A cautionary tale, especially for returners

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Originally Posted by Tanfastic

BNewb I wanted to address your comments, the last three towns/cities I have lived in publish a police blotter once a week with all the crimes committed along with the names of the accused. This is a routine in many parts of the US that I have seen over the last 25 years. High profile cases do make the front page but it's my experience if you look you will see all the crimes someplace in the newspaper.

As far as the fact that by law they are required to hired a licensed and bonded security company shouldn't matter, we have heard of a number of instances of guards sleeping or "lost" during these crimes. I'm not a routine visitor to Jamaica like many but the times I have been there the guards at the places I have stayed are armed with nothing but a 2-way radio and tend to be quite old. Not much help if the criminal has a weapon. To get licensed and bonded means nothing more than having a clean record and paying a fee.

Obviously these crimes are newsworthy, we have had almost 100 posts to this thread in a little over 24 hours, some heated and others providing empathy. You and Rob being on the island with the power of this forum can make a difference. Maybe it's time to get the hotel sponsors from the Forum together to discuss a solution to this rising crime problem. There are many smart people in this world, in my experience many want to hide, many want to offer an idea while others "know all the answers" and shut down those that want to get involved. It's my opinion that if we want to keep Negril as a favorite vacation spot we better figure this out quick otherwise we will spend our hard earned $ elsewhere.

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Tanfastic...again...I stated only the facts...not an opinion about them but since you've asked...

While that's great that the US towns & cities you have lived "publish a police blotter once a week"...we don't have a Negril newspaper. Where would this town publish a police blotter? The Gleaner & Observer do publish stories about high profile criminals (newsworthy) who are caught in the area but they make reference to the fact they've committed many crimes...they don't individually list them.
Some of these criminals have been responsible for incidents that have happened to some of the people here...they've actually been caught.

Again as far as my information about the security being required by law...I simply stated a fact...I never stated anything about the quality of the hiring practises. But, there are multiple security companies & the properties can hire whom they may choose & as with any business some are better than others.

Negril.com & Rob personally are very involved in discussions about all aspects in making Negril the best vacation destination possible. Regularly speaking with business owners, authorities, government etc. Discussions on Negril.com are used very frequently in dealing with serious matters down here.
Thus one of the reasons the staff of Negril.com try to keep everything to fact & first hand information...rumour & speculation can take what is an important topic to something of a joke forcing the authorities to not want to "get involved" when it goes to nonsense.
The authorities have enough trouble trying to decipher through real incidences vs. fake incidences...ie. people trying to get out of paying their hotel bill, the "friend" down here taking off with their electronics/money or someone simply losing an item....you wouldn't believe how often these scenarios happen.

It really does seem to me that Sadiekat's simple advice of keeping your doors & windows locked at night has gone by the way side....though you're on a vacation you should always be just as proactive in security as you hopefully are back home...not bashing anyone but most people don't leave their keys in an unlocked car.

As you all know hotels do read and post on this message board and I'm sure they are not taking this situation lightly. This topic will be brought up at the next Negril Resort Board meeting.

excuse me nothing funny aboutit, im geting sick of the bs name calling, it does nothing to improve things

agreed

well said again.

Rob and Lisa thank you for bringing these concerns forward to the parties that can best alleviate the problem. That imo is the best first step.

Rob and Lisa, I am sure you are doing great work on this front but this is the first time I have heard of it. I cant say I've read every word, and might have missed something but we don't hear about anything being done. This is where most of the disbelief and anger comes from. We see somewhere we love, deteriorating and nothing being done about it. Maybe I am wrong, but im sure others feel this way as well. It would do a lot to calm this down if we heard about the meetings, informed when one of the boardies intruders are caught etc. Also as spoken of on here often, there seems to be no respect from this board for the police officers of the area. This is a big problem. Its hard to trust a police department when you can drive into it, have a beer at their bar, and even enjoy a sub in the corner if you like. LOL Name anywhere else in the world you can do that? The hotels, security companies etc, cant do much with out the backing of the police. This lack of trust in the police may be wrong as well, but we never hear anything to the contrary. I know that bringing up the crime again, even to say it is solved, is bad press for Negril, and I understand why you don't want that. But MOST of us on the board are intelligent, worldly people who know that the world isn't safe, we know it happens everywhere to some extent. We just need to know that the Jamaician government, hotel owners, business owners, etc. cares enough about us and our beloved Negril to start doing something about it. Maybe they are, but wont admit there is a problem so they cant tell you about there successes is trying to stop it. All you need to do is look at Acapulco and you will see what crime can do to a tourist area.

