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Costa Rica Crime Rate

Costa Rica crime rate is very low in comparison to other Latin American countries, and you may not even be in a dangerous situation at all, yet it is better to be safe than sorry. When you visit Costa Rica, keep in mind that, even though this is a paradise, it is also a normal country and, like any other in the world, there is a fair share of crime on the streets. Now, Tourists should be careful; foreigners are easily spotted if they are in busy surroundings and could be targeted for pick pocketing. Please take a good look at this Costa Rica safety guide for it would definitely come in handy while you visit:

1. Never leave your items unattended. Crime in Costa Rica is usually petty theft and the best way to not be a target is being a little more careful with your belongings: keep them with you at all times, do not trust strangers with your stuff.
2. Do not wear flashy jewelry. Avoiding risk is easier if you don’t draw attention to yourself. Do not wear flashy jewelry or expensive items; you will probably wont need to wear them and it would be a shame to lose them.
3. Leave your documentation in your safety box at the hotel. Make a photocopy of your passport and airline tickets and carry those instead of the original ones, leave a copy of the documents at home in case you need someone to fax them for you.
4. If you are driving, don’t leave your belongings inside the car while gone. In Costa Rica, the legal system makes finding burglars really hard and rental cars are easily spotted.
5. Avoid the dangerous zones. Although Costa Rica is a relatively safe country, there are some areas you might want to avoid in San Jose and outside areas. Please ask the personnel of your hotel about the location and if there is any place you should pay special attention to.
6. Don’t carry too much money. Costa Ricans tend to use a debit card to do so; you can bring traveler’s checks or just carry small amounts of money. Leave your money in your safety box at the hotel or carry it in money belt.
7. Don’t cash money on the street. Use the banks instead.
8. If you have an emergency call 911. Costa Rica does have a 911 system for emergencies. Works just like the one on the United States and if you are an American citizen and lost your documentation, you can also reach the embassy a 519-2000 or 220-3127.
9. Use only taxi cabs that area marked as such. When taking a cab, make sure they are marked with the company logo and have a taxi cab plate (usually a yellow triangle on the side of the doors.) There are fake cabs called “taxis piratas” wich are just regular red cards these are not allowed to provide the service and usually don’t have a meter. It is better to have the staff of the hotel or restaurants to call one for you.
10. Ignore anyone who tries to approach you on the street. Costa Ricans are very helpful, but some criminals might take advantage of this to steal from you. So ignore anyone that approaches you trying to sell something. Not everyone is a criminal but it’s better to avoid the situation.

Please enjoy your stay and remember that even though crime in Costa Rica is in fact very low and all you have to do is be careful just like you would be at home.