Un ladron

Theft is very common here: too many tourists with too much stuff and too many ticos with nothing. Gringo houses get broken into all the time and we lug our laptops, cameras, passports and money around everywhere. Last night someone came through Katy's kitchen window and took her backpack. She was lucky, she was upstairs and her dog started barking and they got scared and ran. They went right past her TV and DVD player, her and my computers were upstairs. She came downstairs to find her front door open and her keys on the outside, the ladron was in the process of locking her door when he ran. Her stuff was scattered on her driveway - her teaching supplies anyway and the contents of her wallet. Her ipod and her credit cards were gone. Barbara and I stayed over and this morning we went to the police station to report the theft. The police took notes, but did nothing. While we were there the hotel which is across the road from Katy's called to say that they had also been broken into - the thief stole a pair of sunglasses but left Katy's cards and her backpack. The cops looked pretty pleased with themselves. There has never been a violent crime in Monteverde and the thieves tend not to smash or destroy property - it seems they just jimmy windows and doors. Katy's landlords will put bars on the kitchen window tomorrow.