San Juan - Post Report Question and Answers
Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
It's pretty safe outside of the "caserios" (projects). - May 2023
Puerto Rico is not a safe place. Colombia feels safer to me. Unfortunately, crime has been getting worse. Carjackings (including death) occur frequently, including at the gate to our neighborhood. We know five people who were carjacked at gunpoint in the last year (one killed). Burglaries and robberies are common. It is unfortunate that such a beautiful island is plagued by such crime. - Jan 2014
It is really sad that Puerto Rico has a tremendous crime problem, and according to the locals it is getting worse. There are more murders per capita than in NYC, LA, etc. Corruption is also a huge problem. Carjackings are frequent, as are home invasions and attacks on law enforcement officers. Here is a link to an article in the Caribbean Business online news source that lists crime statistics http://m.cb.pr/mobile_cb/want-to-reduce-crime-and-corruption-in-puerto-rico-take-it-out-of-the-political-process.-completely-8483.html Drugs, drug trafficking and the related crime are a very real problem as well. On a personal note, a real estate agent thought it was a great selling feature to show us how the hinges on the outside doors of a house were hidden, thus making them less vulnerable to a home invasion. A newly arrived agent here had his hotel room robbed **while** he and his family were asleep in the room. Several expat wives have been mugged while jogging in busy and touristy areas in Condado, and and a senior at my daughter's school was murdered during a carjacking when returning from a beach weekend with his family. His mom, grandma and little sister were in the car behind him when it happened. At Plaza Las Americas a friend witnessed a carjacking outside of PF Changs. The really scary part is how under-reported the crime is here. Honestly if it weren't for the crime this would pretty much be paradise. The warm weather, kind people, ability to get familiar products and food (Hello Nestle morsels! Hello Clorox in eleventybillion scents!) all make for a great place to live, until you consider you might get carjacked getting the groceries, phone snatched from your stroller bag while you shop, etc.etc.etc. It is very unfortunate. - Jun 2013
