Panama crime story with a moral

From the Sidelines
President Ricardo Martinelli has promised that in three years Panama will be the safest country in Latin America.
That of course begs the question “compared to what?” And raises another: “Will the new era of security include protection from racing bus drivers who, by then, will have graduated from underserviced diablos rojos to whatever has been chosen to replace them?
Meanwhile be careful about what items of jewelry you wear, particularly around the neck. One regular reader has sent us a report on the experience of a lady visiting from the United States for her daughter’s wedding. Around her neck she wore a necklace, “not of great financial value, but with lots of memories attached.”
While walking in front of the Paitilla Hospital Medical Center a boy, aged around 10, grabbed her necklace and tore it from her neck. She gave chase, but was soon outdistanced by the thief. She went into a cafe whose staff called the National Police. When they arrived,(far faster than the Transit Police show up after an accident) aided by a security guard and staff from the café they searched the area, but the thief was long gone.
From her description they believed they knew the boy who worked as a shoe cleaner in the area. She was told that she was fortunate the chain snapped when pulled as thieves were known to use a knife to aid their snatch and run activities, which could lead to series neck injuries, even death.
Stories like this are passed around regularly in the expat community, but get no media exposure. They have no “news” value when compared with the blood and gore that is splashed on the front page of our tabloids on a daily basis.
President Martinelli would like to see reporting of violent crime controlled, but has faced loud cries of “freedom of the press”.
The moral is, when walking the streets of Panama, do not wear jewelry, including expensive watches. The brother of the chief of police was recently relieved of a $36,000 Rolex and a few hundred dollars of spare cash.
The reader writes that it’s not only New York and Miami where you have to watch out for your valuables.
But maybe in Panama, three years down the road you will be able to display your treasured possessions.
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