Breach of Security in Boquete Panama
Posted by Lee on February 3, 2009
Boquete Panama is a paradise, unfortunately it has been discovered by welcome new residents and unwelcome thieves. Burglaries have become common in the past year and recently there have been reports of armed thieves. I have been informed about five incidents one in Bugaba, two in Potrerillos, one in El Sanctuario and now one Jaramillo. I do not have any way to confirm all the facts.
Targets have included two businesses, at least one Panamanian family and two recent immigrants. The terror appears to be targeted not at gringos but at people and businesses with safes.
In all cases it appears armed robbers entered houses or businesses at night between 1 am and 4 am, restrained the residents and stole either a safe or the contents of a safe. In one case the first case, the safe was attached and a machete was used to extract the combination. In the other cases they physically removed the safe on to the extent of my research no one was injured. The group perpetrating these crimes has numbered from three to five with one gunman.
The question becomes what can you do about it? Protect your home and yourself. Bars on windows, locked doors, intrusion alarms, dogs that are in the house and bark are all deterrents. None will do more than deter or warn. An increasing number of people are obtaining permits and legal handguns.
I cannot provide legal advice here nor would I venture even if I could. Many people have been purchasing guns. Having a gun is as much a risk as not having one unless you know the law and are trained to use the weapon. When I obtained a permit for a gun in the US I had to study the law, safety rules, take an exam and prove I could hit a target when I shot.
In Panama I had to pay money, provide a urine sample, a blood sample, take a psychological exam, pay a little more money then wait six months for a license. I was never taught or even exposed to the laws explaining when I can legally use the weapon. Subsequent research has provided this simple rule. If someone breaks into your home and you are in justifiable fear for your life you may use lethal force. Short of being arrested and tried I do not know if this the reality. My fear is that if the police do not do something soon to apprehend this team of armed men someone in this region is going to die and someone will learn the truth about the law.
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Unfortunately I know of at least 5 violent people that are or were in Boquete. There were denuncias filed and none of them were arrested. Because of the calumnia laws I cant say more except one of them in now deceased. He had 4 denuncias against him and nothing was done.
The police don’t seem to be able to do much I suppose from lack of resources among other things. There is limited infrastructure here across the board so I believe the maleantes know there is much less accountability. Unfortunately this is the downside to a low cost of living. The american wild west was probably this way too for the same reasons, but what is going on now is much less romantic.