Newcomer Recoleta . Zona Liberada - Entraderas

[RichardOne]

In the past couple of weeks in a 5 block radius 7 entraderas have been reported in my area of Recoleta .

What measures could one take against being surprised at gunpoint when you enter or in the elevator of your building, then followed to your apt. tied up and disposed of your valuables.
Bodyguards...

 

[DaveDed]

In the past couple of weeks in a 5 block radius 7 entraderas have been reported in my area of Recoleta .

What measures could one take against being surprised at gunpoint when you enter or in the elevator of your building, then followed to your apt. tied up and disposed of your valuables.
Bodyguards...

This is a very good suggestion. Also another trick is to write the "emergency" code on a piece of tape and put it right next to the keypad. And keep the real code in your head only. That way if someone follows you in and makes you enter the code, you will remember the emergency code more easily. The guy who installed the alarm in my shop a few years ago recommended to do this. Also if you come in the building late at night, have your cell phone in your hand and pretend you are talking to someone as you come in the building. It's becoming really frightening here.

In the past 3 months there have been some major robberies right in the center / Congreso where I live. First was the hotel Savoy on Callao & Perón, a grupo comando went in with machine guns and robbed the front desk at like 6 in the morning, then about a week later, a similar kind of thing happened but they robbed the subway station at Callao & Corrientes and 2 weeks ago an armed group tried to rob "La Pasiva" a huge restaurant, like 200 tables on Corrientes between Callao & Rodriguez Peña, it was on the news because one of the waiters, a Colombian guy fought of the armed robbers with his fists and he was given an award by the Colombian ambassador to Argentina for bravery. Luckily he wasn´t attending his funeral. Be careful guys and girls.

 

[earlyretirement]

This is a very good suggestion. Also another trick is to write the "emergency" code on a piece of tape and put it right next to the keypad. And keep the real code in your head only. That way if someone follows you in and makes you enter the code, you will remember the emergency code more easily. The guy who installed the alarm in my shop a few years ago recommended to do this. Also if you come in the building late at night, have your cell phone in your hand and pretend you are talking to someone as you come in the building. It's becoming really frightening here.

In the past 3 months there have been some major robberies right in the center / Congreso where I live. First was the hotel Savoy on Callao & Perón, a grupo comando went in with machine guns and robbed the front desk at like 6 in the morning, then about a week later, a similar kind of thing happened but they robbed the subway station at Callao & Corrientes and 2 weeks ago an armed group tried to rob "La Pasiva" a huge restaurant, like 200 tables on Corrientes between Callao & Rodriguez Peña, it was on the news because one of the waiters, a Colombian guy fought of the armed robbers with his fists and he was given an award by the Colombian ambassador to Argentina for bravery. Luckily he wasn´t attending his funeral. Be careful guys and girls.

I still get a kick out of the people that STILL try claiming that Buenos Aires is as safe as any large city in the USA.

 

[GraseBes]

When I lived in Orlando I was afraid to look at someone too long (>3 seconds). I was too afraid to admire a girl without having to talk someone down from a fight. If I opened a car door into another dudes door and he saw, I might have a 30% chance of not getting in a fist fight. 3 nights out of the week on average I would say I witnessed a fist fight. At least one of those nights one of them would be stretchered away by an ambulance. At least once every couple of months someone I knew or someone who someone I knew knew would get killed in a club or near one for something stupid. In my neighborhood alone (college neighborhood), 3 white upperclass students got killed over drugs in the 2 years I lived there. I lived 10 minutes away from UCF.

The first party I went to, with a friend who was visiting me, we took the party outside of the apartments and into the streets when too many people showed up. At one point two girls started fist fighting eachother, one of them eventually sitting on top of the other one, hammering her face into the ground. During this time, her boyfriend stood cheering with a bunch of other degenerates, circling and cheering around them. Some dude next to me (we were standing on a 3rd floor balcony when this happened) finishes his beer and through it near the two girls once someone else on the ground level began the beer bottle throwing.

I am not worried about someone who only wants my money. At least I know what they want. In the states people want to hurt you just because they get a kick out of it. Buenos Aires is only dangerous if you´re not careful and don´t wanna give up your money.

Aint nothin violent like the states

 

[Saraing]

When I lived in Orlando I was afraid to look at someone too long (>3 seconds). I was too afraid to admire a girl without having to talk someone down from a fight. If I opened a car door into another dudes door and he saw, I might have a 30% chance of not getting in a fist fight. 3 nights out of the week on average I would say I witnessed a fist fight. At least one of those nights one of them would be stretchered away by an ambulance. At least once every couple of months someone I knew or someone who someone I knew knew would get killed in a club or near one for something stupid. In my neighborhood alone (college neighborhood), 3 white upperclass students got killed over drugs in the 2 years I lived there. I lived 10 minutes away from UCF.

