OP-ED by Chris Clarke — We protect our homes based on our perception of the threats in our locality. We weigh that against our fear of personal harm and loss. After a traumatic experience, there is a danger of overreacting. It seems important to stick with that idea.
Friends and neighbors feel we should rush out and build a costly physical and electronic fortress or even flee the country for somewhere less dangerous.
In this article we will Review:
- The successes and failures of castle building.
- Siege warfare in 2025 takes only minutes.
- Lessons from our failed security ideas.
- Different security measures.
The successes and failures of castle building
Tens of thousands of years ago, people built the first villages. Usually, they were in a defensible location and enclosed within a barrier to exclude marauders and wild animals. They were never 100% successful. Why?
Rats and more dangerous animals knew that there was food, maybe even tasty human meat, within the compound. They found ways in. Marauding warriors deemed the risks worth taking. Their rewards were wealth, supplies, slaves, or perhaps glory. Being able to pay off one’s war-band was a key to power. Maybe it still is.
Revenge could be another motive. In our bario, this might result from rudeness, bad neighborliness or a failure to pay Aguinaldo to employees.
Castles are best taken by coup de main (Surprise attack). Gunmen burst into our house before we turned on the alarms. It was less innovative than the Trojan Horse, but the result was as devastating.
History shows that if surprise was impossible, then betrayal by an insider was often successful. Many robberies in Costa Rica must be based on stolen keys, resentful workmen, domestic helpers or careless sharing of information in a bar. Most properties have telegraph poles or tall trees outside that can be scaled, maybe in fake ICE uniforms, to get a view.
Things gangs would love to know about your home include:
- What you have that they want.
- How to get in.
- Your security measures.
- The location of the safe.
These days, drones can be used to ‘case the joint’, though old-fashioned eyeballing is likely more common here.
Siege warfare 2025
In the past, if all else failed, fortresses could be reduced by siege and starved out. This was slow and costly.
Nowadays, we are all dependent on electricity. Access to wires and switches is readily available in the street. A single home or an entire area can be blacked out when standby power is unavailable. Sophisticated thieves can use cell phone jamming and other technology to allow break ins.
Our Failed Security Ideas
We always knew that no property is invulnerable. We assumed that by having visible cameras, high walls, and wire barriers, robbers would pick softer targets. Perhaps such visible precautions indicated that the place was a juicy target?
Backup power supplies are only relevant if the security system is switched on. Ours was not activated as it was only just sunset.
Our security footage of the bad guys is unlikely to be of much use. They wore masks and dressed head to toe in dark clothes.
Having a safe in the house seemed like a way of protecting documents, bank cards, money, and valuables. When threatened with death, we deemed it wise to share access to this. All the safe did was to ensure that the loot could be scooped up in one easy step.
Differing security measures
It would be foolish for us to disclose all the changes we are making. Everyone is offering advice. Some think we should spend a fortune. From these discussions, we can share various ideas. Cost must be commensurate with the risks.
Minimize your profile
- Leaving a high-risk country or neighborhood is a clear option. We love our mountain vistas, friendly neighbors, visiting birds and wildlife, the house and its gardens. So, we are staying put.Many who have suffered have fled Costa Rica. Others moved to safer areas or gated communities. Those who stay improve security.
- Crooks can only steal what you have available. Keep only the amount needed each month in Costa Rica. Minimizing the cash and valuables in the dwelling is a smart move.
- Cars are a visible sign of wealth. Having a beat-up old car might make you less of a target. They are not much fun, but they lack park-assist and comfort.
- A lavish lifestyle of eating in high-end restaurants and expensive shopping also draws attention. We live modestly, but we were still targeted.
- If your dwelling can be seen from the road, it is a temptation. Our entrance gates offer a clear view of the house, parked car, and front garden – our mistake.
Building Fort Knox
Living in a bunker is not our idea of paradise. Bars on the windows spoil the view. They may be useful in some areas.
