BA Basics: Basic Safety in Buenos Aires

In general, Buenos Aires is a safe place to visit. It’s true that petty robberies are relatively common, but the rate of violent crimes here is much less than that of most major cities. For example, the murder rate here is about one-tenth that of Washington D.C.* With that in mind, when visiting Buenos Aires the smart traveler remains aware of his/her surroundings, remaining vigilant to potential pickpockets and petty thieves. Although violent crimes are rare here in Buenos Aires, please don’t assume that robbers won’t hurt you. If you do happen to wind up in a sticky situation, don’t be brave, don’t take risks, just give them what they want and stay safe. To keep yourself from winding up in such a situation, however, here are a few tips to keep you safe and happy throughout the whole of your stay!

1. Don’t carry expensive designer bags, sunglasses or flashy jewelry. The same can be said for electronics, and electronics cases. If it looks expensive, it could become a target to be robbed.

2. Be cautious while carrying your purse or bag, especially in crowded areas or while on public transport. It’s perfectly normal to wear your backpack over your chest in these situations in order to avoid someone’s sticky fingers getting into your belongings. Likewise, women should ALWAYS carry their purse directly under their arms and/or across their chests.

3. Never leave your bag unattended, sling it over the back of a chair or even leave it on the top of a table while dining. It is always best to keep your bag on your person or wedged between your feet, even while dining.

4. Carry the minimum within your purse or wallet. As a general rule, don’t carry more than $300 pesos at one time, only carry your credit or ATM card for trips specifically to the ATM and carry a photocopy of you passport and not the document itself.

5. Don’t carry expensive electronics in the open. Keep your iPod and its cords safe in your pocket or bag, keep your cell phone stashed away, and keep your camera in your bag. Likewise, make sure someone is watching out for you while you are snapping your photos.

6. Always check that $100 and $50 peso marks are not counterfeit. (also see LandingPadBA.com’s guide to counterfeit currency).

7. Ignore people who try to approach you on the street that seem suspicious.

8. Never pick up a taxi in front of a bank especially after you have extracted money.

*The statistics presented within this article were gathered from materials published by the US Overseas Security Advisory Council and the Argentine Interior Security Commission. For further information, visit these sites: www.osac.gov and www.parlamentario.com

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