Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
tas and other crowded public places where tourists congregate are favoured by pickpockets
and thieves. If you're carrying a daypack or small bag, keep it in front of you where you can
see it to avoid having it slashed; when you stop and sit down, loop a strap around your leg to
make it more difficult for someone to grab.
Violent crime
Mugging
and
violent robbery
aremuchlesscommon,butdooccur,usuallyatnight,sotryto
avoid having to walk down empty streets in the early hours, particularly on your own. ATMs
are an obvious target for robbers, so don't use them at night, if possible. If the robbers are
armed, it's better not to resist.
Some travellers have been targeted for what's known as
express kidnapping
. This involves
armed men, sometimes disguised as police, entering the taxi or minibus the victims are trav-
elling in (usually with the complicity of the driver) and taking them to a secret location where
theyareforcedtoreveal theirATMcredit cardPINandareheldforseveral dayswhiletheac-
countisdrained.Intwoinstancesthekidnappedtravellers weremurdered,thoughmostofthe
gang responsible have since been arrested. Most cases occurred on the La Paz-Copacabana
route. As such, it's best to stick to larger buses with plenty of other travellers on board when
travelling onthat route,andtobeparticularly careful whenarriving after darkinthecemetery
district of La Paz.
Though usually safer than walking,
taxis
carry an element of risk. If travelling alone, don't
sit in the front seat, lock passenger doors to stop people jumping in beside you, and be wary
of cabs driving away with your bags - if your luggage is in the boot, wait for the driver to
get out first. Radio taxis called by phone are safer than unmarked cabs, and you can always
refuse to share a cab with strangers if it makes you uncomfortable.
Robbery is rare in
rural areas
, though campsites are sometimes targeted on some of the
more popular trekking routes - keep all your possessions inside your tent at night, avoid
camping near villages where possible, and always get local advice before setting off.
Scams
As well as opportunistic thefts, there are several
scams
used by teams of professional thieves
that you should be aware of. One classic technique is distraction: your bag or clothing is mys-
teriously sprayed with mustard or the like, a friendly passer-by points this out and helps you
clean it - while their accomplice picks your pocket or makes off with your coat or bag.
Another involves something valuable - cash, a credit card - being dropped at your feet. A
passer-by spots it and asks you to check your wallet to see if it is yours, or offers to share it
with you. The story ends with your own money disappearing by sleight of hand, or you being
accused of theft, so walk away as quickly as possible and ignore anything dropped at your
feet.
