My oldest son got mugged for the 3rd time this year.

[Iznogud]

Dammit!
No harm done, probably just a scare. At Plaza Almagro, by three other "kids" probably his age.

He's 15 and was always in the company of another kid, either my younguest son (11), as today, or a schoolmate. This happened already twice in front of the Subway or/and Burger King on Avda. Córdoba near Callao. Each time they relieved him of his cell phone.
His phones are better than mine. I suspect my $200 Samsung is way smarter than I am.

Starting to get seriously worried. More concerned by the young one, the frail looking one. If the thieves are not intimidated by the big one, certainly Jr. is of no concern to them. How long until they start throwing punches or worse?

 

[DavieW]

Shit, that's bad.

I just got threatened with serious violence myself, at the park with my 4 year old. Not the first time at that park, and not the first time by the same neanderthal parent of another kid. I went and spoke to a cop, who, predictably, laughed in my face and told me to call 911 the next time.

:-(

 

[nledec]

Which park?

 

[earlyretirement]

I'm sorry to hear that. I think anyone with an expensive smart phone is a target. These thugs aren't afraid of most people. I've had BIG friends that have been robbed of their iphones.

The police can't/won't do anything. Get this. My sister-in-law's boyfriend got his brand new iphone 4s stolen last year. (I warned him of buying it but he insisted I bring one down for him).

He had the Find my Iphone activated and the GPS told exactly where the phone was. He went to the police station and they told him it was too dangerous for them to try to get it and they didn't go into that part of town. (I think it was in La Boca).

 

[Iznogud]

My son does not play with his phone, he's not even fond of it and has few friends and no one to call. I do not believe they ever saw it. I just think they just intimidated him into deliver his valuables.

 

[trennod]

Terrible to hear Iznogud.

Any1 see the 5 shops that were robbed in Recoleta the other day? Just another day in Buenos Aires, really.

 

[Canick]

wow. i'm so sorry to hear that. At least he is safe.

criminals do what they want without fear...and every day they seem to be getting bolder.

what used to be "a friend of a friend was robbed" is now "i was robbed" and the only solution to this seems to be "take it as part of the price of living in Argentina...or move".

I know many of us have lived through these 'shitty times' here before, but I swear this one feels like it's going to be much worse.

The whole city (Capital) feels like it's bubbling and ready to explode...

 

[earlyretirement]

Terrible to hear Iznogud.

Any1 see the 5 shops that were robbed in Recoleta the other day? Just another day in Buenos Aires, really.

No, which shops were they? What kind of stores?

The thing is....the vast majority of bad things that happen never makes it to the press or news or anyone says anything.

I have wealthy friends that have had their kids kidnapped and ransomed. They don't dare go to the police. They just move out of Argentina never to come back except for holidays.

Granted the typical perma-tourist has VERY little risk there but there are several families there that have high risk and bad things happening.

 

[Iznogud]

This past sunday I was at a meeting with a bunch of (good) cops from several provinces. They all agree that violent crime is way up and unchecked. Many had been involved in shootings recently and said that none of the stuff going on makes the media.

8 dead just in the past week in La Plata, statistically a monthly figure.

 

[Gringoboy]

I'm really sorry to hear this.
Not just the capital either. My wife's lad goes to a private school where we live nr Olivos.
Lunchtimes are easy pickings for the scum that watch them come out of school at lunchtime, so now the kids leave everything in the school and go to relatives for lunch as opposed to local eateries.