house rental safety in LT

[matt m]

hi there,

i have read some of the threads including the "mean looks" thread which most recently has brought up armed break-ins of foreigners in houses in LT.

i, my wife and son as well as a friend are close to closing a deal on a house just west of LT and i am left wondering if this is indeed an isolated incident or two, or is it a pattern to the extent that prudence would dictate staying in a hotel like the alisei?

i love the idea of a house but the thought of armed robbery at 2 am with a baby in the house seems less than idyllic somehow. any thoughts?

the house will be # 23 on the map linked just below. is this a safe area?

Individuelle Ferien ohne auf die Vorteile eines Hotelservices verzichten zu müssen!


thanks in advance,


matt m.

[Squat]

Originally Posted by matt m

the house will be # 23 on the map linked just below. is this a safe area?

It is a bit harsh to answer... Really, there's no safe area to speak of, as soon as you are a bit isolated.

#23 seems to be in Playa Las Ballenas. A very nice place.

Make sure the house is well secured, preferably with bars. Have a good look around the property, and picture yourself as a thief. Look for weakness in the perimeter. Then fix it.

Get a dog.

Lock yourself in once it's dark. Don't open the door to strangers.

Don't leave any valuable in the house, but keep a bit of cash (at least 2000RD$).

Back up your emails, documents, photos (use Gmail, Picasa albums, etc...)

But don't take my post the wrong way. I may be on the paranoid side of things... That said, better safe than sorry... I touch wood, never had a gun pointed at me since I live in the Dominican Republic (1997), gracias a Dios !

[matt m]

sorry for not being initially clearer, but we are going to be renting a place for two weeks... sothe dog probably will not be an option

thanks for the response. you said "there's no safe area to speak of once you get a bit isolated" does that area qualify as a bit isolated?

thanks again,

matt