The first party I went to, with a friend who was visiting me, we took the party outside of the apartments and into the streets when too many people showed up. At one point two girls started fist fighting eachother, one of them eventually sitting on top of the other one, hammering her face into the ground. During this time, her boyfriend stood cheering with a bunch of other degenerates, circling and cheering around them. Some dude next to me (we were standing on a 3rd floor balcony when this happened) finishes his beer and through it near the two girls once someone else on the ground level began the beer bottle throwing.

I am not worried about someone who only wants my money. At least I know what they want. In the states people want to hurt you just because they get a kick out of it. Buenos Aires is only dangerous if you´re not careful and don´t wanna give up your money.

Aint nothin violent like the states

DUDE...did you live off OBT in the hood?? And are your friends all hoodrats, gangstas, and hookers? Because I'll tell you this much, I have family that lives in Orlando and never have I seen that kind of violence.

If you personally are seeing that level of violence in the States on a weekly basis, you and your friends roll with a rough crowd and constantly putting yourselves in a position to experience such violence.

 

[earlyretirement]

DUDE...did you live off OBT in the hood?? And are your friends all hoodrats, gangstas, and hookers? Because I'll tell you this much, I have family that lives in Orlando and never have I seen that kind of violence.

If you personally are seeing that level of violence in the States on a weekly basis, you and your friends roll with a rough crowd and constantly putting yourselves in a position to experience such violence.

LOL. I was going to say the same thing. I have been to Orlando several times as well as having friends from there. They have NEVER experienced this.

I'm not sure what part of town you live or the type of friends you associate with but this NOT the norm in Orlando or almost any other city in the USA either.

 

[IvanCaes]

I still get a kick out of the people that STILL try claiming that Buenos Aires is as safe as any large city in the USA.

And I am equally tired of those that ignore statistically accurate fact:

http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/il/chicago/crime/#data
Chicago Annual Crimes (2011)
VIOLENT PROPERTY TOTAL
28,415 120,616 149,031
annual crimes per 1,000 residents
10.54 44.75 55.29

That, my friends, breaks down to approximately 78 violent crimes per day - murder, rape, assault, armed robbery and and 330 crimes against property per day, all in a city with less than 3 million population! Buenos Aires, at a population of 15.2 million, rounding to approximate numbers, would have to see approximately 390 violent crimes daily and 1,650 property crimes daily, just to equal Chicago numbers, per capita. Now, this is Chicago, which while still a violent city, and despite all those persistent images of the shoot 'em up 1930s gangster lifestyle, is no longer one of the USA top 10 most dangerous cities, per capita. But go on believing that all is fine in the good old USA. Like going from the frying pan, into the fire.

 

[TrevorOD]

And I am equally tired of those that ignore statistically accurate fact:

http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/il/chicago/crime/#data
Chicago Annual Crimes (2011)
VIOLENT PROPERTY TOTAL
28,415 120,616 149,031
annual crimes per 1,000 residents
10.54 44.75 55.29

That, my friends, breaks down to approximately 78 violent crimes per day - murder, rape, assault, armed robbery and and 330 crimes against property per day, all in a city with less than 3 million population! Buenos Aires, at a population of 15.2 million, rounding to approximate numbers, would have to see approximately 390 violent crimes daily and 1,650 property crimes daily, just to equal Chicago numbers, per capita. Now, this is Chicago, which while still a violent city, and despite all those persistent images of the shoot 'em up 1930s gangster lifestyle, is no longer one of the USA top 10 most dangerous cities, per capita. But go on believing that all is fine in the good old USA. Like going from the frying pan, into the fire.

How many of these are gang related? How many of these occur in middle / upper class neighbourhoods? What about all the crimes that go unreported here?

I think the average Joe in Buenos Aires has a significantly higher chance of being the victim of crime than in the US.

 

[IvanCaes]

@TrevorOD And I respect your right to "feel" however it makes you feel "comfortable". However, could you tell me, please, how statistically if I get shot in the face by a gang member that is any different than if I get shot in the face by a white-collar suburban crackhead, who is a having a bad day? Still an attempted murder charge. Still a stat. And as far as those "peaky" unreported crimes, what makes you think someone in BA is less likely to report a crime than someone in Chicago? Where is the evidence for that? Do you think every rape gets reported in Chicago? Every assault as guys leave a bar at 4:00 AM? Seriously..I love this argument. Ignore the actual, factual statistics, because there is the imaginary "unreported crime behemoth", which of course only occurs in "my country... city...whatever". Feel away...I am sticking to facts. I'd walk blindfolded through BA, before I walked Chicago armed with an Uzi. Detroit anyone? Miami? East St.Louis? Baltimore? NYC? Please...crime everywhere.

