Marauding Thieves Hit The Beach

[ihpguy]

I didn't want to seem like I was too precautionary, but even I got a bit scared on Sunday, 11/17/2013. I was taking the bus to Ipa for a day at the beach with a visting friend from the USA and the boyfriend. We hopped on at Praca XV and grabbed some seats towards the back. Way at the back were about 12 guys occupying the rear three rows. They looked stoned, strung out and/or drunk. One of them ask ed the boyfriend for a cigarette. When he opened the pack, the guy strongly asked for three more for some friends. The boyfriend could hear them talking softly about going to Copacabana to rob tourists that day. Then the guy who asked for the cigs got up and moved up to an open seat near the exit door, which would effectively block us from getting out. We quickly got off at the next stop and took another one the rest of the way.

I received from the American consulate in Rio last Friday concerning taking precautions. Below is a report from the Chicago Sun-Times. Globo and SBT had helicopter footage of the marauders. Funny that these kinds of things can happen in the North Zone with zip international coverage, but when on the beaches of Ipa and Copa, fun time coverage.

Robbers renew raids on Rio de Janeiro beach

BY JENNY BARCHFIELD Associated Press November 25, 2013 12:28AM

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In this Nov. 20, 2013 photo, municipal guards chase a gang of thieves that robbed bags and wallets from beachgoers on Arpoador beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Gang raids known as arrastoes, or big drags in Portuguese, spread alarm through a city gearing up to host soccers World Cup in just over six months and the Summer Olympics in 2016. (AP Photo/Marcelo Carnaval, Agencia o Globo)

RIO DE JANEIRO — With the tropical sun blazing from a near cloudless sky and waves lapping at golden sand, it seemed like a perfect day at the beach in Rio de Janeiro.

Then dozens of marauding youths descended en masse, snatching beach bags and cellphones, ripping gold chains from necks and setting off sandy stampedes by panicked beachgoers.

Such mass beach robberies were once a hair-raisingly frequent occurrence, but they had largely disappeared in recent years as this notoriously dangerous city got markedly safer — a trend credited to a galloping economy and police operations that wrested control of more than 200 “favela” hillside slums from the drug-dealing gangs that controlled them.

But the “arrastoes,” or “big drags” as they’re known in Portuguese, are back, and the gang raids on Nov. 15 and 20 spread alarm through a city gearing up to host soccer’s World Cup in just over six months and the Summer Olympics in 2016.

“What’s happening in Rio today represents a power play,” wrote Merval Pereira, a columnist for the Rio’s newspaper O Globo. “Since the police’s pacification program was put into place, the bandits have been losing control over large swaths of the territory in which they used to act and are looking to take back what was theirs.”

Police initially dismissed the incidents as stampedes caused by fights, but later acknowledged they were mass robberies. Officials announced they will step up weekend beach patrols and set up mobile police posts to make it easier for victims to report crimes.

Local newspapers have reported that 15 people, most of them minors, were detained following Wednesday’s incident on Arpoador beach, which saw repeated stampedes as swarms of young people swooped down on bathers and the police gave chase. Globo television network broadcast images of officers chasing shirtless youths across streets and stones being hurled at officers as they processed those detained.

“People were running all over the place, and I didn’t know where to go for safety,” said Luana Santos, a 24-year-old vender of bottled water. “I was really panicked and really frightened. I hope this is not going to keep on happening.”

Rio state Security Secretary Jose Beltrame told CBN radio these were the first instances of mass beachside robberies in Rio in seven years and said two of those detained on Wednesday were minors.

Ezequiel Soliva de Andrade, a 39-year-old waiter at a bar on the boardwalk on Arpoador, said he holds little hope the extra policing will do much to stop the crime.

“Every time the sun comes out, there are tons of robberies,” Andrade said, adding that the problem has gotten much worse over the past three months. “These guys don’t care whether there are cops there are not. They just take off running and there are so many of them going in all different directions that they’re rarely caught.”

Andrade rattled off a long list of muggings and other attacks on beachgoers and neighborhood residents that he’s witnessed over the past few months. He said the crime wave is scaring people away.

