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Crime Increase in Cuenca

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OceanHideaway
  10/12/2012 23:45 EST

Report prepared by the Board of Public Safety and the Center for Strategic Studies.
Time period; January and August 2012
Location: Cuenca


Sex crimes and property increase in Cuenca

Research , News
October 11, 2012
published by: TuSeguridad

Sexual offenses, thefts and robberies companies are crimes increased between January and August 2012 in Cuenca, as shown by a report prepared by the Board of Public Safety and the Center for Strategic Studies.

Sexual offenses increased by 14%. 199 cases were reported. Violations represent 63%, the indecent assault 21%, sexual harassment 15% and 2% estrupo. The previous year, from January to August, there were 110 cases of rape, while in the current statistics and accounting grew 125 violations.

In regard to theft, of 1,335 to 1,856 passed, which shows an increase of 39%. The theft companies increased by 36%. In 2011, 291 cases were reported and in 2012, 396. This is compounded by the theft of vehicle parts, which experienced an increase of 103%. Last year 519 cases were recorded, but in 2012 the thefts came to 1015.

Original published:

http://www.tuseguridad.ec/noticias/delitos-sexuales-y-a-la-propiedad-aumentan-en-cuenca/

HGQ2112
  10/13/2012 03:11 EST

Dang...it is like I woke in Wonderland, looking for Alice. Thanks for the focus on stats, with this one Susan. Sadly, those stats can be collaborated. The crime rate in Cuenca has been steadily rising. So much so, that approximately 10,000 demonstrators took to the streets in February 2012 to call attention to the mounting crime problem. Still, for the sake of comparison - forbid I should bring up a USA similarly sized city as a comparison - the crime rate per capita in Cuenca is still much smaller than places like Guayaquil, Quito and Esmeraladas. However, definitely rising.

Hector G. Quintana
[email protected]
"Those who are unaware they are walking in darkness will never seek the light." -- Bruce Lee

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OceanHideaway
  10/13/2012 05:02 EST

For the sake of comparison:

The statistical probability of crime effecting an American expat is exponentially higher than a typical Cuencano.

And also for the sake of comparison;

The rise in crime appears to be proportional to the increased American expat migration to the city.

And to clarify an additional point: these statistics only reflect reported crime -- the actual number is substantially more.

Now to extrapolate the same data to not only the locations you mentioned (Quito, Esmeraldas, Guayaquil) but to the location of the other 23,000 expats in Ecuador and the matter of crime targetted against "gringos" becomes a staggering number.

So to extend your metaphor -- this rabbit hole goes a long way down.

Silverwater
  10/14/2012 10:25 EST

Keep in mind too that a high percentage of crimes are not reported. Most denuncias (police reports) are filed by those who know the perpatrator or need to for insurance or other reasons. When I've been robbed on the bus, the driver keeps driving during thje robbery, and after the robber gets off the bus, it continues on its way. Police are not called. No reports are made. That is 30 people robbed who don't enter into statistics. Filing a denuncia in larger cities can be very time consuming. When my passport was stolen a few years back, I went with a friend to file a denuncia. We were sent to three locations in various parts of the city before finding the right one. Then it took 4 hours of waiting in line before banging it out on anm ancient manual typewriter. The friend who went with me told me that because the process is so time consuming, most people don't file official denuncias. People also fail to file because of lack of confidence and fear of retribution. So, actual crime stats are significantly higher in most cases than those reported.

HGQ2112
  10/14/2012 16:31 EST

Silverwater,

I understand. As one of the folks on this forum I truly respect, I don't want to get into one of the classic degenerative discussions. However, here is what no one has ever been able to convey to me in a quantitatively sense: 1) How do we know crimes are underreported in Ecuador? It is hard to prove a negative; 2) Even if we accept that crimes are underreported in Ecuador (likely, they are underreported world-wide), how do we know what percentage of crimes go unreported, if...well...they are unreported? Again, leaving us to prove a negative. Let alone conclude that "...a high percentage of crime" is unreported?
3) Even if we were to accept the two points, which I don't, how to we quantitatively determine how Ecuador compares to Somalia, Canada or Mexico, since, in essence, the comparison would have to identify non-existing data? See, I cannot get comfortable with an analysis, which by its very definition, has to flourish from personal experience accounts. It presumes that everyone's personal experiences are your own. I assure you they are not. I, for example, have never been a victim of a crime in Ecuador. I have witnessed one lone crime in Ecuador in all my years of business travel and living here. I could generally count on witnessing a crime per day - seriously - when I lived in Chicago. My entire life in Chicago was lived and worked in the top 5 safest zip codes, in the city. I just can't get there in the absence of substantial far supporting this occasionally heard allegation.

Hector G. Quintana
[email protected]
"Those who are unaware they are walking in darkness will never seek the light." -- Bruce Lee

vandtor
  10/14/2012 17:55 EST

I can attest to the fling a denuncia process is a pain. I have had to file 2 and both times I got lucky. The first time I was mugged and on my way to file it I ran into a friend who took me to a lawyer friend of his who filled out the paperwork and then went with me to file the denuncia. He apparently had some clout because we bypassed the long line. The second time, I was standing in the long line and a an aquaintance from my community noticed me as he was returning from lunch and it turned out that he was the acting teniente politico de Ambato. He took me right into his office and had his secretary fill out the report. The denuncias were required by my employer, so if it weren't for that, I wouldn't have reported the crimes because of the hassle.
Now I will say that I am liking the rural justice because anything that has been stolen from my homes has been recovered through word of mouth and stupidity on the thief's part.
Hector will always want his stats because he is a numbers kind of guy. I have seen crime in the US but I have been the victim in EC.

