Comments on: Sierpe Del Pacifico – On The River, Off The Grid http://www.costa-rican-real-estate.com/2009/05/sdp-off-the-grid/ Costa Rica real estate - Where it all starts. Sun, 08 Jan 2012 03:14:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Ben Vaughn http://www.costa-rican-real-estate.com/2009/05/sdp-off-the-grid/comment-page-1/#comment-939 Ben Vaughn Sat, 03 Dec 2011 12:37:00 +0000 http://www.costa-rican-real-estate.com/?p=434#comment-939 Hello Dave, Many thanks for your thoughts. Crime here in Costa Rica is certainly different than anything I have experienced anywhere else. I have been the poster child for CAP and crime in The Zone, due to the fact that I was nearly killed by a thief after confronting him in the act of burglarizing my home, and then chasing him in my car and ending up getting a bat to the head. The repeated stories of thievery here can be a bit disconcerting. Personally, I find myself in a position of "picking one's poison". I have chosen to live in Costa Rica, and continue to do so, despite its negatives. When I look around at the world and consider where I want to live, I conceptually pick a spot, let's say someplace in the US. I then consider the pluses and minuses of the decision, and I keep coming back to Costa Rica as having more pluses for me, AND less minuses, than elsewhere. The crime thing here is a definite booger on the quality of life, but I choose to live with this, and in fact believe that it is manageable. By being informed, and thinking about the prevailing conditions, wherever we are, we can avoid a lot of the problems. There seem to be boogers on life no matter where one goes. We humans have done a pretty good job of mis-managing the planet at large. My thoughts on Sierpe are similar to my thoughts on going to the beach: don't leave anything in the car. Sometimes I even leave the glove compartment open and the doors unlocked. The roving band of punk thieves might take a quick gander through the car, but won't do any damage, nor take anything since there is nothing to take. A sting would be a good idea. The video surveillance that CAP is putting up around Dominical has put nearly 15 of these guys in jail since its inception. While in jail, they evidently talk a bit and it would seem that word is getting out that The Zone is not the place to ply their trade and so they need to move on to greener pastures. Crime is currently on the decline here. I welcome this discussion and look forward to your response. Crime has had a HUGE impact on my life and I think that it is a service to my clients to openly discuss it. Ben Vaughn Hello Dave,

Many thanks for your thoughts. Crime here in Costa Rica is certainly different than anything I have experienced anywhere else.

I have been the poster child for CAP and crime in The Zone, due to the fact that I was nearly killed by a thief after confronting him in the act of burglarizing my home, and then chasing him in my car and ending up getting a bat to the head.

The repeated stories of thievery here can be a bit disconcerting. Personally, I find myself in a position of “picking one’s poison”. I have chosen to live in Costa Rica, and continue to do so, despite its negatives. When I look around at the world and consider where I want to live, I conceptually pick a spot, let’s say someplace in the US. I then consider the pluses and minuses of the decision, and I keep coming back to Costa Rica as having more pluses for me, AND less minuses, than elsewhere.

The crime thing here is a definite booger on the quality of life, but I choose to live with this, and in fact believe that it is manageable. By being informed, and thinking about the prevailing conditions, wherever we are, we can avoid a lot of the problems. There seem to be boogers on life no matter where one goes. We humans have done a pretty good job of mis-managing the planet at large.

My thoughts on Sierpe are similar to my thoughts on going to the beach:
don’t leave anything in the car. Sometimes I even leave the glove
compartment open and the doors unlocked. The roving band of punk thieves
might take a quick gander through the car, but won’t do any damage, nor
take anything since there is nothing to take. A sting would be a good
idea. The video surveillance that CAP is putting up around Dominical has
put nearly 15 of these guys in jail since its inception. While in jail,
they evidently talk a bit and it would seem that word is getting out that
The Zone is not the place to ply their trade and so they need to move on to
greener pastures. Crime is currently on the decline here.

I welcome this discussion and look forward to your response. Crime has had
a HUGE impact on my life and I think that it is a service to my clients to
openly discuss it.

Ben Vaughn

]]> By: Dhenley15 http://www.costa-rican-real-estate.com/2009/05/sdp-off-the-grid/comment-page-1/#comment-937 Dhenley15 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 18:33:00 +0000 http://www.costa-rican-real-estate.com/?p=434#comment-937 Hi Guys--I was interested to read your review of Sierpe del Pacifico, as I am looking around for a sustainable development to invest in despite these down economic times. Their lot prices don't seem discounted to me at all--225K just for a river view--wonder what you think of their deals?--A house w/ some sort of panels between framing seems cheesey and is priced over 300K! and everyhouse built seems to be for sale--people getting tired of needing to board a boat when they want to shop?. Anyway, my comment is this: I was surprised you showed no concern at leaving your car at the dock at Sierpe. While we waited to board a boat for Drake Bay w/in 3 " of standing with and transferring our backpacks to the boat a small group of teens had already lifted everything they could from our bags from flashlights to penknives. They seem to have made aliving that way they were so slick. But that's just a postscript: I wouldn't trust leaving my car for ten minutes let alone an extended day. My impression of the S. Zone's no-door jail w/ no prisoners is because there is no police to arrest them! Or even operable patrol cars! The one chkpt by Baru is the only presence I've seen and according to CAP, the last report had a couple people being tied up and robbed at shotgun point along the first ridge of homes in Dominical. Scared to buy now. Care to comment?! David Hi Guys–I was interested to read your review of Sierpe del Pacifico, as I am looking around for a sustainable development to invest in despite these down economic times. Their lot prices don’t seem discounted to me at all–225K just for a river view–wonder what you think of their deals?–A house w/ some sort of panels between framing seems cheesey and is priced over 300K! and everyhouse built seems to be for sale–people getting tired of needing to board a boat when they want to shop?.

Anyway, my comment is this: I was surprised you showed no concern at leaving your car at the dock at Sierpe. While we waited to board a boat for Drake Bay w/in 3 ” of standing with and transferring our backpacks to the boat a small group of teens had already lifted everything they could from our bags from flashlights to penknives. They seem to have made aliving that way they were so slick. But that’s just a postscript: I wouldn’t trust leaving my car for ten minutes let alone an extended day. My impression of the S. Zone’s no-door jail w/ no prisoners is because there is no police to arrest them! Or even operable patrol cars! The one chkpt by Baru is the only presence I’ve seen and according to CAP, the last report had a couple people being tied up and robbed at shotgun point along the first ridge of homes in Dominical. Scared to buy now. Care to comment?!
David

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