Unbreakable glass and armored doors are expensive. Besides, they have to be opened sometimes. Crooks can wait in ambush and strike as you leave. Having a strongroom or safe leads to threats and beatings to get the location and combination. Why bother?
Electronic security
A multibillion-dollar global industry supplies advice, guards, cameras, alarms, and other devices. Costs can vary from low to more than is sensible or you can afford.
A friend has a system that alerts the US embassy. By the time a helicopter full of Marines arrives, the thieves will be long gone.
More usefully, it can bellow verbal warnings and emit fierce dog barks.
Messages and pictures can be shared on your cellphone when you are out, and with the police or the neighborhood WhatsApp.
We had to deactivate our external alarm sensors due to raccoons and other nighttime wanderers setting them off. Insects sometimes trigger internal sensors.
Our valley is like a bowl. When an alarm sounds, it is difficult to tell its origin. Most alarms have the same sound. They create little interest and no response.
We had to reduce our alarm. A neighbor claimed it was illegally noisy.
Signage
In the UK, my parental home had an empty alarm box with a well-known brand label. We were never burgled. Some here put up signs warning of nonexistent cameras or guard dogs. They are certainly cheaper than the real thing.
A while back, my wife prevented me adding a sign on the gate claiming we had bubonic plague.
Fighting back
Most people have heroic ideas as to how well they would resist when faced with such an event. Those of us trained in unarmed combat or martial arts could disarm and kill an attacker before his brain tells his trigger finger to fire. With several gunmen and loved ones involved, that is a sure way to die.
Some householders own legal or illegal guns. Resistance against multiple assailants is risky. Besides, weapons are a real prize. Our home invaders’ eyes lit up when they found an air rifle and a bowie knife.
Even if you think you are Wyatt Erp and kill them all, you will be in trouble in Costa Rica. Illegal possession and discharge of firearms is a serious offence. If the gun is legal, proving that you shot someone lawfully in the front, after due warnings, is hard. Imprisonment with inmates that might include relatives of those you shot seems dangerous. You might broaden your Spanish vocabulary.
The legal and medical process to obtain gun licenses is uncertain and lengthy. Unkind friends claim I might fail the psychological test.
We know of fellow victims who now hire armed guards at night. Some condos have one or more full-time. They may be a deterrent. Many seem like worn-out ex-cops. Robbers can choose routes through coffee or sugar cane fields to avoid them.
Have cash readily available in a plastic bag. It is illegal to put anthrax spores in there.
Guard Dogs
Many swear by them, believing they are an excellent deterrent. They need care, vets’ bills, large amounts of food, and walking.
There is frequently a cacophony on our road as street dogs, walkers, and cars set them barking. This often spreads all around the area. It can give you indigestion when dining on the patio.
Dogs can be bribed with meat or poisoned unless properly trained. Few around here are.
Dogs frighten birds and wildlife. Jaguars, pumas, and vipers might be better deterrents, but have other drawbacks. In the US, pet tigers have eaten their owners.
Neighborhood Watch Schemes.
Cultivating good relations with neighbors is essential to keep boundary relations amicable. It also builds friendships and mutual support.
In many places there are WhatsApp groups. They share alerts and sightings of suspicious activity. Connecting them up to cameras offers additional capability.
On the downside, some think they need to comment on every alert. ‘We didn’t see anything either.’, is not very helpful. Messaging can become a form of socializing. It may become a full-time activity for the lonely.
Next Steps
It makes sense to think before you invest. Evaluate the risks and how you might deal with various threats. Do not be flashy or keep too much of value in the house. Be nice to people.
Enjoy the good things about Costa Rica.
PURA VIDA!
Chris Clarke wrote this for QCOSTARICA.com, after the recent armed home invasion and violent assault on him and his wife. It is the third article in a series. The first described in graphic detail the shock of the terrifying robbery. The second was a review of the negative economic impact of crime on society and even on the criminals themselves. This one addresses the complicated and emotive question of securing one’s home.
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