At least 5 foreigners living here in the Dominican Republic, from Cabarete to Santiago have been targetted by a band of thieves headed up by a young man called Yovanny Ulloa Estevez from Montellano and previously Callejon de la Loma, Cabarete. They target foreigners who have their jeeps/cars for sale buy calling the telephone number advertised on the car window and pretend to be an interested buyer. Usually they say they have half the money and are looking for finance for the other half. 3 out of 5 of the people who have had their vehicles stolen have signed an Act of Sale to help the buyer raise the money. Sounds stupid I know, but in the case of one english woman the Loan Office was to issue her with the cash, but found that the thief had already claimed the money. She felt secure as she still had the car. However, the 'buyer' sent a 'cousin' to check over the car as he was going to cover the initial loan at a better interest rate, but 'cousin' came with a pistol! Another chap went into the bank with the so-called buyer to withdraw the money for the purchase of his jeep and whilest waiting in the queue, the buyer asked the guy to lend him the keys for a second just to check something in the car. He made off with the car leaving the seller in the queue at the bank! Yovanny, the thief, was arrested in Santiago, in possession of a jeep stolen from a Portuguese lady, but was let out on bail by a Judge who, even though he knew the thief had stolen from many different people and was wanted for a couple of cases in Puerto Plata, still let him go! I even had phone calls from the thieves after they stole my jeep telling me that if I sent them 12,000 pesos by Western Union to them in Santiago, they would return my jeep to me!!! I wonder if they would be bringing the gun again!

where did you hear this from?

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! All the foreigners, we should create an association to protect aou rights and security here, to make a public denonciation for criminals activity, protected by the corrupted people that are in charge of the justice, unfortunately.
All together we can write article, make public what happens, if it is necessary, we can reach the office of the President and make him stand for the justice in his country.
The president travels around the world to project a good image for investors and foreigners. and, when these people are here, all of them, are victim of fraud of different. This has to finish!
All together we can work for a better living in this country, for us and for all the goodwill people taht want to live in peace in this paradise.
I offer my time to work as a volunteer in the association to be created. If you are interested, please email at: hotelchirico@yahoo.com