4 Unusual Crimes In The Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic has its social security problems, as well as all Latin American countries, let’s say it is not the safest country in the world, but it is not a gothic city as many would like to portray it.

It is difficult to objectively analyze a subject when it comes to perceptions, as this depends on the experiences of each person in reference to his or her immediate environment.

A foreign person will have a different perception of the security of the Dominican Republic than a native person.

Likewise, a native of the Dominican Republic may have a different perception of the crimes committed in the country if he/she has been in other Latin American countries.

And I do not want to make comparisons that favor the Dominican Republic, but objectively, there are crimes that are common in other countries that in the Dominican Republic do not exist or are extremely rare to see, that is what this topic is about.

1-Kidnapping

In other Latin American countries, there are gangs and organizations dedicated to this type of crime, but this does not exist in the Dominican Republic.

For as long as I can remember, I have never heard of this type of crime as a modality in the country.

I have heard of some people with a bad idea of committing a “self-kidnapping” to ask for money and perhaps several cases of forced retention.

But what is known as kidnapping, as seen in other countries, where they kidnap people (especially wealthy people) to ask for sums of money from the family, does not exist in the Dominican Republic.

2-Armed robbery on public buses

I have seen some videos on YouTube of a country where this modality is widely used, several people get on the bus and assault all the passengers.

Well, this type of crime is not common in the Dominican Republic, I am not saying that it does not exist, maybe I have heard some news that it has happened.

But this crime is an extremely isolated and shocking event to see in the Dominican Republic, it is simply too risky for thieves to rob a bus because here the population attacks in packs.

In the country, it is very common to pickpocket in buses and any other crowded commercial place, but not assault in public.

3-Rape

Well, I cannot say that this crime does not exist in the country, because it really does exist, but, I put it on this list because the Dominican Republic is not an extremely unsafe country with respect to rape.

I mean, I have done the research and I have noticed that there are countries, like for example India, where there are certain places where a woman cannot go alone because it is very likely that she will be raped or intensely harassed, that is cultural, in the Dominican Republic that culture does not exist.

The most uncomfortable thing for an attractive woman in the Dominican Republic will be the intense stares of men and the occasional compliment, nothing more.

4-Drug cartels

I think I’m swimming pretty deep on this topic.

Again, like the rape case, I am not saying that there are no drug cartels in the Dominican Republic, they do exist, but their anonymity is so great that no one knows who they are or what they do.

I know they exist because of recent news and events that came to light, I put it in this list, because in the Dominican Republic, compared to other northern countries, you will not see drug cartels carrying out public attacks, or attacking the authorities with big guns.

That has never been seen in the country.

What other crimes are very rare to see in the Dominican Republic?

Other crimes such as serial killers, mass murders, robberies in plain sight, all of these are non-existent in the country.

When I refer to robberies in full view of everyone, in some countries in South America, I have seen for example, how in some streets, there are people who rob everyone who passes by on the street in full view of everyone.

This type of robbery in the Dominican Republic is impossible, I have never seen something like this, that someone is on a street stealing in plain view of everyone and no one does anything.

I have also seen in other South American countries, that they attack the rearview mirrors of the cars that stop at the red light of the traffic lights in broad daylight, this does not exist in the Dominican Republic either.

People in the Dominican Republic simply hate crime, and if they have the opportunity they will all attack in packs, most likely to lynch the assailants, that is why thieves do not risk committing this type of crime in public.

There are many other cases that are very common in other Latin American countries, such as drugging people’s drinks, which are rare to see in the Dominican Republic.

What are the most common crimes in the Dominican Republic?

Robberies and armed robberies are the most common crimes in big cities, typical of all Latin American cities.

Usually, two men on a motorcycle approach you very quickly, if you walk down a lonely or very dark street, in certain places, they take your cell phone, wallet, or any jewelry that you exhibit.

This type of crime is common in big cities such as Santo Domingo and Santiago.