 

[TrevorOD]

@TrevorOD And I respect your right to "feel" however it makes you feel "comfortable". However, could you tell me, please, how statistically if I get shot in the face by a gang member that is any different than if I get shot in the face by a white-collar suburban crackhead, who is a having a bad day? Still an attempted murder charge. Still a stat. And as far as those "peaky" unreported crimes, what makes you think someone in BA is less likely to report a crime than someone in Chicago? Where is the evidence for that? Do you think every rape gets reported in Chicago? Every assault as guys leave a bar at 4:00 AM? Seriously..I love this argument. Ignore the actual, factual statistics, because there is the imaginary "unreported crime behemoth", which of course only occurs in "my country... city...whatever". Feel away...I am sticking to facts. I'd walk blindfolded through BA, before I walked Chicago armed with an Uzi. Detroit anyone? Miami? East St.Louis? Baltimore? NYC? Please...crime everywhere.

Its not rocket science, most Argentines I know dont report crimes as they dont trust the police. My girlfriend has been robbed 3 times in the past year n a half (luckily nothing happened to me yet) and hasnt reported. Her friends, family, my colleagues, mates...no one bothers because the police have a history of taking advantage. What reasonable citizen wouldnt report a crime in the US? Do you know many people that wouldnt? Most police would be fairly trustworthy I thought, especially in comparison to Argentina.

Most serious crime in the US is gang related.

Compare the strike rate of crimes against Argentine friends / family whatever and then compare it against those in the US. Unless your living in the hood in the states or associate with gangs Id very surprised if in the US its higher.

And FYI, to be honest crime in the US doesnt interest me that much. I am not American and it wouldnt be on my radar. What I care about is crime here, and the feeling that its on the up. I dont need any more info than what I hear from my girlfriends friends and family and my friends and colleagues, first hand experiences.

 

[earlyretirement]

Its not rocket science, most Argentines I know dont report crimes as they dont trust the police. My girlfriend has been robbed 3 times in the past year n a half (luckily nothing happened to me yet) and hasnt reported. Her friends, family, my colleagues, mates...no one bothers because the police have a history of taking advantage. What reasonable citizen wouldnt report a crime in the US? Do you know many people that wouldnt? Most police would be fairly trustworthy I thought, especially in comparison to Argentina.

Most serious crime in the US is gang related.

Compare the strike rate of crimes against Argentine friends / family whatever and then compare it against those in the US. Unless your living in the hood in the states or associate with gangs Id very surprised if in the US its higher.

And FYI, to be honest crime in the US doesnt interest me that much. I am not American and it wouldnt be on my radar. What I care about is crime here, and the feeling that its on the up. I dont need any more info than what I hear from my girlfriends friends and family and my friends and colleagues, first hand experiences.

EXACTLY! You simply can't use any statistics in Argentina because they just aren't accurate.

The main thing is almost NO ONE in Buenos Aires reports any crime to the police. It's exactly as Trennod mentioned. No one even bothers to report it to the police.

Same situation with people I knew in Buenos Aires. Friends, family, co-workers, clients, employees. No one ever reported it to the police. But in the USA when something happens, EVERYONE reports it to the police.

I still laugh when I read posts on this board that try to say that most major cities in the USA are as dangerous as Buenos Aires. People are really deluded if they really try to talk themselves into believing that.

I've been to every major city in the USA and in none of them did I have to be careful using my Iphone in public wherever I went. Not the case in Buenos Aires.

 

[IvanCaes]

@TrevorOD Look...it's not that I don't understand what your saying. It has some truth to it. But if you think the average person in Chicago trusts his local police officer, any more than they do in BA, then you have got to walk at least a block or two away from the Gold Coast. I know entire neighborhoods where folks - and I do not mean the criminal element - can hear the gun shots a block away and they just sit on their front porch smiling. But have them hear a cop siren a mile away and the scatter like scared rabbits. In BA, the cops ignore you when you call them. In Chi-town, if they size you up and you seem "not right" (lot of "not right" blacks and Latinos apparently - yep, I said it), they beat you senseless, read you your rights and book you for resisting arrest. So, who do you think has got more to fear from going to the police? Someone in BA or someone in Chicago?

 

[IvanCaes]

@earlyretirement, Don't encourage the promotion of hearsay over facts. The statistics are valid. The USA is the most violent nation on the planet. Per capita, there are a myriad of American cities more violent than BA. There is simply no empirical evidence to substantiate the underreporting of crime in BA, or, even worse, to support the fact that it occurs at a per capita level greater than Chicago or other USA cities, where, for example, gang threats intimidate many against ever reporting crime. Gangs roam...this isn't...you know...West Side Story. They actually know how to get on a bus...stolen car...the train system and go a couple of miles away into "Happy safe land" and intimidate possible witnesses there, as well. Ditto for organized crime, which still has a happy foothold in Chicago. Heck, neighboring Cicero had been literally run by organized crime for decades, including the mayor. Still, I don't go around saying, "X% of crimes in Chicago don't get reported". Because I can't prove, what doesn't happen. But I can say, that if I am going to conjecture like some do here, then it is likely that there is more unreported crime in Chicago than BA. However,all we have to go by is the cold, hard, statistically accurate facts, surrounding the crime that does get reported. In that clear light of day, if someone says, "I am leaving BA for Kathmandu, due to crime", I would say..."Smart move". Same person says, "I am leaving BA for Miami, due to crime"...I will just...well smile politely...and....ummmm...wish them well.

