Rancho Los Toros Robbed Again - Panama Pacific Beach Crime Wave Escalates

"I'm frustrated, Im disgusted." Said Joe Camdon Wilmoth, owner of Rancho Los Toros. "I'm alive", he added. His restaurant / hotel was violently robbed on Tuesday, May 28, for the 2nd time in 4 months. The first time it happened was on February 15th, 2013. That night, 5 men wearing ski masks, carrying guns and machetes, stepped out of the darkness and held 15 people hostage. It was an evening of sushi at Rancho Los Toros and several people were there to enjoy the creations of Chef Andres. The thieves terrorized the hostages for several hours before they took off with around $15,000 in cash and property. That robbery created an outcry in the expat community, which was answered with a community meeting, well attended by Police and expat community leaders. The Police announced that they were 80% progressed in their investigation of the Rancho Los Toros robbery. Everyone expected arrests were around the corner.

If arrests were made in the February 15th burglary, no one in the expat community knows about them. One thing we do know, is that Rancho Los Torros was robbed again.

Last Tuesday, at around 9:30pm, 5 masked men stepped out of the darkness carrying guns and machetes. There were 4 other guests at the ranch, besides Joe. Everyone was made to lie down on the floor. The criminals tied hands and feet. People were kicked and punched. Joe was pistol whipped and badly beaten. The criminals made off with $20,000 in cash and valuables. The Police took 50 minutes to arrive on the scene.

Joe is certain that the people responsible for the recent robbery are some (if not all) of the same people from the last incident. He feels discouraged by the lack of police effort.

The Rancho Los Toros robberies are part of several violent home invasions that occurred across the beaches over the last 12 months. The robberies have resulted in expats making the decision to move back to their home countries and some abandoned their plans of moving to Panama.

A recent article in a high profile media publication named Panama as a one of the 'top 10 best places to live in the world'. Another article says Panama is one of the 'happiest countries in the world'. Here on Panama's Pacific coast, people who have moved from other countries have a different story to tell. The expat community is frightened and frustrated, as people try to make sense of what is going on. Many people feel that expats are being targeted. Some feel that corrupt police and officials keep criminals at bay. Others are calling for residents to take matters into their own hands and deliver a different type of justice.

It would seem the escalating wave of robberies are seeing criminals get bolder and more violent - without apparent consequence.

Alto al Crimen is a Boquete foundation made up of residents to address the issue of rising crime in the Boquete area. The group quietly works with the police to bring criminals to justice. An investigator from Alto al Crimen has started investigating the recent Rancho Los Toros robbery. Roberto Chocolate, (Rob Brown) of retirementdectectives.com is connected with the Boquete group. Rob feels confident that the criminals will be found by the private investigator. The question of what happens next, is what he would like to talk to the community about.

Rob Brown has called a community meeting at Rancho Los Toros for next Thursday at 6pm. "We need a show of strength" says Rob. The president from Altos al Crimen will be on hand. Perhaps it is time for the Pacific Beach community to get more involved in the matter of bringing criminals to justice, so that everyone can feel safer in their own homes and businesses.