Living in a house in Capital Federal

[Dougie]

What I am looking from you guys is "devils' advocate" approach as to -

aa) What else I can do to live safely in a house.
bb) How safer will it be spending for a more, for a house in street "Ombu" to a. house in "Belgrano R"
cc) How likely, I can be broken into, when I am, actually in the house
dd) Any other fantastic ideas to improve my safety?
ee) Any special ideas? Any "out of the box" approach to it?

I'm not an expert, but I have lived in a few South American countries and these items come to mind.

- Audit the outside your home to try to find weak points. Gates, locks, doors, windows, easily climbable fences, roofs from neighbors homes that connect to yours. Trees with large branches that hangover into your property.

- Panic room: Pick a room inside your house that you can install a puerta blindada. If you hear someone is trying to break in while home you can take refuge there.

- Smart lights where you can turn lights off and on from your cell phone while your away. You could do the same thing with a tv or music.

- Always have the outside of your home and near the street well lit.

- Be careful about the people that you let in your home. If you are robbed it's most likely going to be the result of someone you had contact with that later passed information onto the robbers. This could be the remise driver that drove you to the airport to the plumber, girl you invited over your house, security company, etc. Stay within a close circle of trusted contacts.

- If someone Googles your name will they be able to tell that you are a high net worth individual ? If so, then use an alias when possible. Send all your mail to your second apartment you mentioned, so your name isn't associated with your primary address in many places.

- Have a small amount of "hidden cash" in case you are home and get robbed, you can give them what they want without losing too much and getting seriously hurt.

- Might not be worth the hassle in your case, but you could get a big dog. If you are traveling for a couple weeks have a friend or boarder take care of it.

- Obviously be careful when entering or leaving your home. All the precautions above go to hell if they can catch you coming in or out of the home.

- If you're not expecting anyone don't answer the buzzer.

I wouldn't be super paranoid about living in a nice house in Belgrano R. You definitely need to be aware and take precautions, but I think as long as you do what you can to minimize your risk without it affecting your lifestyle too much, you'll be safe and happy.

 

[Ceviche]

We did get into discussion about my origins in an indirect manner, in private emails, when you tried to perform a "language" test on me. This was only few months ago. You forgot so fast. Please don't lie, so blatantly to show yourself as some noble sheep here.Keep the integrity, intact at all times.

You have been trying to scare me and people here in last 10 years about security issues in BA. In fact you are right especially for people who come from 1st world countries such as USA, Norway, Switzerland etc . But you fail to see from my perspective cos I come from a country 100 times more poor and with 100 times more crime. Anyhow, If I had taken you seriously, I should have dug a hole under a rock, and hidden there for rest of my life..

Having said this much, I appreciate your 2 posts. So basis your advice, I should be reading more books on strategies of war and must forget about the house on O Higgins as the whole world knows about it already thanks to my original questions. Thanks for your guidance.

 

[Ceviche]

Thanks Dougie, for the practicable advice. Much appreciated.

 

[Iznogud]

C'mon Ceviche, be serious.

Have always tried to help you, since day one.
Told you I came to this board trying to practice english and find oportunities in the Classifieds.
When I found you should speak french as well just gave it a shot to expand my horizons and practice. Nothing bad about it, read no further.

In your defense, i must say that ten or so years ago i was doing some research that involved reading, listening and watching a ton of defensive and security related stuff (and still have the material to prove it) and might have been in full paranoid mode. That was long ago.

Your discomfort should be a thing of the past. Calling me a liar, tsk, tsk.

I wish you the best moving to Belgrano.
You wanted the devil's advocate and that is what you got.
It shouldn't discourage you.

I have this IT habit of looking into details, helps me fix stuff.

Don't want to add more, fearing to be misunderstood.

If you want my friendship and or advise you can have it.

If you'd like the books you can also have them if you can figure how to download 12mb in a stretch.

My hand remains extended to you.

Iz

 

[Ceviche]

C'mon Ceviche,
When I found you ""should"" speak french as well just gave it a shot to expand my horizons.

"could"

Your language test was funny.

 

[Ceviche]

Ceviche

If you want my friendship and or advise you can have it. My hand remains extended to you.

No, Thanks.

 

[semigoodlookin]

Is there an extensive history of break ins against forgein or non-foreign people on these wealthy streets? I come from a village in the UK so naturally think Argentina to be unsafe. Nevertheless, it seems this thread is over-blowing the risks.

 

[Ceviche]

it seems this thread is over-blowing the risks.

Couldn't agree more. Reading this thread- I almost feel, I am living in post nuclear apocalyptic world, where anything goes and we have returned to dark ages..

 

[camel]

 

[Ceviche]

Congrats on your citizenship ( welcome to the club), Camel. Great Report. Hallmark of a good writer is being vulnerable while writing and you were.