travelling alone.
Generally overly trustworthy and
naive, prone to talk to strangers. The list of things that have been stolen
from me while in Buenos Aires is long and includes things of minimal value,
like an old celular phone, my CT State Driver´s License, and $2.50 pesos
(roughly .75 U.S.). I have fallen for
schemes in which someone doused me with hand lotion without my knowing, and
then "came to my rescue" by offering to wipe off my coat as they
searched it for money.
I have chased down and caught the man who
grabbed my bag while getting out of the subway. All in all, I have learned
a lot about how petty thieves work in this city, and can at least attest to
what NOT to do.
Don´t blindly trust or
mistrust anyone. That is, anyone, even those you least expect, can be a thief
in Buenos Aires. In fact, some of the biggest thieves are sitting right in the
governmental buildings!
1-Any large amount of money
that you are carrying should always be in your front pocket, or in an inner
pocket.
The subway can be so packed
with people during rush hour that even if you have your backpack in front of
you, you may not notice a hand slipping in it, amongst all the pushing and
shoving. (I agree with
Elizabeth, you can check my post with a similar advice).
The same goes for phones,
camaras, anything of value. (I am tired of watching tourists carrying their
cameras in such a way as they were at home in the garden. This is Buenos
Aires…!)
The subways and buses are prime locations for
thievery, so always have your eye out, and always have at least one hand
covering the zipper of your bag. The same goes for artisan markets, train and
subway stations, and any commercial area where there is a crowd. There´s no need to be
paranoid, but you should always be prepared for a strange situation.
Aside from the
occasional pickpocket, I have not had any problems with crime in 2 years of
living in Buenos Aires, and I have not lived a sheltered, upper-class
neighborhood lifestyle. I feel safe walking in the street at night, waiting for
a bus or hailing a cab alone in most places in Buenos Aires. Women certainly
get hassled once in a while in the street, but it is not nearly as offensive as
the level of sexual harassment in some Caribbean countries.
There is a
growing income disparity, which you will see reflected on every street corner.
Children contribute to a minimal family salary by selling knick-knacks on the
street, washing car windows or juggling in the intersections. Entire families
can be seen sorting the garbage in search of the usable or recyclable items. In this growing clash of rich and poor, the
rate of small robberies and pickpockets has risen. This is especially true in
the traditionally working class neighborhoods which have become tourist
attractions, such as San Telmo and la Boca.
Beware of walking at night
alone, of flashing your money or leaving your purse unattended in a restaurant. Barbara Bush got her purse
snatched off the floor of a restaurant last year in San Telmo, and headlines
abounded about safety issues in Buenos Aires. If you ask me, there is no amount
of money and no number of security guards who can prevent blatant stupidity.
My number one piece of
advice is the age old adage "don´t judge a book by its cover". I have never seen
or heard of anyone getting ripped off by a homeless person on the street, while I have seen an older man in suit, tie
and jacket hustle people without anyone giving him a second glance.
The
hand lotion scheme was carried out by a group women in their 50s who looked
like they were out for a morning stroll. My experience in the "villas
misereres", which would be our equivalent of the ghetto or the projects,
has been without a flaw, while tourists
get robbed in Barrio Norte on a daily basis.
Common sense is
key here. Don´t flash your money.
If it can be at
all avoided, don´t carry your valuables,
keep money and camaras to a minimum. Be careful when leaving ATM machines.
Take a taxi (Radio Taxi is the best)
late at night, and pay attention to where the driver is going. The most
important thing is to have fun and make the most out of your stay in Buenos
Aires. If I had to donate my driver´s license and .75 cents to a professional
thief to do that, I´d say it has been more than worth it.
