Negril Beach Club Condo - Be aware !!

[lee]

I would stay at NCB anytime the price is right. These things can happen in any hotel. My friends stayed at a high end all inclusive and the other ends of the beach and had their camera lifted after leaving it on the breakfast table. The security checks employees as they enter and exit but being in "the struggle" to survive reigns over all, so don't make yourself a victim. The precautions to take are as follows: when you arrive to your room - use the safe and lock your ID and valuables , cash etc up. Check all the doors and windows for working locks, if possible enter and exit from only one of the possible exits. We keep the back door of the condo's locked at all times. Close the shutters and latch them down - toiletries in the sill is good. Don't put the safe and room key on the same key chain. AS for the patio door - lock and chain it and don't leave until you have a stick in the door that fits tight up against the window and at both ends. Check the kitchen shutters. No one visiting comes inside - my friend who also lives in Ja (from foreign) has unfortunately had "acquaintances/friends" in and while using the bathroom came out to find various things missing noticed later on. When you go out, take only the cash you need and ladies maybe small change purse attached to your belt loop instead of a purse or use a pocket to stuff it in, something you don't have to set on the table or bar where you are hanging out if possible. Money is not visible ever, I keep small bills separate from the larger so while paying for your purchase it's not abvious how much you have, believe me eyes are looking, keep lipstick in another spot so if your re-applying you don't flash your cash at the same time - believe me - all eyes are on that purse. Phone charged/small flashlight/ good walking sandels unless I'm cabbing it. I also don't talk about where I am staying and when asked I just say down the beach. After one day I usually have a couple locals say they saw me or know state where I'm staying - that usually surprises me at first but Jamaicans move around differently than we, they "see" alot, observe, and it always surprises me at first. Sometimes even change up how we commute around and the time we head out to keep it a little more private.

[Yvonne]

Christine... I am so sorry this happened to you. Please do not let it spoil you on Negril or on the property itself. Jamerican, Bnewb, Rambo, & others have made very valid points about the property & thefts in Negril. They happen, also in any tourist location worldwide (think 1980's targeting of tourists in rental cars in FL, where I live). Sadly, it is a fact of life. Although the property is older, they, Jean in particular, do their best to keep guests safe. Still, thieves are clever whatever their level of thievery (credit card fraud, identity theft, etc).

I've stayed well over 40 times at the Negril Beach Club, often for 5-7 weeks in the summer. I've been there when thefts have occurred. If I'd soured on the property the first time there was a robbery there, I would have missed decades of wonderful times & great friends in Negril. On my 3rd stay there in 1987 a cat burgler was going room to room in E block on the second floor. He hit 3 rooms before being detected. My room would have been #4 but I was awake & would have heard him. In fact, I had heard him entering the room next door. So did one of the guests in the room. The man in #3 jumped off the balcony & chased after him. along w/ security. Since then, I carry a window lock & use it faithfully on the sliding glass door. No problems ever. I've also been there when other rooms have been visited by thieves. Most of the time, the thieves were people the guests invited to their room or people who they'd given too much information to. I know there are legit thefts such as yours, the majority are not. Never in over 25 years of staying there has a theft been "an inside job". Jamaicans are very hard working & take pride in their work. They would not, especially in these economic times, risk losing their income.

I do agree that 2 security guards are not enough but the new manager chose to cut back to this level. Even w/ more in the past, thieves can still do their bad deeds. It is uncommon, from what I know, that thieves are caught. When they are, usually vigalante (sp?) justice is often doled out & that's the end of that thief's career. I know of a few cases of that happening.

Do give Negril another try.

[Jamerican71]

There are now 900+ views on this message and I can only imagine the effect this can have on NBCC. Not only is this an isolated incident at NBCC but it also stems from who you let into your unit and the activities you partake in. There's always another side to these stories and it's a real shame that all the details were not provided.

Crime like this absolutely happens in Negril as it does in other places in the world but when one comes to a public board and makes a claim of theft, it is only fair to the reader that all details are provided. I am not doubting that Christine got robbed, nor am I belittling the effect it had on her, I just would like all the details to be provided so that everybody can come to their own conclusion and realize that sometimes things like this can be avoided.

[Christine]

There are now 900+ views on this message and I can only imagine the effect this can have on NBCC. Not only is this an isolated incident at NBCC but it also stems from who you let into your unit and the activities you partake in. There's always another side to these stories and it's a real shame that all the details were not provided.

Crime like this absolutely happens in Negril as it does in other places in the world but when one comes to a public board and makes a claim of theft, it is only fair to the reader that all details are provided. I am not doubting that Christine got robbed, nor am I belittling the effect it had on her, I just would like all the details to be provided so that everybody can come to their own conclusion and realize that sometimes things like this can be avoided.