yes Rob & Lisa , the resorts do read the message board and with so many concerns as of late I am confident that there are going to be some changes. Our heart is still in Negril even though times have changed and we have changed over the years as far as how we carry ourselfs in Negril. theres still a hell of alot more good ppl in Negril than bad. And we still love Rondel . as someone mentioned earlier that ppl that are long time returnies to the resort should contact them with our recommendations to make it even a better place than it is.We highly recommend Rondel even tho there have been some problems as of late. Theres no doult they are working diligently as we speak about it. Its not just a problem for them. As long time travelers to Negril we have seen the crime go up in down there over the years and is always an indicater of the economy as it is here or anywhere in the world.

I'm surprised that Rondel hasn't come into this thread with some kind of response....

Only 46 more days....................

would do good for rondel to come in and SAY SOMETHING!!! . . . if not, one can assume that rondel is not really interested in improvements . . .

Me too maybe we should start a new thread addressed to Rondel with helpful , well thought out recommendations for the site or any others that will listen
We wish only the best for them. They have a great reputation so Its got to hurt them knowing so many ppl are upset. . I still want to see their own staff get licnced for security work. They have been there a long time and trusted. It would be worth the cost for them to do that if its possible. I have no idea what the regulations are and maybe there is some rule about using their own now, I don't know. What we do know is the staff is well trusted by us and many others. They are like family after so many years. We always felt safe when they were on duty.

i think this thread is done...

rondel probably doesnt want to get vitually "beaten to death" on the site... Im sure they are concerned, its how they make money.... If they intend to respond its probably going to take time to word it right and get the plan in place... if there is going to be one.... if...

This may sound a bit crazy but another recommendation is dogs. The reason I say this is that the first reach on our trip in Feb. we stayed at catcha gardens for the first week. They had these 2 wonderful dogs that not only were very friendly but excellent gaurd dogs. They would make thier rounds every day and all thru the night. They let you know imiadiatly when someone was on the property that did not belong there. I was quite impresed with them. I loved looking out the window and seeing 1 or both sleeping on our terrace. Un like a human gaurd, dogs seem to have 6th sense about their surroundings. These dog intruduced themself right away to any new ppl staying there so they knew who belonged and didn't. when they had to they sounded vicious . We loved them and we did not even feed them. They seemed to sense what their job was there.

plus the dogs would alert the gaurds with their barking I'm sure

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Originally Posted by gerryg123

Lola, you're the one who recommended the place thay Guirigay and Sweetie Pie went to, right?

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Originally Posted by gerryg123

So you continue to recommend that place even after the $500 was stolen?

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Originally Posted by booger

Why not, it was THERE fault for stashing their money in a cup. What were they thinking??? They should expect thieves would hit their room.

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You seem to really want this on the board so I'm going to give it to you.

Gerry, plenty people are finding the place and I see people returning each year and multiple times a year. It’s a spacious apartment in a convenient location in a decent yard with a good landlord on site. If someone asks me about it, I am happy to discuss and I give them the landlord's number.

ONE strange experience has not changed all the good of the place and I have lived here more than 3 years and anticipate staying several more. From what I have heard and observed, some long-term visitors/expats have had to move (some more than a few times) due to problems with their apartment or their landlord or the rent or the water or …. But here I am, still in the same place and liking it. Hmmmm, what does that say about the place?

I do not know what happened with their money. Here is the gist of my conversation with the landlord the next day, after I told him they had left in the night (they could not wake him so they came to me, then packed their stuff and left), that they told me they put $500 in a coffee cup in the kitchen cupboard in the morning and it was missing when they got home at 10:30pm:

LL: I went in there yesterday morning with…

I immediately interrupted and said “You can’t go in there when the guests are not there, it is their security. To cover your own *ss you can't go in there without them” He looked at me like it had never crossed his mind, and said it had never been a problem before.

He continued…

LL: Every morning I see them carry their coffee cups up to the roof deck. One mug is a metal travel mug, the other is a regular mug. They were so happy here. In my apartment I found a mug similar to the metal one, I thought they would like it. This morning I looked for them to give them the mug but I did not see them, they must have they left early. I went into the apt to leave the mug I found. I took the metal travel mug out of the kitchen cabinet and put it on the ledge next to the cup I brought in, so they would see both of them right away and understand.

