Colombia: Uptick in robberies in Santa Marta

Event

An uptick in robberies has been reported in 2018 in Santa Marta (Magdalena department), with 715 incidents of robbery reported between January 1 and April 3, according to local police. This represents a 12 percent increase from the same period in 2017, when there were 638 such cases recorded. Among the most affected areas are the center of the city and the Jardín and Boulevard del Río areas. The rising crime rates have been attributed to high rates of recidivism among released criminals and the influx of Venezuelan migrants into the city. Authorities have reportedly requested that some of the migrants be deported.

In response to this and other concerns, the Santa Marta mayor has requested that the Metropolitan Police and the Colombian Ministers of Defense, Interior, and Justice attend a summit on Thursday, April 12, aimed at addressing pervasive insecurity in the city. The mayor is reportedly seeking the deployment of an increased number of police officers, the assignment of a unit of prosecutors to deal with crime and micro-trafficking, the financing of more security cameras, and reforms to the justice system.

Context

Around 2 million people fled Venezuela in 2017, with a large percentage taking refuge in Colombia and Brazil. The migrant crisis is expected to worsen throughout 2018 as Venezuela's economy continues to falter.

Advice

Individuals in Santa Marta are advised to remain vigilant, only keep small amounts of cash on hand, conceal signs of wealth as much as possible, only use ATMs located within banks (and be vigilant when leaving banks), and never hail taxis off the street. Keep in mind that criminals may be armed; do not resist if confronted and do not look your attacker(s) directly in the eye.