From the Escazu News YOUR SECURITY: YOUR SAFETY x Gerardo Cordero Masís
Don Daniel, as always thanking you for your attention and cooperation and taking into account that we are approaching a period in which one must be careful as regards personal security, I would greatly appreciate your passing the following advice on to the worthy audience of your Escazú News. Thanks for your help .
A- USEFUL INFORMATION FOR AVOIDING ATTACKS, OR AT LEAST MINIMIZING THE RISKS 1.Carry a single credit card and at least 10 thousand colones. (to have to hand over in case of attack). Remember that for each credit card you can withdraw 400 thousand colones, if you have at least that they are worth 1 million 200 thousand colones, which can become 2 million 400 thousand if retained until the next day.
2.Don’t carry visiting cards or family photographs in your billfold or wallet.
3.Don’t carry bank account information unless you are going to the bank or doing something else where you need it. Always take the necessary precautions in this case.
4. Don’t show your cellular telephone in the street.
5. Should the cellular ring and we are walking in the street, we should stick to the wall, look both ways, answer and ask the person calling to ring back later.
6. Dress simply.
7. Always look at the hands and eyes of anyone walking towards us, if they have their hands in their pockets it is possible they are carrying a weapon
B-VEHICLES 1. Change routes, don't be predictable.
2. If you have a car, you should carry the circulation card in a bag and keep it in the car’s trunk.
3. In a parking lot or in the street, don’t point with the control, which opens the car more than 50 cms away from the vehicle, as someone could be watching you.
4. If you are attacked while opening the car, we should keep the following in mind:
- Raise your hands, look downwards (never face the assailant), and listen what is said to us. The alternatives in this case are: don’t let him make us get into the car, negotiate: “take the car, my money, billfold, etc.” (98% of the persons who get into the car die when they try to escape).
- Always be clear in the movements you make and do these slowly, repeating what it is we are going to do, for example:“I have my wallet in the right pocket and I am going to take it out” Repeat always: “ Calm down, I’ll do what you tell me”.
- Should his insist on your getting in the car, fake fainting or an asthma attack (he may kick you once or twice but he won’t try to carry you, the most probable thing is that he gets into the car and drives away).
5. Don’t look at the theif.
6. They generally approach diagonally, not from the side or front.
7. The most usual places to be attacked are traffic bumps, crossroads and traffic lights. Fo this reason one should keep looking at the back and side mirrors.
8. Drive with your windows up and locks down.
9. Don’t keep bags or jackets in plain sight, better put them in the trunk.
10. Be wary of the window cleaners and don’t allow them to get on the trunk (they are almost always looking to see what we carry).
11. As a means of prevention one must use center lanes, since it is the cars at the sides which are usually attacked.
12. Leave a meter of distance from the car in front in case it is necessary to crash into it in order for them to get down and frustrate the attack.
C - Kidnapping: Risk factors : 1. Not to vary routes.
2. Traveling alone.
3. Frequenting unsafe areas.
4. Showing personal items of high value (jewelry, laptops, cellular, etc.)
D-Kidnapping for ransom: 1. top executives
2. planned
3. Commited close to house or office.
4. Commited by between 4 and 6 people.
E-Express kidnapping 1. Víctim selected at random
2. Commited near an automatic teller machine
3. Looking for jewelry and fast money
4. Victim released in a matter of hours
5. Generally occur on Fridays after 6 pm and on payday
F-Virtual kidnapping: 1. When they arrive saying they represent a company (for example Radiográfica, Cable Color, etc.).
G-TIPS WHEN GETTING INTO A TAXI 1. Check license plates
2. Don’t get into those having polarized windows.
3. Don’t get into those with no license plates
4. Check that the identification coincides with the driver and is up to date.
5. Don’t wait for a taxi in the street.
6. Once inside the car. Call home by phone (cellular), giving the license plates and a description of the vehicle, and how long it will take you to arrive. If there is nobody at home, fake the conversation.
7. Preferably use taxi rank vehicles. (designated taxi stands)
H - Automatic tellers 1. Don’t go alone.
2. Look for an automatic teller, which is not isolated or unknown.
3. When withdrawing cash at the Bank, ask the cashier to count the money again slowly, it is not advisable to count it again in front of others.
I - Public places 1. In a restaurant sit in a place close to an emergency exit and where we can observe the main entrance at the same time.
2. In the street, walk as closely as possible to the wall.
3. Don’t walk in dark streets.
4. Park close to the entrance in shopping malls.
J - Aircraft 1. The aisle seat is the safest
2. Sit close to an emergency exit
K-Hotels 1.Endeavor to stay from the 1st to 5th floor (the firemen’s ladders only reach this height)
“If they have a plan, we should also have one”.
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