Car rentals Madagascar - Crime

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Crime

CRIME: The major concerns for visitors to Antananarivo are crimes of opportunity such as pick-pocketing and purse snatching, and theft from residences and vehicles. Although these are generally non-violent, incidents involving violence by assailants, particularly when the victim resists, do take place especially, when the victim is confronted by multiple persons. To reduce the risk of being victimized, travel in groups and avoid wearing expensive jewelry in public. Valuable items should never be left in an unattended vehicle. Walking at night, whether alone or in a group, is not considered safe in urban areas, including in the vicinity of Western-standard hotels. Organized gangs of bandits are known to patrol areas where foreigners who are perceived to be wealthy congregate. Although crimes such as burglary do occur in areas outside the capital, the threat of confrontational crime is less common in rural areas.

In May 1999, there was a series of robberies at Libanona Beach and Peak Saint Louis, in the Fort Dauphin area, perpetrated by a person representing himself as a guide. U.S. citizens should hire only an authorized guide and be cautious when visiting Libanona Beach, Peak Saint Louis, or other isolated areas.

The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to local police and to the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The pamphlets A Safe Trip Abroad and Tips for Travelers to Sub-Saharan Africa provide useful information on protecting personal security while traveling abroad and on travel in the region in general. Both are available 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.