Situational awareness / the need of vigilance

[BestiMike]

oh, I just thought of another one, vigilance! ie: situational awareness! You said Cordoba, don't know if you meant city or state, but regardless, this applies everywhere. Keep you head on a swivel! I don't mean to sound paranoid, but if you're like me, I don't "blend in" everyone on the street knows I'm not from here, so I'm a target. Situational awareness, keeping your head on a swivel and your face out of your phone, know who's walking in front, next to, and behind you, and make your dinero difficult to snatch. Ditto goes for your home and vehicle. Although never confronted on the street, we've had our house and car broken into. Thieves are typically cowards, if you look them in the eye, they'll usually turn tail and run. Stay vigilent!

 

[OliverNash]

oh, I just thought of another one, vigilance! ie: situational awareness! You said Cordoba, don't know if you meant city or state, but regardless, this applies everywhere. Keep you head on a swivel! I don't mean to sound paranoid, but if you're like me, I don't "blend in" everyone on the street knows I'm not from here, so I'm a target. Situational awareness, keeping your head on a swivel and your face out of your phone, know who's walking in front, next to, and behind you, and make your dinero difficult to snatch. Ditto goes for your home and vehicle. Although never confronted on the street, we've had our house and car broken into. Thieves are typically cowards, if you look them in the eye, they'll usually turn tail and run. Stay vigilent!

I used to think I would blend in, but I'm starting to think otherwise. My wife definitely will not. We've already taken measures to ensure our phone and money will remain safe and unsnatchable while we're out though (not without some real effort at least). Still, we now know we'll stick out like sore thumbs too and will try to adjust accordingly, thank you for the tips.

I'm hearing a lot about houses and cars being broken into though, which is what's concerning me the most at the moment. We won't have any kind of insurance aside from what our uni requires for enrollment, which is the cheap of the cheap, and if our things get stolen, that's it for us. I'm kinda wondering, how do you (people living there I guess) do it? Rent places with 24/7 surveillance and security guards? Gated communities? Just hope or pray? Homeowners insurance? Cuz honestly that's the only way I think I would feel safe - and personal safety really isn't what I mean, but just my home being broken into and my valuables stolen, it would be all I have in the world, I'd be both mortified and possibly broke after that. Sorry this got off topic but... how can you live there knowing that your house could be broken into and robbed at any time? As much as I'm physically and mentally prepared to live there, that's the one thing I'm having a bit of trouble wrapping my head around.

 

[Jimson]

From what I've heard the gated communities can be worst since the guards all know your schedule and if your house is full of valuables etc then they tip off their thieving friends. Remember the guards probably make less than $1k USD a month

 

[GerardoNets]

In before the mouth breathers "but London and Philadelphia are more dangerous" , "I was robbed in Tampa, Florida on vacation for 2 days, 5 years in Buenos Aires, no problem."

I won't yap about other cities, but comment on my experience in Argentina.

Bobby gives good advice about situation awareness. You don't need to be paranoid but aware of your surroundings, where you take out your phone, if someone has been following you for a while, anyone around while your opening your door, etcetera.

I had my home broken into once here, and yes it sucks. Losing your stuff and even more so the feeling. Wherever your staying do an assessment on your home or apartment and look for weak points. Do you have a first floor balcony? Is your door flimsy? Is there a patio that can be accessed via another roof? Then try your best to address it.

As commented above, guards can be more of security threat than not having one.

How do I live here knowing my place could be broken into again? I don't really think about it. I've fortified it the best that I can, and am carefully when I enter. It's just part of life.

Be aware, but don't let it dominate your thinking is the best advice. Most likely, you'll have an incident free stay. Hope you enjoy it.

 

[SometimesX]

My husband says I dress like a villero, which is exactly the vibe I'm going for, and it seems to work. People rarely try to sell me stuff, and I'm looked down on at stores until I go to pay. My desire is (both in life, and even more so with thieves) to simply be left alone.

If you're a gringo speaking in English, playing with your phone carelessly, rocking a Rolex while wearing designer clothes you're begging to be robbed both in Buenos Aires and every other city on Earth basically. The most important thing is to remember your phone or watch isn't worth your life, and to not fight back unless you're armed (and even then, like all good gun owners should remember, never draw unless you are in fact willing to shoot). I think this will solve 99% of people's issues, whether here or elsewhere.

 

[earlyretirement]

I’ve been here a few weeks now as I moved here for a few months. I definitely noticed much more crime here now. Just today alone I saw police arresting 3 different groups of people.

My first this morning at Cordoba and Serrano there were tons of police arresting 3 guys for attempted robbery. Then I was in Recoleta at Las Heras and Junin and saw many police cars pull up on 2 guys that apparently just stole someone’s phone. I was amazed at how many police officers both in cars and on foot came out of nowhere to get them.

Then just now at Gorriti and Thames another group getting arrested for I’m not sure what.

Great to see the police presence and actually getting these thugs. In living in BA previously for 9 years didn’t see this much crime.