Canadian Volunteers Beaten in Nicaraguan Robbery
Submitted by nicanor on Mon, 2011/02/28 - 20:47.
Managua - Three volunteers from Coldstream, British Columbia, say they were kidnapped, beaten and robbed in the capital of Nicaragua on Tuesday.
Speaking from his home in Coldstream, Tim Bachman says his wife Deb has visited Nicaragua many times as a volunteer but never experienced anything like this and is shaken.
"I talked to the wife this morning and she's a little bit bruised, sore, but doing better — a lot better. They're all safe and sound now," he said.
On her Facebook page, Bachman wrote: "We were kidnapped held and beaten. Everything taken."
Bachman said she was badly bruised and may have two broken ribs, but writes, "Thank you God for sparing my life."
Bachman was volunteering at the Fuente de Vida Foundation orphanage in Nicaragua with Gord and Chery Wiles, neighbours from back home.
The incident happened shortly after a taxi near Managua picked up the trio. Bachman said shortly afterwards another man got in the cab and held a knife to the Canadians' throats demanding their cameras, cash, bankcards and PINs.
Gord Wiles was beaten with a wrench and suffered facial and possible spinal injuries.
Bachman said the police told her the robbery was a set-up and there have been similar attacks targeting other foreigners. She is now trying to arrange a flight home, her husband said.
http://insidecostarica.com/dailynews/2011/february/28/centralamerica1102...
Managua is a dangerous place. my mom family live there, i know very well that city, and is the last place that i can choose to live
Take a taxi with out knowing the driver or out of a safe place is dangerous and a big mistake.
We already have talking here about the safe measures to take a taxi, best choice: use a well know driver or ask somebody else to call a taxi they know. Or take it in a safe place and notify (call) to somebody else that you are boarding that car and provide the Taxi ID,
Terms of Services
They should have a Terms of Services Check box to read before you take the plunge into Nicaragua.
Much info is out there to read to prevent this from happening. All things being equal I would go with an older Taxi driver than a younger one.
I took many taxis in Managua during a 2 month period and only once did I ever get the same driver. I always picked them up at UCA after I got off the bus from Granada. Only once did I ever feel that I was to be robbed-the driver made a phone call and muttered something and took a different route which did in fact turn out to be a shortcut but not a good area. He made eye contact with a guy on the roadside but I think he good spooked and just drove past the co-conspirator.
Another time I got in the Cab in the front seat and the Taxista picked up a woman right after me with a baby and then drove her to some poor barrio not in my direction. The houses were shacks so I was alert and decided at that moment I would never let that happen again. He gets out of the cab and leaves me alone for about 5 minutes then gets back in and we drive away. There were many people around and I was the object of curiosity so I did not think I would be robbed but inconvenienced. I wanted to punch him in the face for taking me on that wild goose chase.
So now I always tell the driver no stopping after I ask the price...