– Police aid Italian woman recover her purse in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

A heightened police presence in the Caribbean tourist town of Puerto Viejo, south of the post city of Limón, has allowed police to prevent crime and also intervene successfully in some recent incidents. The increase in police came on the heels of the murder of a Canadian teacher who had left his hotel to take photographs early one morning and was stabbed and robbed.

This week, officers on foot patrol were alerted to the theft of a handbag from an Italian tourist and immediately began to search the vicinity, said the Public Security Ministry press office.

After two hours, they located the suspect, who was in possession of the woman’s bag, and was able to return the items intact to the woman identified by the last name of Sottomaior, thus saving her vacation. Imagine what losing your wallet and phone would do for your trip?

Police say that their community policing approach which involves ongoing contact and communication with residents to establish a relationship of trust and support, together with patrols and police presence in strategic locations, is allowing them to thwart crimes in Puerto Viejo de Cahuita.

Police said Sottomairo, “reacted with happiness and was very grateful to the authorities,” when they returned her things to her.

In addition to ensuring security on beaches and in other tourist areas, the public force maintains operations against narco-trafficking in the region as well.