Importance of Security

Last week I wrote about the unfortunate incident of my iTouch being stolen and my incredible luck that it was returned to me. The whole incident got me thinking about the importance of safety and security, especially for those who are living in a foreign country as I am. (Foreign country here is defined as “not the country where one was born or raised.”)

In general, I feel very safe living in Chile. According to the US Department of State’s travel information, “Crime rates are low to moderate throughout Chile and are moderate in Santiago, Valparaiso, and other major cities. American citizens visiting Chile should be as careful in cities as they would be in any city in the United States,” (emphasis added). And while it is true that foreigners here are more likely to be pick-pocketed, and even Chileans are subject to this risk, the occurrence of violent crimes is very low. And let’s face it, I think we would all prefer to have our iTouches (or cell phones, cameras, cash etc.) stolen without our knowledge than to be the victim of a violent crime.

But my feeling of security here is not just a product of the ‘low to moderate’ crime rates. A very important part of my story was the fact that I went to the police with my problem, and had no qualms about doing so. The police in Chile are respectable. Do not ever try to bribe a Chilean policeman, because just the attempt can get you into further trouble! I have visited several Latin American countries, and there are some in which I would not even ask a policeman for directions for fear that he could ‘direct’ me into an organized crime game. And there are others in which the policeman would have said, “I’ll get your iTouch back for you for only $100,” instead of the $200 that the gentleman was asking for.

These things are not limited to Latin America either. I know a woman who was traveling through Italy with a friend of hers and was walking through Rome when they were stopped by the police. The police threatened to charge them with drug charges if the women did not go with them. They were holding each woman by the upper arm, hard enough to leave bruises, and would not let go. Without responding, and trying to keep their calm, the two women proceeded to a city bus that was stopped nearby (with the policemen still on their arms and still threatening drug charges) and were able to board, leaving the policemen behind.

I cannot imagine living with that type of insecurity on a daily basis. The fact that in Chile the security figures can be trusted has gone a long way to give me peace of mind.

In Which My iTouch is Stolen

Last week I went out after work with a fellow gringa ex-pat. Neither of us could bear the thought of a Saint Patrick’s Day without at least a sip of a frothy beverage. Plus it was a great excuse for some good, old-fashioned girl talk. We had a great time too…right up until my iTouch was stolen.

That’s right, my iTouch was stolen. Now those of you who know me know that I use my iTouch all the time. I listen two at least two podcasts a day, am currently reading two books through two separate applications, listen to music at work, track all of my to do’s, have all of my contacts, show pictures, talk to friends on skype, set timers for whatever recipe I’m trying, and have at least three repeating alarms set.

(Ok, I may have a problem)

Needless to say I was a bit distraught. But, miracle of miracles, the following afternoon a gentleman called saying he had found my iTouch! Hallelujah! I rejoiced for about 3 minutes, then started to wonder how he had happened to find my iTouch several metro stops away from where I had been and happened to be so kind as to call me to return it. My mother and my best friend doubled and tripled my apprehension with stories of kidnaps and worse. But I found a friend who was willing to go with me to recover the iTouch, in the nice gentleman’s office building, in the middle of the afternoon on a workday. All was well and right with the world…until…

The same gentleman called me again saying, “I was embarrassed to tell you this yesterday, but I didn’t find the iTouch, I bought off of someone in the street it thinking it was an iPhone. I paid US$200 for it, and of course I would be happy to give it back to you, but I hate to lose the money…”

As my Chilean colleague would say, “¡CUEK!”

Great. A shakedown.

Well there’s no way I was going to spend US$200 for my own iTouch when I could get a new one for that price. After a lot of back and forth, I told the not-so-gentle-man that I needed to see for myself what condition the device was in.

So my colleague and I went off to the location, passing by a police stand on the way. We stopped and told my story to the policeman, who reinforced that it is illegal to buy stolen goods in the street, illegal to keep a stolen item should you find it, and illegal to ask me for money for a stolen iTouch.

Of course we all realized that there was no way I could walk in with the policeman without the guy disappearing forever, along with my iTouch. So the policeman gave me his cell phone number and waited while I went to see Mr. Cunning with my iTouch.

Mr. Cunning gave me my iTouch to prove that it was in perfect condition (which it was). I thanked him and told him I wasn’t going to pay him $200 but as a thank you for returning it to me I wanted to give him something, and I gave him $20. He was happy until he realized how much it was, and then he said, “but this is so little”…to which I responded “but it’s my iTouch.” Period. He tripped over some words and then left.

TADAAA! I have my iTouch back!