Sent to Rodny Direct members yesterday

First of all, we want to wish every one of our members, new and old, and everyone in the Boquete community, a great Christmas and New Year. 

We have been blessed with a relatively quiet 2016 crime scene in Boquete. However, Christmas is prime time for robbers and burglars, so we need to pass on some important information for your safety.

Thanks to the Panamanian grapevine, I have learned that Panama City gangs are organizing to attack both Panamanian and expat homes in Chiriqui over the Christmas - New Years holidays. The police are well aware of this problem and are beefing up their defenses. You need to do the same.

We know, for example, that the gangs are recruiting local youths to act as spotters - to identify vulnerable residences and watch the activities of the residents. When you leave for that Christmas party, the spotter calls it in and you come home to find your Christmas big screen gone. 

Be very aware of who might be watching your house and especially who sees you coming and going. No car in the driveway is a dead giveaway that all the owners are gone. 

Return of Slim to Las Brisas

Some of you might remember earlier this year that a very thin robber entered an occupied house in Emerald Drive through a one foot square opening in otherwise very secure burglar bars. Subsequently, several burglaries were attempted, apparently by The Slim Gang. Alert residents spotted and photographed some presumed gang members and their activity dropped off. 

Last weekend, Gwen Manning, one of the first and most stalwart members of Rodny Direct, had her house attacked at 1:30 in the morning while she was home and awake, packing for a trip. She found a very tall, thin robber, dressed all in black, reaching through her burglar bars and using a long stick to fish out her purse (empty). 

Gwen is no shrinking violet and is well prepared. She immediately grabbed her community alert walkie-talkie and summoned help. You can read the rest in her attached report, which is excellent, detailed and a model for a crime report. She has agreed to let me publish it for the benefit of the community.

The key to being safe in your house is knowing when anyone enters your yard or approaches your house. Security lights, simple perimeter alarms and controlled access are all effective ways of making sure you are never surprised.

Be safe and have a merry Christmas, 

Rodny Moreno Fuentes
President, Rodny Direct
 

ATTEMPTED ROBBERY IN BRISAS.pdf