He said he never saw any money (I think GG&SP said the mug was upside down so it should have dropped if it wasn’t seen in the cup), and he locked the door when he left. He said no one else had been around while he was there that day. (his apartment is adjacent and he is usually home). I was in town a couple hours but otherwise home all day and only noted the arrival of a visitor for one of the residents. (I hear and see a LOT from my apt)

GG & SP had left the door unlocked when they departed in the night (leaving the apartment unsecured) so we walked in and looked through and outside the apartment and there was no sign of break-in. We talked about the situation, trying to make sense of things and I reiterated that once the apt is occupied he should not enter without them being present unless there is an emergency. He arranged to get the locks changed.

I was extremely upset and thinking how to make contact with GG & SP when they returned to the property. I stayed near, asked a few questions and tried to be helpful while they talked with the landlord. GG & SP said they would come back to talk again in a couple days but they never did.

So there I was, facing the reality of the situation. Was my landlord a thief? (and if I really thought he was then I have to think about moving) Did someone else have a key? How else could someone have gotten in? How could anyone have known to go directly to that coffee cup? (nothing else was out of place) Were GG & SP lying? If the landlord took the money why would he leave the new cup out with the old cup calling attention to his action? Both parties seemed like really decent people and yet you can never know really know about people. Nothing made sense, nothing fit together.

A couple days later I bumped into a mutual friend of GG&SP and we discussed the situation. In the end we could come up with nothing more than to commiserate that it seemed likely both parties were good people, the situation unfortunate, and we’d probably never know what really happened.

To be clear, I have NO financial benefit in this property, I pay rent and the landlord is ONLY my landlord. And I would allow him into my apartment if I couldn't be here at the same time.

I will probably get at least one inquiry about the place from this post, LOL.

One good thing about those thieves,,they work late hours,,never call in sick and work in the rain too.

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Originally Posted by gerryg123

I don't know if Rambo is back but I hope so. Anyone have an update on this???

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Asked about him last trip, and he has moved to Florida. Went back to his wife (no comment). Left a few weeks after his accident. It was a buddy of his - Junior the driver, I think. who told us, so he's a pretty reliable source.

Many women will be in mourning after reading this!

It does seem suspicious that on the day a coffee cup of money was stolen the landlord happened to go in and drop off a new coffee cup for them.

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Originally Posted by gerryg123

Jesus Christ. This is getting ridiculous. Never seen such a rash of thievery in my life. This is very upsetting. A big turnoff.

Why do these people always steal from tourists???

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As Willie Sutton was said to say about why he robbed banks, "Because that is where the money is."

The end! This has strayed every where.

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Originally Posted by Shaggy

yes Rob & Lisa , the resorts do read the message board and with so many concerns as of late I am confident that there are going to be some changes. Our heart is still in Negril even though times have changed and we have changed over the years as far as how we carry ourselfs in Negril. theres still a hell of alot more good ppl in Negril than bad. And we still love Rondel . as someone mentioned earlier that ppl that are long time returnies to the resort should contact them with our recommendations to make it even a better place than it is.We highly recommend Rondel even tho there have been some problems as of late. Theres no doult they are working diligently as we speak about it. Its not just a problem for them. As long time travelers to Negril we have seen the crime go up in down there over the years and is always an indicater of the economy as it is here or anywhere in the world.

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I also am sure that Rondel is working diligently to resolve the security issues. The owners are wonderful people who truly care about their guests comfort and safety; and, I still plan to stay there on future visits. As a matter of fact, Rondel recently had fourteen or so security cameras installed. They are constantly making improvements to the property. So I don't think they will be afraid to spend money to heighten security, if necessary.

As Kahuna said earlier, it doesn't matter which resort/apartment it happened at, what matters is that it is on the increase all over the Negril area. The good people who reside there are as unhappy about this as the tourists are. I have a friend who lives in the West End and is a videographer and he said he holds his breath every time he leaves his house for fear that his equipment will be gone when he gets back. This issue is one that needs to be seriously addressed by the police force and the tourism/hospitality people; and, I trust that they are smart enough to know this.

