Sources:
El Panamá America, La Estrella de Panamá
With all that, why do I feel so safe? Maybe I am crazy, but I just do. To quote another expat, I feel safer in Panama City, walking alone at night, than I do in Washington D.C. I can personally say the same of London, Hong Kong or Vancouver all of which I have spend considerable time in.
If you are a sensible person with a good head on your shoulders, you are not likely to encounter a problem. I am pale, blond, green-eyed and very "gringo" looking. Surely a target, right. In just under a decade I have never, ever been approached or otherwise accosted in any way. And I never will be. Why? Because I don`t attract it by appearing anything but confident and secure. Maybe all that pent up rage from childhood is hiding close under the surface and works to my advantage cuz I´d go down fighting anyway. And, as I explain below, locals don`t like a fight, so they would probably be terrified of this mad foreigner and run away! But, besides the attitude I project, which is important, violence really is not a fundamental part of the culture.
Lovers, not Fighters
It sounds corny, but it`s true. Panamanians really are a laid-back bunch. I watched a so-called riot once and the roughest it got was two guys swatting at each other and bumping chests. I kid you not. Any other country, there would have been bloodshed. Panamanians prefer to party. No really, they do. They don`t like to fight. Physical violence is not an epidemic as it is in say, England or the U.S. That is, unless booze is involved, and even then it`s rare.
Saying that, there are some "bad influences" entering the country. Locals blame the Colombians. Colombians blame the Salvadorians. Whatever is happening there has been a new wave of crime, sometimes rather clever or violent in ways that just does not seem to fit the culture. I do believe there are crimes committed particular robberies and specific murders - that are almost certainly "outside" jobs. But who cares
who is doing it ? what exactly do you have to worry about, and what can you do about it?
The Real Life
Living Here Perspective
If I were to tell you there is almost always a death or two reported in daily newspaper, what would you think? Low or high? Panama City is pretty small, even for a capital, but then clearly there are people dying, right? Yes, there are murders. But they are rarely the random acts you see on CSI or CNN. Accidents are frequent, electrocution, vehicle, fire, etc. Murders tend to either be crimes of passion, local gang related or assassination. Does the latter shock you? You needn´t worry unless you are involved in organized crime or drug rings. Please stay in your home country if you are!
Robberies are not infrequent. They can be as random as rain a car broken into while parked on the side of the street, or a house broken into and robbed during a party. People are sometimes accosted in parking lots, made to drive to ATMs and take out money. Sometimes people are kidnapped and held for ransom. Why on earth did I put dittos around the word kidnapped? Because most such cases are ruses - someone you know
telling you they have been kidnapped, and asking for money to save their lives. Such people are normally not very smart, and are quickly caught. In fact, most criminals in Panama are not very smart and are easy to trace because they commit grievous errors such as leaving really obvious clues or letting you see their faces. Not the smartest bunch, local bad-guys.
There are definite areas in Panama you should avoid. Some only at night. Some always. Most you would not want to visit anyway. To name them here would be meaningless to you. Have you ever been to
Fa Chi Kei
in Macao? No? I have. Dangerous. Suffice to say you will learn very quickly where these areas are in Panama. Likewise, locals truly are very friendly and helpful to foreigners, so they will tell you. They love to tell you! Just use your head and don t be afraid to ask questions.
What Can you Do to Protect Yourself?
Even if crime is not rampant or violent in Panama, it is not something you want to be complacent about. You need to be aware of your belongings in crowded malls and such. You need to park in well-lit areas and keep your eye out for odd characters. You need to act confident and seem an unsatisfactory or otherwise non-easy target. When it comes to your residence, here is what is available:
Iron Bars: Most homes come installed with iron bars on the windows and an iron outer door. You can get these done quite tastefully these days so as not to interfere too much with the aesthetics of your home. They are highly recommended.
Alarms: Good, relatively inexpensive alarm systems are easy to acquire. Our neighbor`s alarm is constantly going off [Wind? Dust?] and the alarm company dutifully comes out each time to check. Quite annoying actually, but comforting if you like such things.
Private Security: We are always talking about how cheap it is to live here. You can hire your own 24-hour security for around $500 per month. You can do the same via a Security Agency for around $1200. I should warn you, though...it is not uncommon for residential robberies to be committed by or with these security guards. Still, they get caught so that goes towards the not-so-smart debate.
Apartment Living: Many people prefer to live above us all in high-rise apartments for the security they offer. No one gets in or out without being caught on security cameras or authorized.
ThinkPanama has a wide selection of just such properties.
Gated Communities: If you prefer a house, there are the growing-in-popularity "gated communities". These also have 24-hour security for everyone entering and leaving the premises. They even have guards doing rounds. If you take a vacation, your house is much safer with an aware and vigilant population keeping an eye on things.
ThinkPanama has a great list of these types of residences, as well.
The Last Word on Panama Safety
Okay. So what do you know so far? You know Panama is not exactly the crime-free haven it has been purported to be. You know crime does exist. You know that most of it is isolated and criminal related - as in bad guys taking on other bad guys. You know that many expats, including the author of this article, feel that living here is really, quite safe. You know that if you want to ensure safety you can take precautions. You also know that despite the "Pinkerton" rumor, there really are figures to back up the claim, Panama is one of the safest places in the world, and indeed, Latin America. All that is left is to come see for yourself.
Think Panama!
For more information on Crime and ALL your Panama Lifestyle, Panama Travel or Panama Real Estate needs, contact
Douglas M. Choy at
ThinkPanama.com
. They will be happy to provide any guidance and information you may need.
