Expat Community Get Organized to Take Action Against Criminals

Expats living in Panama are easy targets for criminals. They generally have money, not fluent in the language and are out of their element. Almost every expat  I know who has lived in Panama for a year or more has been a  victim of crime. Usually theft. Recently,  however, the crimes in the Pacific Beach areas of Panama have turned violent, as the criminals have become bolder and more ruthless. The beating and rape of an elderly Coronado couple last week, is the culmination of a series of violent crimes that have occurred in the Pacific Beach areas over the last 2 months. The ruthlessness of the crime has struck a raw chord in the expat community. People have become frightened by the violence and frustrated by what appears to be ineffectiveness of the police. In the most recent case, the police report left out key details of the crime. In a past event, police who arrived on the scene did not do a perimeter search, or collect evidence.

This recent incident has created a ripple in the community,  motivating people into action. For Owen at Cholos Restaurant, a popular Mexican eatery, it means a community call to action. On his facebook page, Owen posted today, "Due to the recent crime wave in the san carlos coronado area I would like to hold a meeting Wednesday afternoon at the Coronado Police department on wednesday January 5th at 3:00 to address the police force of our problem with crimes in the area. If we show up in numbers to address complaints we should be able to get some action."

For Richard Burkart, it means putting pressure on local businesses, specifically real estate companies to reach out to their influential Panamanian connections who could in turn influence positive change. For others it means tightening security. For some, this recent crime has been the deciding factor against Panama.

What we do know for sure, is that some members of the expat community are taking matters in hand, and getting organized.  What that means, we are yet to see. What we hope for is an environment where we can feel safe in our new country and live secure in the knowledge that criminals will be punished for their crimes against society.