People rarely report robberies to the police. Police sometimes are worse than the criminals

[MinoutAce]

Hello everyone,
The insecurity in Argentina is increasing more and more and the cops do nothing. I still don't understand what is the point of stealing a watch when there are people carrying cell phones or more expensive things on them. After the watch was stolen I went to the nearest police station to report the theft. At the station they were talking and doing other things instead of registering the theft and doing something to recover it. When I left I told some friends about the robbery and the cops and they told me that the two of them had an agreement to steal the watch and keep their share. Something illogical Argetnina

 

[earlyretirement]

I've been living and working in Buenos Aires for over 21+ years now. These robberies have been going on for a long long time. I don't know if it's other watches (probably) but I personally know at least 15 people that have had the same thing happen and all of them only were wearing Rolex and Cartier's watches.

I'm not sure why the police don't do a sting operation other than the police are some of the most corrupt people on the planet. A travel agency got robbed. They called the police and then when the police came, the company found out that the police officers robbed what the thieves didn't take. They got it on camera in the hallway (idiot police).

Here is the article about the police robbing the place that just got robbed - https://www.odditycentral.com/news/...n-one-day-once-by-robbers-then-by-police.html (Such is life with the police in Argentina).

This is why many locals don't even bother reporting it to the police once they get robbed.

Thieves don't care about being short-sighted. They only care about today and lining their pockets today. That's always how it's been in Argentina for as long as I've been coming here. Heck, not even thieves but many people in general I've found eventually "exit scam" you. I've seen it happen time and time again with many professions. Even dependable and honest architects that I've done business over many years have scammed people eventually as their financial situation got desperate. I've seen people in their same families scamming people.

Times are tough. I've noticed more and more crime. I've never seen it this bad even since the last big crash it wasn't this bad. A few weeks ago I saw 4 different thieves getting arrested in different parts of Recoleta and Palermo. This was just in one day. Nothing looked serious but one it was clear they stole someone's cellphone but the police were all over so I was impressed with that. That was at Las Heras and Junin.

It will most likely get worse.

Just 2 weeks ago one of my wife's friend whose husband owns a money transport business hauling around cash. He has been doing this for the past 20 years and never gotten robbed. But just a few weeks ago he finally got robbed at gunpoint. It was obvious that someone from the property closing where he was picking up money called and gave thieves the details of the cash. It was his first time in 20+ years of getting robbed. People are desperate now.

People have always been desperate in Argentina but I've never seen it worse than now. I still feel comfortable walking around and I don't have any issues with my iPhone, etc. But I'm very aware of my surroundings. I've seen more homelessness, more violence and crime.

And this is a true shame as I love Argentina so much. And it will always be "home" to me.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, fundamentally things will never change too much. In between relative periods of calm there will always be chaos there. Short of a country invading Argentina and forcing them to change the labor laws, tax laws, judicial system reform...... nothing will ever change long term.

The laws are idiotic for the most part. There is far too much corruption. Anyone that owns a company there knows the labor law system is totally broken. Any company that pays all the legitimate taxes can't make money. So net net? Argentina can't fundamentally improve itself over the long haul. The rich will get richer. The poor will always stay poor and the middle class is disappearing completely.

 

[MickMolloy]

I came to Argentina the first time in 2003. First thing I was told by my new Argy friends "never ever talk to the police. You get robbed at gunpoint in your own apartment? DO NOT talk to the police"

As someone from a 'western' country this was one of the hardest things to wrap my head around

 

[GlasgowJohn]

I think I have been in a police station once and that was to ask for the certificado de domicilio.

Thankfully no other reason to go.

 

[Jeep]

I came to Argentina the first time in 2003. First thing I was told by my new Argy friends "never ever talk to the police. You get robbed at gunpoint in your own apartment? DO NOT talk to the police"

As someone from a 'western' country this was one of the hardest things to wrap my head around

Same here. All my local friends told me when I was first here to avoid the police. Once someone steals your item you ain't getting it back anyway. I can't see any reason to talk to the police.

 

[Vero]

I think I have been in a police station once and that was to ask for the certificado de domicilio.

Thankfully no other reason to go.

Yes this is the only time I have been in a police station to get documents certified. I don't want to paint a picture that all police officers are corrupt here as that is truly not the case. We know some police officers that are very honest. But even those officers tell us that it is best not to make contact with police if you don't have to. Stay under the radar.