 

[RichardOne]

Thanks for all your contributions , I'm now an expert in the Crime Rates in the different borroughs of Chicago...!!

 

[IvanCaes]

I still get a kick out of the people that STILL try claiming that Buenos Aires is as safe as any large city in the USA.

This is what I read directly before writing what I wrote. And yes, I may have gotten off topic, but so did other people, including those who chose to argue with me or disrespect me, like you for example. ¨is this how you comfort yourself.¨

I just don´t get why people jump on the Braytrain...train. This isn´t the first thread people take offense at random stuff I say or choose to attack me. Citygirl out of nowhere took offense at the ¨more local¨thing. I mean, I wasn´t trying to insult anyone, it´s just something that I feel. I shouldn´t have to explain myself or fight people for every little thing.

 

[TrevorOD]

This is what I read directly before writing what I wrote. And yes, I may have gotten off topic, but so did other people, including those who chose to argue with me or disrespect me, like you for example. ¨is this how you comfort yourself.¨

I just don´t get why people jump on the Braytrain...train. This isn´t the first thread people take offense at random stuff I say or choose to attack me. Citygirl out of nowhere took offense at the ¨more local¨thing. I mean, I wasn´t trying to insult anyone, it´s just something that I feel. I shouldn´t have to explain myself or fight people for every little thing.

There are a lot of Argentines on this site and a lot of expats that have been here for many, many years (I am not one of them). I think it is disrespectful by claiming you are more local than them, like your opinion is more valid, thats all. You are definitely entitled to your opinion though.

 

[IvanCaes]

There are a lot of Argentines on this site and a lot of expats that have been here for many, many years (I am not one of them). I think it is disrespectful by claiming you are more local than them, like your opinion is more valid, thats all. You are definitely entitled to your opinion though.

I didn´t say my opinion is more valid, I said it´s different. Please do not start an argument because you are unable to understand what I am saying, or because you are offended that I singled you out. It´s different because you cannot view me solely as an EXPAT or as a LOCAL. Whereas YOU are an EXPAT, and Dr. Rubilar is a LOCAL. Like you said, you are not one of those expats who has been here for a many years. If one of them, like Citygirl, says that they are disrespected by what I wrote (after explaining myself fully in the follow up post to Citygirl) then let THEM take it up with me. Me saying I am ¨more local¨ than you is not me saying something disrespectful, it´s me saying something truthful. And I didn´t say anything about it holding more weight, I just said that when people judge me for being either expat or local, that they know their crap first.

And I would also like to state that just because Raymond agrees with me, doesn´t mean I share all of his views. Do not group me with him because I don´t know him and he doesn´t know me.

 

[TrevorOD]

I didn´t say my opinion is more valid, I said it´s different. Please do not start an argument because you are unable to understand what I am saying, or because you are offended that I singled you out. It´s different because you cannot view me solely as an EXPAT or as a LOCAL. Whereas YOU are an EXPAT, and Dr. Rubilar is a LOCAL. Like you said, you are not one of those expats who has been here for a many years. If one of them, like Citygirl, says that they are disrespected by what I wrote (after explaining myself fully in the follow up post to Citygirl) then let THEM take it up with me. Me saying I am ¨more local¨ than you is not me saying something disrespectful, it´s me saying something truthful. And I didn´t say anything about it holding more weight, I just said that when people judge me for being either expat or local, that they know their crap first.

And I would also like to state that just because Raymond agrees with me, doesn´t mean I share all of his views. Do not group me with him because I don´t know him and he doesn´t know me.

To be honest, I really dont mind what you class yourself as: local, tourist, expat, president. I still dont agree with your opinion and how you derailed the thread.

But hey, why dont we just agree to disagree, its almost home time for me.

 

[IvanCaes]

To be honest, I really dont mind what you class yourself as: local, tourist, expat, president. I still dont agree with your opinion and how you derailed the thread.

But hey, why dont we just agree to disagree, its almost home time for me.

Say what you want. Like you said, if ¨this is how you comfort yourself.¨

 

[earlyretirement]

@IvanCaes - Just a simple question for you. It sounds like you have been living in Buenos Aires for at least a few years now. So honestly tell me if you think crime in Buenos Aires is (a) better than when you first arrived; (b) worse than when you first arrived; or (c) the same as when you first arrived?

Thanks.