“We used to sell more than 900 coconut waters a day,” he said. “Now we barely sell 200.”

Rio is attempting to burnish an image tarnished by violence and police brutality during mass protests earlier this year. Some 500,000 foreigners are expected to flood into Brazil for next year’s World Cup, and authorities are wary that reports of crime could scare some big-spending visitors away.

Giovanni Fiorentino, a retired restauranteur visiting from Belgium, said he was on Arpoador beach during Wednesday’s mass robbery but had taken the chaotic incident in stride.

“I had been warned not to take anything of value to the beach, so when I saw them running all around I stayed calm because I didn’t have anything for them to take,” said Fioretino, dressed in sunglasses and a Speedo as he defied overcast skies and nippy winds Friday to enjoy one last day at Arpoador before returning to Europe. “It’s going to take more than some kids snatching purses to ruin my vacation.”

Rio officials hope so.

[Guest tomcal]

.....

Giovanni Fiorentino, a retired restauranteur visiting from Belgium, said he was on Arpoador beach during Wednesday’s mass robbery but had taken the chaotic incident in stride.

“I had been warned not to take anything of value to the beach, so when I saw them running all around I stayed calm because I didn’t have anything for them to take,” said Fioretino, ...

This is so true. When I go to the beach, I am wearing my shorts, sunglasses and have $25.R in my pocket. I have no watch on or phone with me, I can rent the chair, umbrella, suntan lotion, and buy drinks all for the $25.R so there is nothing for me to lose. I have never seen the above episodes happen, but have heard of it before. I am usually at the gay beach in Ipanema and pick a spot right in the middle(mostly so I can see all the hot guys around me!). I think it's probably the safest from the standpoint of getting something stolen as they would have to run/jump over hundreds of beachgoers to get to the sidewalk, whereas if you are on the Periphery it's probably much easier for them to do a "snatch and grab". I tell everyone "do not wear rings or watches, even cheap ones, as he yound guys doing these robberies don't know the difference, all they know is you have something of value on and I don't so you are the target not me!".

[ihpguy]

Inflation has hit Ipa and Farme. I went there three days in a row last week and then with the holiday last Wednesday, had a full group of friends for lunch and pool time. Anyway, I was at two different barracas/tents that service the beachgoers with chairs, sun umbrellas, beverages and a menu of sandwiches and appetizers, besides what the passing vendors are offering.

Guarda-Sol/Umbrella: 8-10Reais

Cadeira/Beach Chair: 5-6Reais

Water 4Reais

Soft Drinks 5-6Reais

Agua de Coco 8-10Reais

Caipirinha - varied flavors 15Reais

We normally stop at Zona Sul Market on the way to the beach in pick up cheese and salami sandwiches, some cashews, chips, etc and then hit the beach. So I cannot remember what each vendor charges. But the Baihana who has her two studly helpers who schlepp her styrofoam cases of empanadas and sanduiches, charges 5 Reais for a salgado. Sandwich not a clue. The enormous "sahnd-oo-ee-she-ah nah-too-rahl" woman in her dental floss bikini charge 10Reais for one of hers. The muscular acai guy who sometimes is at the saunas charges 8Reais and up depending on the size of the portion you choose. Suntan lotion is quite expensive. Much higher on the beach than at the pharmacy. And the pharmacy is much more expensive than the cost in the USA.

One trick we do is to put our backpacks around the stakes that go into the sand and then have them but the umbrella into the stake. It makes it much harder to do a quick snatch and grab. They clothes we wear that don't go in the backpack we put on top of the stringers that support the umbrella. When the three of us went to Ipanema on that Sunday, I think our bill came to 111Reais. And that does not include the porcaria(think porcao or piggy)/crap we bought from the vendors. The next two days, we were at around 55-70Reais. But then we might be there for more hours than you are. Usually from Noon until 4:30PM or 5:00PM.

[ihpguy]

I should add that the 55-7Reais to the owners of the barracas for each of the next two days was only for two of us. Not 3.

