How to be safer in the DR - Compilation of tips by DR1 Members

[LaElitePre-Med]

New safety tip specifically for female travelers; I know this may sound a bit far fetched but there has been a new trend in theft when regarding women- stealing their hair. Women, that are usually alone or easy targets, are being assaulted so that thieves can cut off their hair and sell it as hair extensions; the "better" (straighter, longer) your hair is, the more money it will fetch. Much as you may be doing now, I laughed when I heard something so ridiculous...until I was leaving a restaurant at about 6 p.m. (it gets dark early this time of year) and a local tigere walked by me, stroked my hair maliciously, and said in spanish "careful morenita, women with long are being assaulted now....". Ladies please, even if you are a local, be especially weary of going to a "shabby salon" late in the afternoon/approaching nighttime because that is prime ground for catching women wearing their hair down and freshly done. If you should be assaulted, God forbid, just comply with the thieves and let them cut your hair. you can grow it out again, but you certainly cannot get your life back or erase the memory of being possibly raped by these thieves.

[Me_again]

So far this sounds like an urban legend. Are there any cases on record that you know of?

[Lambada]

None that I've heard of - it is the sort of thing papers here would pick up on. For example the 'gold' ingot sellers are back in Puerto Plata this Xmas & that is in every single local paper & blog.

Reuters reported a hair thief in Australia 18 months or so ago but..............it wasn't taken from heads & it wasn't to sell
Man jailed for stealing women's hair | Oddly Enough | Reuters

I'd be interested to hear if LaElitePre-Med does have examples. I still think cellphones, watches, cash etc are much more likely objects of theft in the DR.

[LaElitePre-Med]

I don't have any examples, but, when I think about it, it might just be happening in Haina (a little pueblo where I was staying for the two weeks that I was in DR);and although I don't have any specific examples, it's widely talked about all around the town and even I even heard about it when I was walking around in Acropolis, so I didn't want to discredit the thought entirely; plus, hearing that tigere repeat what I'd heard so much (while wearing a nasty little smirk) certainly didn't help to soothe my fears. It never hurts to be cautious ladies, I was always told a woman's hair is her crowning glory...

[Me_again]

"It never hurts to be cautious ladies . . ."

. . . and perhaps gentlemen too. I've seen some pretty long locks on some men.

[Lambada]

Originally Posted by LaElitePre-Med

plus, hearing that tigere repeat what I'd heard so much (while wearing a nasty little smirk) certainly didn't help to soothe my fears. It never hurts to be cautious ladies, I was always told a woman's hair is her crowning glory...

It is just possible that the tiguere was trying to frighten you witless so that he could self-appoint as your 'protector'. They're known for little games like this . So he picks up on a story he'll know you've heard and reinforce it.

[jenniejayne]

Being in the beauty industry, I know the price of hair extensions, wholesale. They are very expensive. What we call strands are groupings of about 20-25 hairs bonded together. These hairs are then applied to a persons own real hair. It usually takes 200 "strands" to complete a full set of extensions. Now the price of those 200 "strands" ia anywhere from $150 (cheap) to $500 and up, so long hair is VERY valuable, and if one could find a market to sell this in, they would be making a-lot of money. This hair is normally obtained from women in india, who are too poor to leave $ in their temples as an offering, so they sacrafice their hair. Then the priests collect it and sell it. This happens all over the world in poor communities. I would suspect, as cunning and clever as the theives are in the DR, if they got word of this, it would seem like easy money to them. I would be cautious anyhow, just in case, because if they are not doing it now, im sure they will be soon, as the demand for hair is growing by a rate that cannot be kept up with by their conventional gathering methods.

[Lambada]

Originally Posted by LaElitePre-Med

I don't have any examples, but, when I think about it, it might just be happening in Haina (a little pueblo where I was staying for the two weeks that I was in DR);

It would appear that this IS now happening in Puerto Plata, so thanks for the heads up , LaElite.

Puerto Plata Digital

[jrhartley]

I take it that men with three strands tied in a pony-tail will be safe...ive seen a few that should have it chopped off so to speak

[donmobay]

well learned my lesson. bars on the windows, sure, do i check them no, i paid for boarding for my dog and it cost me a robbery,. when my dog is here at my building no robberies,..... dog gone bikes gone all you should see the tears... car radio gone, another car entered, tip... keyed enterance and keyed exit... top lock cant get out the door if they broke in the window. cant carry too much either... laptop what else...