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Beware thefts on buses in Armenia

A warning to others using the local buses in Armenia to keep an eye on their personal possesions, especially if someone should happen to drop some coins in front of you while you're waiting to get on or off the bus.

I was getting on a local bus at Armenia terminal to take me to the centro. As I stepped aboard, the guy in front of me dropped some coins, and spent a while picking them all up, and backing into me all the while. I realise now his accomplice behind me would have been trying to rob me, but didn't succeed that time.

So then the same thing happened when I went to get off. As I was moving toward the back door, the same guy dropped a load of coins and bent down to pick them up, blocking the exit, and again backing into me forcing me to press backward against the accomplice. I must have sensed something was going on because I automatically did a pocket check as I was getting off the bus and noticed my wallet was gone. Fortunately I was able to retrieve it and all its contents, with a little help from some other passengers. The culprits managed to get off the bus and escape though. They didn't look at all suspicious, well-dressed etc.

By chris2037 on Aug 27, 2008, 13:26 in Travel tips.

mariacvetanoski says on Aug 27, 2008, 13:49:

thanks for the tip

Save the street children of Colombia Now!!

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Monita Linda says on Aug 27, 2008, 14:56:

Thank you for the reminder.

Poor but Preppy ______Colombia: the only risk is wanting to lay.

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el chinito says on Aug 27, 2008, 15:04:

A similar incident happened to me in Medellin a month ago. I was trying to get off the bus and an elderly woman standing on the exit steps dropped her glasses at my feet and a lens popped out. As she was fumbling looking for them she kept touching my pant leg. I thought something was wierd and checked my pant pockets once I got off. Her accomplice had taken all the money from my back pocket. I told some colombian friends about it later that day and one of them said that the same thing had happened to her on another bus as well.

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jonas says on Aug 27, 2008, 15:18:

back pockets of your pants are for papaya only.

Mi alma se la dejo al diablo

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Monita Linda says on Aug 27, 2008, 15:24:

Chinito, did it never occur you to check your pockets in the bus and to friendly tell the lady to get your hand of your pants? I would tell her very clear to get her hands off my pants and ask her what her guebonada is. I know, she is old and a lady, but thiefs usually use innocent looking people to do their work.

Poor but Preppy ______Colombia: the only risk is wanting to lay.

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Monita Linda says on Aug 27, 2008, 15:27:

Also try not to carry your valuable belongings in your back pockets. I know for guys it is harder, but try to put them in your FRONT pockets, they are the safest.

I have one professor in the university whose back pockets are ALWAYS totally full and totally round, it is so funny.. and BOTH of them. But he has a very popular background, so people might not think he has money.

Poor but Preppy ______Colombia: the only risk is wanting to lay.

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Titofijo says on Aug 27, 2008, 15:38:

Monita Linda

You don't teach english , do you?

Poor kids

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Monita Linda says on Aug 27, 2008, 15:52:

Thank god I don't teach English. But people like me. I am very descomplicada, no bs and straightforward.

Poor but Preppy ______Colombia: the only risk is wanting to lay.

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Titofijo says on Aug 27, 2008, 15:57:

Someone translate that for me

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Monita Linda says on Aug 27, 2008, 16:00:

Poor thing. Life must be hard on you.

Poor but Preppy ______Colombia: the only risk is wanting to lay.

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Sam Salmon says on Aug 27, 2008, 17:07:

They do the same thing all over the world, the dropped coins, the food splattered on the clothes, the little kids waving the newspapers.

Hey these are thieves they aren't all that bright but there is one thing they're good at-blending into the background and being efficient.

' a la orden!'

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Lcacique says on Aug 27, 2008, 17:42:

jonas writes: "back pockets of your pants are for papaya only."

EXACTLY.

Hoy se nota en la floresta un ambiente de alegría. ¡Y el rumor de ranchería es mas dulce y sabe a fiesta!

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quantum says on Aug 27, 2008, 18:00:

Yep, know the tactic well. Happened to me on a Panamaniac bus on the Costa Rican border, and like a fool I bent over to help the poor fat woman who spilled her coins, but I felt the hand on myback pocket and bells went off and I spun around and wacked that s.o.b. open handed in the face so hard his face must still sting. I think sometimes the bus drivers might be in on it for a cut, cuz they dont do anything. But I explained to the locals onthe bus what had transpired and they were sympathetic and supportive. Of course the culprits melted into the melee on the border quickly, but at least with something to think about........

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Iowano says on Aug 27, 2008, 18:28:

Are there really gringos living in Colombia who don't know Spanish? And if so, why?

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briarblue says on Aug 27, 2008, 18:51:

What, they can't press 2 for English?

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static says on Aug 27, 2008, 19:29:

Because we learned French in school?

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tomtom33 says on Aug 28, 2008, 04:22:

Yup. And there are people who live in the US who can't speak English. Imagine that.

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viajero123 (☼Travelguide writer) says on Aug 28, 2008, 04:31:

learned French in school? I yet have to meet the first gringo who learned a foreign language properly in school.

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bufalo says on Aug 28, 2008, 06:14:

This is by far not something that only happens in Armenia.

"If you don't like it - lump it, take it down the road and dump it." - Archie Bunker played by Carroll O'Connor

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Bill Turley (☼Travelguide writer) says on Aug 28, 2008, 07:15:

Here is a gringo that doesn't speak much Spanish. I can barely function after 11 years. I am just the world's worse language student. I am a Science Person, taught Biology, Geology, and Chemistry. I also worked in Medical research and Geology investigations. But I can't speak good Spanish!

Mr. Bill Somondoco

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Timba says on Aug 28, 2008, 09:27:

I was going to take a bus in Armenia but my friends disuaded me as I had luggage. The problem is that luggage often gets stolen from buses. The route to Cali also has robberies occasionally. I took a taxi instead.

On the way, I did notice the presence of smaller buses, a little larger than a van. Those would be ideal.

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Robert Jorge says on Aug 28, 2008, 11:04:

The little buses/vans are called busetas. If you have a lot of luggage, you may have to pay an extra fare because of the space it takes up in the van. A buseta will be much cheaper than a taxi and safer than a large bus. (theft wise)

He who farts in church, sits in his own pew.

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chris2037 says on Aug 28, 2008, 13:39:

Jonas, the wallet was in a buttoned-up front pocket.

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bufalo says on Aug 28, 2008, 17:56:

I never heard of a major problem of luggage getting stolen from busses. Sure I imagine it happens, but I used to do it all the time with absolutely no problem. Amenia and elsewhere in Colombia

"If you don't like it - lump it, take it down the road and dump it." - Archie Bunker played by Carroll O'Connor

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manINred says on Aug 28, 2008, 20:02:

Chris, you must beware of theft on all buses all over Colombia: your warning is very applicable nationwide.

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bufalo says on Aug 28, 2008, 21:17:

yup, this isn't some type of epidemic going on in Armenia. There's different groups in almost all scams that go from place to place.

Glad you got your wallet back in the end. I hope you beat the piss out of them too. I had a geezer try to steal out of my backpack last time in Bogota. He passed and I felt a tug and he just walked into a nearby store - young girls clothing, duh. 5 minutes later same thing happens, but he took his jacket off to try to throw me. Of course I couldn't hit him so I took a few pairs of brand-new designer sunglasess out of his jacket pocket (an earlier shoplift) and stepped on them. I offered to call the cops if he wanted me arrested and he just took off.

"If you don't like it - lump it, take it down the road and dump it." - Archie Bunker played by Carroll O'Connor

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