Car hire in Haiti - Crime

Book car rentals in Haiti now!

Crime

CRIME: There are no "safe areas" in Haiti. Crime, already a problem, is growing. The state of law and order is of increasing concern, with reports of armed robberies and break-ins, murders and car hijackings becoming more frequent. The police are poorly equipped and unable to respond quickly to calls for assistance. While not specifically targeting U.S. citizens, criminals nonetheless killed or maimed several U.S. citizens in 1999 and 2000. Travelers should be particularly alert when leaving the Port-au-Prince airport, as criminals have often targeted arriving passengers for later assaults and robberies. Criminals also surveil bank customers and subsequently attack them; some recent incidents have resulted in the victims' deaths. Holiday periods, especially Christmas and Carnival, see a significant increase in violent crime.

Travelers and residents should exercise caution throughout Haiti. They should keep valuables well hidden, ensure possessions are not left in parked vehicles, favor private transportation, alternate travel routes, and keep doors and windows in homes and vehicles closed and locked. If an armed individual demands the surrender of a vehicle or other valuables, the U.S. Embassy recommends compliance without resistance. Criminals have shot drivers who resisted. The Embassy also recommends against traveling at night, particularly outside Port-au-Prince. The limited response and enforcement capabilities of the Haitian national police and the judiciary frustrate crime victims.

Certain high-crime zones should be avoided when possible, including urban route Nationale #1, the airport road (Boulevard Haile Selassie), the port road (Boulevard La Saline), and Carrefour. Due to high crime, Embassy employees are prohibited from entering Cite Soleil and La Saline and their surrounding environs, and are strongly urged to avoid Delmas 105 between Delmas 95 and Rue Jacob. Under no circumstances should one attempt to take photographs in these areas because this almost inevitably provokes a violent reaction. Neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince once considered to be relatively safe, such as the Delmas Road area and Petionville, have been the scenes of increasing incidents of violent crime.

Use of public transportation, including "tap-taps" (private transportation used for commercial purposes), is not recommended. It is suggested that travelers arriving at the airport be met by someone known to them. Mariners should note that Americans and other foreigners have reported the theft of yachts and sailboats along the Haitian coast over the past year. Some of the thefts were carried out by armed gangs, and one foreigner was killed. Cameras and video cameras should only be used with the permission of the subjects; violent incidents have followed unwelcome photography.

The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Lost or stolen U.S. birth certificates and/or drivers licenses used as entry documents generally cannot be replaced outside the United States. U.S. citizens can refer to theDepartment of State's pamphlet, A Safe Trip Abroad, for ways to promote a more trouble-free journey. This publication and others, such as Tips for Travelers to the Caribbean, are available by mail from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402; via the Internet at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su-docs, or via the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page at http://travel.state.gov/.