Ecuador: Express Kidnappings Plague Guayaquil

By Larry Habegger | Permalink | No Comments | April 30th, 2009 | Trackback

Express kidnappings by taxi drivers working with accomplices have become a significant problem in Guayaquil. In such incidents, the victims are threatened, usually with guns, then held captive as the taxi drives them from ATM to ATM to empty their bank accounts. The crimes have occurred in upscale areas such as Urdesa, outside the San Marino Mall and at the Malecon 2000, a boardwalk and tourist area in downtown Guayaquil. In one of several recent incidents, three U.S. citizens where robbed in a taxi when leaving Malecon 2000. If using taxis in Guayaquil, the best policy is to call a radio-dispatched taxi rather than hailing one on the street, but if catching a cab on the street cannot be avoided, write down the vehicle’s license number before entering and avoid riding with any driver who offers to take you to clubs or bars you have not asked to go to. Another good idea is to send a text message with the taxi’s make, model, and license number to a friend before entering.

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