Mid-Year
Vacation A
Security Concern
For Most
Josefinos
Many Josefinos
(residents of
San José) are
re-adjusting
their budget to
include
expenditures in
security
measures faced
with alarming
crime
statistics, even
though the
numbers have
dropped a bit
over the same
period last
year.
The summary for
the first four
months 2010 in
San José is
1.823 assaults,
710 break-ins
and 110
robberies. Those
numbers only
represent
incidents
reported to
police, as many
of the crimes go
unreported.
The need for
home security
increases this
time of year as
Costa Ricans
prepare
themselves for
the mid-year
vacation, the
July 5 to 16
period when
schools close
for two weeks
and families
head to the
beaches and
mountains.
This leaves
homes and
properties open
to vandalism and
crime sprees as
criminals take
advantage of
nobody being
home and
possible time
before it is
even ever
discovered or
reported.
The tradition is
to leave someone
behind, a family
member, an
employee or
trusted friend,
the "guarda"
(the
neighbourhood
private guard)
as long as the
home is not left
alone.
But many do not
have that option
and thus have to
rely on
surrounding
their home and
property with
razor wire, bars
on windows and
doors. However,
electronic
surveillance,
for those who
can afford it,
is a growing
option.
Currently a
decent home
security system
goes for between
˘100.000
(us$185) and
˘150.000
(us$280)
colones. But,
that does not
include
monitoring of
the system,
which can run up
to ˘25.000
(us$45) to
˘50.000 colones
(us$90) per
month, depending
on the location.
For those with
deeper pockets
they can hire a
private security
and surveillance
service that
could run up to
˘2 million
colones a month
(us$3.700).
If one could,
they would have
someone in the
home, razor
wire, bars,
cameras,
electronic
detectors, a
guarda and
private
surveillance.
Security
companies, as
well as
retailers of
alarms,
electronic
surveillance and
hardware stores
selling razon
wire, say sales
are brisk,
especially as
the mid-year
vacation
approaches. And
that despite the
official
statistics that
crime is down.
Notwithstanding
the drop in
reports, most
still feel
insecure and
that they cannot
rely on the
police to patrol
and respond in
time.
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