This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000553 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR CA/OCS/WHA and DS/IP/WHA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CASC CR
SUBJECT: Armed Robbers Target Tourists Near Airport 
 
¶1. SUMMARY.  Eleven armed robberies of tourists near the San 
Jose airport took place during a recent eight week period. 
It appears one group of four armed males is responsible. 
Post approached the GOCR, tourism officials and the AmCham 
in support of greater protection for tourists and an in- 
depth investigation of the robberies.  The last reported 
robbery was on Feb. 21.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. Theft, of luggage/purses/backpacks, is a daily reality 
for the 700,000+ AmCit visitors to Costa Rica each year. 
Tourists are easy prey, and are targeted in rental vehicles, 
at bus stations and on the beaches.  Post learns of the 
thefts, in most instances, only if passports are taken - in 
FY-05 we replaced 1,558 stolen passports, the largest number 
reported by any FS post.  Until recently, few robberies have 
involved weapons or violence. 
 
¶3. Since December 21, there have been at least eleven armed 
robberies of tourists, under similar circumstances, on the 
main highway west of San Jose.  Most of the victims were 
recent arrivals at Juan Santamaria International airport, 
and all were driving on the PanAmerican highway between 2230 
and 0100.  Eight cases involved AmCits, two victims were 
Dutch citizens and another British.  All the robberies 
appear to be the work of one group of four males.  In each 
case, the robbers pulled alongside or in front of the 
vehicle carrying the tourists, forcing the car to the side 
of the highway.  Several of the victims report gunshots 
fired at the tires.  Once the car was disabled, three armed 
and hooded males commandeered the blocked vehicle, and 
within a few minutes took luggage and personal possessions. 
At least one of the robbers spoke English. 
 
¶4. The first case occurred on December 21, the next on 
January 7, followed by an average of more than one robbery a 
week in late January until February 21.  We presume there 
have been more than eleven incidents.  The robbers warn the 
victims not to report the crime, and all but one of the 
eleven cases involved a stolen passport, meaning the crime 
had to be reported.  Local authorities indicate that at 
least seven additional robberies fitting the modus operandi 
were reported to the police during the same time period. 
 
¶5. From the beginning, the Embassy's Consular Section and 
RSO have worked to alert Costa Rican authorities to the 
threat.   After the third reported robbery, more concrete 
steps were taken.  A meeting with a past President of the 
AmCham led to combating crime against tourists being listed 
as one of the top three goals of AmCham for 2006.  Our 
monthly meetings with tourism safety officials became weekly 
or twice weekly, with police and Ministerial-level 
participation by the GOCR.  The Consular Section developed 
an e-mail list of interested parties, and kept all up to 
date on events.  A meeting with Consuls representing the 
Dutch, British, Canadian, Italian, Swiss and French 
Embassies led to information sharing, and the first three 
listed above strengthened their information sheets to 
reflect an increase in passport thefts and armed robberies. 
Post's revisions to Embassy San Jose's CIS (submitted on 
February 8) are in the clearance process by the Department 
to add a paragraph on this particular threat. 
 
¶6. The Costa Rican police are understaffed, and limited by 
minimal training, inadequate resources and jurisdictional 
disputes.  Nonetheless, they appear to be taking the rash of 
robberies seriously, beefing up patrols on the highway and 
establishing a task force to lead the investigation.  A 
senior police official readily admitted that only the 
intervention and interest of the American Embassy made them 
realize the interconnection of the various assaults, and the 
severity of the problem. 
 
¶7. There have been no similar robberies reported since 
February 21.  We suspect the increased police presence is 
largely responsible, but also presume the perpetrators will 
resurface once the heightened security ends, or move to 
another locale seeking easy prey.  We will continue to push 
the GOCR to pursue the criminals until all are apprehended. 
While so far no one has been injured, the presence of loaded 
handguns makes it highly likely that at some point someone 
will be shot. 
 
LANGDALE