[Guest riosul77]

So true ihpguy. Which is why I totter on down from my apartment in Copacabana to the beach with my own umbrella, my own chair, and plop myself down in the middle of several thousand very black, very working class folk. I would wager that if any of these banditos tried anything on my little gringo turf they would be very very sorry. The crowd would be on them like fleas on a dog. I never kid myself, these folk can play, drink, kiss and yell at their kids, but they are always, always aware of what is going on around them.

For everyone? Absolutely not, I acknowledge that Ipanema is very pretty to look at in very many respects, but so are most of the ken dolls in 117, pretty to look at, but um pouco chato.

[ihpguy]

Like me, another "farofeiro" to whatever degree. A fa-roh-FAY-ro is someone who brings things (food, beverage, ice chest, chairs, umbrellas) to the beach with them, rather than paying the rental people. I've had three Brasilian boyfriends who considered me very declasse. The idea of a picnic basket does not fly here.

It really depends on which barraca one chooses to settle. For about the past 3 years we have been going to Barraca de Miriam, a very mixed, older clientele with very few barbies, hardly ever the smell of grass. We tried Sonia or Vania closer to Posto 9 once last week, We went back the next day to Miriam. I feel much more safe and secure at Farme at Ipa than at Copa as the beach is not as wide and we are much closer to Ave. Vieira Souto.

[Guest riosul77]

. I've had three Brasilian boyfriends who considered me very declasse. The idea of a picnic basket does not fly here.

Ya, they do tend to be snobby little s**ts when I am the one digging into the wallet on a regular basis.

But I do respect the barraca's. They work damn hard for their money (and make a good living for that hard work) and I do buy my drinks from them. But a chair / umbrella almost every sunny day does add up when you schlep down to the beach frequently.

[MsGuy]

Ya, they do tend to be snobby little s**ts when I am the one digging into the wallet on a regular basis.

Hahahahahahaha...in my experience, this attitude is not found solely in Brazil.

[trzinko]

i have spent 2 weeks of european summer on mallorca and visited several beaches. they charged for 2 chairs and 1 umbrella 16 €, what is according to todays rate 49.6 R. interet was 3 euros for a day (wifi on a beach), prices of drinks are comperable with what you mention, food was more expensive.....

[ihpguy]

The term FAROFEIRO comes from the families that hit the beach and bring everything with them, even if need be on rolling luggage carts. Even the "farofa" to accompany the rice and beans. We're talking food, an ice chest or two, beach chairs, umbrellas, maybe a tent, toys for the kids. EVERYTHING!

They come for the day, spend nothing with the vendors who work the beach and leave at the end of the day all of their mountains of trash as little remembrances/lembrancas of their visits on the sand. I know from experience as the families come here right in front of my home every nice day during weekends and holidays.

Oh, and by the way, no one and I mean no one, NOT EVEN GRANDMAN, would think of paying even 1Real, to use a bathroom. Everyone goes in the water, pulls down their suit and poops or pees.

Verdadeiro Farofeiro. True ...........

Living my entire life in Chicago, we were accustomed to going here the symphony on summer nights at Ravinia in Highland Park or in downtown's Grant Park, bringing a picnic basket and listen to the music, Some folks even would go overboard and have their outdoor suppers catered. In the past, I have tried to explain to Cariocas the idea of a catered, gourmet picnic meal. Impossible.

[firecat691614502759]

I would have to say this thread is doing nothing to entice my return to Brazil.

They better get things under control before the country is an embarrassment during the Olympics!!

[ihpguy]

You don't have to wait that long. The World Cup is just around the corner. I have neglected to post anything concerning the roof collapse of the Corinthians of Sao Paulo new stadium, the ITAQUERAO. Two workers were killed. A crane collapsed, took one end of the roofing structure and then landed with the fatalities. They authorities are supposed to conduct a full investigation before repairs and completion. And this is all supposed to happed by the end of December.

The stadium in Manaus is also doubtful to be fully completed and handed off by December, but most likely sometime before the World Cup is due to start.

Cuiaba's building is even further behind. If the use it, only probability is without a completed rood to cover the seats.

[ihpguy]

Yesterday's O Globo had a report that the city is now going to try and "pacify" the Complexo de Mare. This is the favela tha use pass just as you make the turn towards the airport right before the university on Fundao Island. They think that 4 UPP stations will be enough?