Cheap car rental in Honduras - Crime

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Crime

CRIME: The security situation in Honduras requires a high degree of caution, and U.S. citizens are encouraged to follow local news reports (Please see link to sources at http://www.usmission.hn/.) and contact the Honduran Embassy in Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa for current conditions. Poverty, gangs, and low apprehension and conviction rates of criminals contribute to a high crime rate. Many men in Honduras carry firearms and machetes, and disputes are sometimes settled with violence. Both violent and petty crime is prevalent throughout the country. While crime affects everyone in Honduras, criminals have at times targeted persons, particularly those coming from airports (a cycle of armed robberies followed by brief increases in police patrols) and hotels, as well as wealthy-looking residents in San Pedro Sula, Tela, Trujillo, and Tegucigalpa. Street crime is a principal concern, with thefts, including purse snatching, pickpocketing, assaults, and armed robberies on the rise in urban areas. There has been an increase in street robberies by two-men teams on medium-sized motorcycles targeting pedestrians. There have been some incidents of sexual assault. Carjackings, kidnappings, muggings, and home invasions are not uncommon. The government has instituted a “zero tolerance” policy on crime. As part of this policy, the police patrol jointly with armed soldiers in major cities in an effort to reduce crime.

Thirty-five U.S. citizens have been murdered in Honduras since 1995, and most cases remain unresolved. There are problems with the judicial process, including an acute shortage of trained personnel, equipment, staff, financial resources, and reports of corruption. The Honduran law enforcement authorities' ability to prevent, respond, investigate, apprehend, file Interpol reports, and prosecute criminal incidents remains limited. Honduran police generally do not speak English. The government has recently established a special tourist police in the resort town of Tela and plans to expand this force to other popular tourist destinations.

The San Pedro Sula area has seen occasional armed robberies against tourist vans, minibuses and cars traveling from the airport to area hotels, infrequently targeting the road to Copan. Vehicles force the transport off the road, and then men with AK-47s rob the victims, occasionally assaulting the driver or passengers. Robberies in this area may be based on tips from sources at airport arrival areas associated with large amounts of luggage/supplies usually for groups – not average tourists; please exercise caution in discussing travel plans in public.

Copan, the Bay Islands and other tourist destinations have a lower crime rate than other parts of the country, but petty thefts and assaults do occur. Specifically, visitors to Copan and the Bay Islands have experienced some petty thefts and, on Roatan Island, robbers have targeted homes and longer-term leased residences. Hotels and pensions are considered safer. U.S. citizens visiting the islands should exercise particular caution around sparsely inhabited coastal areas and should avoid walking on isolated beaches, especially at night. While incidents of serious violent crime in these regions are infrequent, three U.S. citizens have been murdered in Roatan since 1998. However, all the victims in Roatan were either residing in Roatan and/or involved in real estate or commercial ventures. Coxen Hole should be avoided after dark.

Although not a primary tourist destination, the northern part of the Department of Olancho is known for lumber and narcotics smuggling and violence. Travelers in that area should use extra caution. See the description of highways/areas to be avoided for details.

Incidents of crime along roads in Honduras are common. There have been frequent incidents of highway robbery on a number of roads including Limones to La Union, Olancho (route 41) via Salama and northward to Esquipulas Del Norte. For more information, please see the section below on Travel Safety and Road Conditions.

Tourists and residents should avoid walking at night in most areas of Honduras, especially in the major cities. Night driving is also discouraged. Tourists, in particular, should not hike alone in backcountry areas, nor walk alone on beaches, historic ruins or trails. All bus travel should be during daylight hours and on first-class conveyances, not on economy buses. Please pick taxis carefully, and note the driver's name and license number. Instruct the driver not to pick up other passengers, agree on the fare before you depart, and have small bills available for payment, as taxi drivers often do not make change.

Please do not resist a robbery attempt. Most criminals have weapons, and most injuries and deaths have resulted when victims have resisted. Two foreign tourists were murdered in July 2002 while resisting an armed robbery on a public bus in which they were traveling. Do not hitchhike or go home with strangers, particularly from nightspots. Whenever possible, travel in groups of two or more persons. Use the same common sense while traveling in Honduras that you would in any high crime area of a major U.S. city. Do not wear excessive jewelry in downtown or rural areas. Do not carry large sums of money, display cash in general, ATM or credit cards you do not need, or other valuables.

There have been incidents of armed assaults against private sailing vessels by criminals posing as fishermen off the northeast coast of Honduras, particularly in the numerous small islands northeast of the coast of the Department of Gracias a Dios. Sailors should contact the Coast Guard and yacht facility managers in their areas of travel for current information.

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. Groups should send passport, date of birth and emergency contact information to the American Citizens Services section of the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa via fax, 011-504-238-4357, prior to travel. Individuals as well as groups should keep a copy of the passport data page and leave a copy at home with a friend or family member. U.S. citizens may refer to the Department of State's pamphlet, A Safe Trip Abroad, for ways to promote a trouble-free journey. The pamphlet is available by mail from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402, via the Internet at http://www.gpoaccess.gov, or via the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page at http://travel.state.gov/ .

If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to the local police, please contact the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa or the Consular Agency in San Pedro Sula for assistance. The Embassy staff can, for example, assist you in finding appropriate medical care, in contacting family members or friends, and in explaining how funds can be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of crime (with the exception of certain terrorist acts) is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and help you to find an attorney if needed.