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HGQ2112
  10/15/2012 01:29 EST

vandtor,

See, this I find reasonable. I appreciate your vision of a "snapshot" in your life. I can also attest to the denuncia process being...well... "interesting". Valid points.

Hector G. Quintana
[email protected]
"Those who are unaware they are walking in darkness will never seek the light." -- Bruce Lee

OceanHideaway
  10/18/2012 21:22 EST

Sensitive areas of thefts and robberies in Cuenca:

According to a report by the Council of public safety and the center of strategic studies of basin, thefts and robberies whose periods from January to August, 2011, compared to the same period of this year experienced an increase. There is a zoning on this event.

In the case of theft, the previous year was concentrated in the sector of La Merced, Parque Calderon, market October 9, sector of the College María Auxiliadora, market April 12, Corazon de Jesus, bus station, track for BMX. This year, the situation has not changed and rather is presented with greater force in the center of the city, terminal land, and in addition, in the field of the free fair.

Theft companies, in 2011, focused on the sector of the Centennial, College María Auxiliadora, sector of the intendancy of police, calle Benigno Malo and Sangurima, but in 2012 crimes grew up in the center of the city and focused on the market October 9, Avenue Huayna Capac and great Colombia, sector of the Cenacle, with greater severity, and in 20 sectors in Cuenca, where the theft to companies has been frequent.

The theft of parts of vehicles the previous year was concentrated in the vicinity of the regional hospital, colegio Benigno Malo, Millenium Plaza, market August 10, clinical La Paz, the IESS hospital, Totoracocha, Citadel future complex, sectors which were qualified as very dangerous. This year the situation was similar.

Source: The Telegraph

http://www.tuseguridad.ec/noticias/zonas-sensibles-de-hurtos-y-robos-en-cuenca/

(dated: October 15, 2012)

OceanHideaway
  10/22/2012 14:44 EST

90 people are assaulted a month in Cuenca

October 22, 2012
EL MERCURIO newspaper

From January to September, according to data the command Integral of the police (CMI) of Azuay, 807 people have been assaulted in so far this year. Statistics is deprende that in January occurred 95 cases, 84 in February, 94 in March, 76 in April, 96 in May, 104 in June, 93 in July, 87 in August and 78 in the previous month.

Which implies that per day occur, on average, three robberies to people, which is the crime that generates greater sense of insecurity. However the figures are not exact, since victims, to avoid the proceedings or fear to criminals, do not denounce. Data show that during 2009 occurred 204 thefts, similar to 2010 which was 209 cases, but in 2001 they increased to 831.

Paco Chávez, Chief in charge of the Judicial Police (PJ), reported that on the basis of the statistics they develop plans, holding that the increase of the population affects the increase in insecurity. Another common crime is the theft of homes. In the nine months of the current year there were 564 cases: 69 in January, 43 in February, 55 in March, 51 in April, 52 in may, 72 in June, 73 in July, 66 in August and 83 in September. In 2011 there were 613 complaints and 417 in 2010.

Fernando Figueroa, director of the integrated service of security SIS ECU-911, said that neighborhood organizations can apply for community alarms, connected to the central installation with which a signal of alert, which allows dispatch units of police, immediately.

Lenin Bolaños, Commander of the police in Azuay, reminded people that they can turn to the units of community police (UPC) so that, after you have set your cell phone, they can alert any illicit pressing five for few seconds. The signal is transmitted to a computer that determines the location of the House from which the alert is issued.

Raids on shops

In the previous month alone there were 36 attacks on shops, 19 in August, 18 in July, 14 in June, 30 in may, 23 in April, 21 in March, 11 in February and 11 in January, a total of 183 cases; similar to the cases raised in 2011 that was 212. In 2010 the number of stolen shops was 171.

Thieves take advantage of the lack of assurances, being the owners of small family businesses the hardest. Finally, in this period 122 vehicles have been stolen by antisocial. In 2011 the figure reached 273 cases, excess of 2010 that was 169.

Unsafe areas are detailed in heat map

Calls for aid made in the integrated service of security SIS ECU-911 allowed identifying areas in which robberies people are most common. The thermal map determines that parishes Huayna Cápac, El Batan and Yanuncay occur between 47 and 60 cases per month.

In the Sucre parish, which is the University of Cuenca and El Sagrario, most of the historic center, the number decreases from 46 to 36. In Bellavista, Gil Ramírez, Machángara and San Sebastian the facts of this type range from 33 to 24 cases. In the neighbor, Totoracocha and San Blas, the amount is reduced from 23 to 16. Finally, in in the parishes Monay, Canaribamba and brother Miguel are recorded between 12 and 17 offences.

Remember that if you are a victim of a crime you can denounce the flagrancy of the Prosecutor's, located in the Judicial Police (Avenue Spain and Elia Liut), or the unit of community police (UPC) nearest. (JCA)

Detail

3 Murders, February 4, March 4, 5 in April, 4 in May, 2 June, 5 in July, 3 in August, 4 in September and three in October

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