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Originally Posted by Oncedeported

Rob and Lisa, I am sure you are doing great work on this front but this is the first time I have heard of it. I cant say I've read every word, and might have missed something but we don't hear about anything being done. This is where most of the disbelief and anger comes from. We see somewhere we love, deteriorating and nothing being done about it. Maybe I am wrong, but im sure others feel this way as well. It would do a lot to calm this down if we heard about the meetings, informed when one of the boardies intruders are caught etc. Also as spoken of on here often, there seems to be no respect from this board for the police officers of the area. This is a big problem. Its hard to trust a police department when you can drive into it, have a beer at their bar, and even enjoy a sub in the corner if you like. LOL Name anywhere else in the world you can do that? The hotels, security companies etc, cant do much with out the backing of the police. This lack of trust in the police may be wrong as well, but we never hear anything to the contrary. I know that bringing up the crime again, even to say it is solved, is bad press for Negril, and I understand why you don't want that. But MOST of us on the board are intelligent, worldly people who know that the world isn't safe, we know it happens everywhere to some extent. We just need to know that the Jamaician government, hotel owners, business owners, etc. cares enough about us and our beloved Negril to start doing something about it. Maybe they are, but wont admit there is a problem so they cant tell you about there successes is trying to stop it. All you need to do is look at Acapulco and you will see what crime can do to a tourist area.

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OnceDEPORTED,

Wow, nothing being done? It seems like some people only want to believe what they want to believe.

Who or what in the world have you been listening to? You dont hear about anything being done? Do you think the sidewalk, lights and medians mysteriously showed up one day, or were they mentioned here on this message board many times with references being made to the Negril Resort Board?

I posted these two links many times here myself and I guess I have to do it again:

This first one announcing the sidewalks and light project in December of 2012:

http://www.westernmirror.com/index.p...link/5929.html

And the second mentioning the work stoppage because of the Negril Resort Board complaints:

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/weste...ENDED_15224030

And I suppose the island wide jet-ski banning was another mysterious event, although after the jet-ski ban took effect (which does make the following article a bit misleading), this link was posted here directly addressing comments made by the Negril Resort Board:

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/latest/article.php?id=51093

Also mentioned are the Negril chapter of the JHTA (Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association), the Ministry of Tourism and the Hanover Parish Development Committee. There is also the Westmoreland Parish Development Committee as well as Parish Councils for both Hanover and Westmoreland.

Each of these organizations hold regular meetings and have many things on their agenda with crime always being on each of these organizations agendas. And this would hold true for all such organizations around the world. Crime is not unique to Jamaica. To think nothing is being done is beyond credibility since it has been mentioned here time and time again.

And has already been mentioned, there is no local paper and no published police blotter, so other than when the major papers mention high profile police activity like they did in October, there is no other proof than can be posted. And that October police activity has already been mentioned in several threads.

For Negril.com to post the names of people charged with a crime and not convicted could lead to being sued for libel. And as mentioned in our guidelines, we are a travel website and have has no news gathering personnel.

I would have to say that any disbelief and anger comes from a refusal to face the facts that have been presented here many times.

As for the trusting of police, most officers will tell you they rarely get the respect they deserve unless someone is in need of their services. It is probably one of the hardest jobs to do anywhere - most people would rather avoid an encounter with the police than to have one.

There have been countless posts here over the years of people complaining when they are pulled over at traffic stops to have their papers checked to make sure all is in order. And of course the police get blamed for simply doing their job. How dare they do their job and pull me over?!?!

As for the restaurant and bar at the station, it is there not for tourists, but for off duty officers after a hard day on the job. The fact they allow you, a tourist to use it is a kind gesture. And yet they are now being blamed for that. Is your answer to this horrible problem to not to allow you to enter the restaurant and bar and to seal it off for all tourists? Or could they simply be making a kind gesture and allowing tourists to see that the Negril Police are people too?

And contrary to your anger and disbelief, Jamaicans are now more trusting of the police according to a US study conducted in 2012.

http://mobile.jamaicagleaner.com/new...e.php?id=47441

The study specifically states "cases of the police soliciting bribes have decreased over time just as there have been decreases in insecurity." So the old, bad advice of asking "how much is the fine if I pay it now?" will probably get you a ride straight to the jail. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.

And as reported by Hussyband during his incident, the police were very responsive to the problem and took active measures to help. And with regards to Kahuna3's incident, the police responded quickly to the incident (9 minutes if I remember correctly).

And as Yamon has pointed out by simply contacting Rondel, they are interviewing 2 new security companies as we speak.

Rondel has no obligation to respond here. If they want to, that is their choice, but they are under no obligation.