I hope you are not doubting i got robbed I dont understand what your are stating here "Not only is this an isolated incident at NBCC but it also stems from who you let into your unit and the activities you partake in" And no this is not an isolated incident, it happened other times too. It's quite special that you say it's a shame all the details have not been provided. I am sorry of being robbed and i just wanted to aware people if they go there for a stay.

[TiCtOc]

A simple solution perhaps would be for NBCC to put decent locks on all doors or windows perhaps the thieves know that the locks are rubbish and that is why the like to try their luck.It can happen anywhere but I would not be happy even in my own home if the lock was weak so I definately would not be happy with it in a strange place.
A lot of people are mentioning the wooden pole/stick sounds like if that is long enough and inserted correctly there should be no issues.
Just out of curiosity could anyone post a picture of what they mean by taking their own doors/window locks as I do not think I have ever seen the type that a lot of boardies discuss which they can take anywhere in the world with them.
I am thinking how do they attach?

[Jamerican71]

I hope you are not doubting i got robbed I dont understand what your are stating here "Not only is this an isolated incident at NBCC but it also stems from who you let into your unit and the activities you partake in" And no this is not an isolated incident, it happened other times too. It's quite special that you say it's a shame all the details have not been provided. I am sorry of being robbed and i just wanted to aware people if they go there for a stay.

No, I am not doubting you got robbed as I'm sure you did. What I'm saying is perhaps there could be more details to the story that might have caused you too be robbed? Nothing justifies being robbed but certainly, I'm sure you can agree that there are certain actions/behaviors that would cause one to become a victim (other than random crimes).

I say random robberies at NBCC are isolated case. While robberies by someone the guest knows is more rampant. I don't have any kind of statistics but I would go out on a limb and say that robbery of tourist while in their room most likely happen from somebody they know or somebody they have let into their room.

It is a shame that all details were not provided and it is a good thing that you posted b/c the effect will cause people to be more cautious - me included. Negril is a small town and details do surface of the other side of the story. You came on here and posted your experience of robbery but the omitted details I am referring to is information that you can provide of what you were doing, who you were hanging with, who knew what you had in your room, lots of things.

Again, I am really sorry that you were robbed. I just don't think you should hold the property responsible or claim it was an inside job of staff...possible the inside job were your "friends"??

[Rambo]

With Patio Doors ANYPLACE..........the locks ,chains, and sticks can all be easily defeated simply by lifting UP on the outside door of the
two sliding doors...........I can do it very quietly also..........

Solution?

Back home before you leave home buy a couple of those "wedge type" door stops, the ones that wedge under a regular opening door......
and importantly...made from rubber !
just slide your door shut, drop the stick down, and wedge that stop between the TOP end of the sliding door up against the frame......
takes a blast to open it from the outside !! with a lot of noise........

safe travels

[Rambo]

"Quote Originally Posted by Boogzy View Post
Well there goes the Beach Club cred. How can anyone stay there after reading these posts. It sounds like an inside job so how can anyone trust any person working there including Ms Gaynair.


Anything is possible I suppose....but last trip down I had forgotten that I sent 200 down as a deposit, something I had not done in a long time.........(never asked for one)

So I sen t 2 100 TC to her................

After we checked in, I went down to pay, and did so............thought no more about it......

2 days later Jean stopped in to asked if I had sent her a deposit ??
I could not remember........???....I said "I dont normally so I would say No".........

next day she gave me the 200 in Jamaican ( Bank Rates also)
said she had checked into it and I did............................and this was my refund.......

that's honesty to me I would say

[Yvonne]

This is the closest I could find to the lock I use. Also use them at home. When I moved in my home 19 years ago, I had the local sheriff's office do a security check. I was interested as there had been a recent newspaper article about this public service offered by the department. These were what she recommended. What I have is about double in size, has two of the things to turn to lock it in place. I picked them up at WalMart. They don't carry them now though. At least my local one doesn't (not a Super WalMart). Home Depot? Lowe's?

http://www.amazon.com/High-Security-.../dp/B00065XR2M

BTW... I have a friend from the UK who stays in G 10 when in Negril, usually for 3-4 weeks at a time in the summer. No break ins when she's been there. For safety reasons, I always stay in at least a second floor room. I know this can't always happen, but if I can't be guaranteed that location, I won't stay.

BTW... I'll be back at NBCC for 2 weeks in February.

[CarrieBean]

Christine, if you love Negril enough that you've been there three times this year then I'll bet the feelings will pass and you will be back. I've never stayed at NBCC, but I don't remember hearing anything but good about Jean Gaynair. It could be that she needs to take a good look at her security and/or employees. If nobody brought these issues public, then a lot of the resorts wouldn't bother to address them.