Their haul included several phones, computers, tablets, and wallets.
The barmaid called the police and the marina owners. The owners then liaised/acted as translators between those robbed and the police.
After this incident, we felt extremely vulnerable while alongside in the marina, where the jetties do not have any security gates and are freely open to anybody passing by.
This apparently is the first time that any such incident has happened in Jacaré to cruisers. Which is such a shame because, it was up until now, always considered one of the safest places in Brazil to visit by boat.
Jacqui & Kevin Enright
Sydney, Australia
SV TINTIN
Response from Marina Jacaré Village
I am Nicolas, one of the owners of the marina. When that very sad event happened I was in France on holidays. I was informed right away by my two partners.
The police had watched the security videotapes and have the four thieves in custody.
Regarding the thieves, they are not from the neighborhood. I have been here for four years and it’s the very first time that this kind of armed robbery has happened.
I assure cruisers that Jacaré is still a safe spot – I Iive here in the marina with my 7-year-old son.
To deal with the security issues, we have closed the surrounding wall of the bar/restaurant, improved the lighting and installed some more cameras. We also hired one more security guy.
Regarding the access to the pontoon, this will be closed very soon with security access gates.
Nicolas Tiphagne
Manager of Marina Jacaré Village
Port officer of the Ocean Cruising Club
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Security at Jacare Marina.
I first arrived in Jacare Marina in June 2014 and, after staying there for three months, decided to settle in Joao Pessoa where I have lived since then. I visit the marina on a weekly basis and am therefore well placed to comment.
Captain Ron’s views are based on events which occurred in 2000 and 2011, many years ago. After a gap of a further six years there was indeed an unfortunate and isolated incident in July 2017. That incident was promptly and efficiently dealt with by the owners of the marina and the local police.
The marina and its surrounds have changed dramatically in recent years. The present owners have put in an enormous amount of time and effort into improving the amenities, with particular emphasis on security. Furthermore, there is no longer a ‘favela’ anywhere near the marina and, as Joao Pessoa’s popularity as a tourist destination has increased, so has policing improved in and around the city.
The World ARC Cruising Rally arrived in Jacare Marina a couple of months ago and I had the pleasure of meeting most of the cruisers as well as the organizers of the rally.
They told me that, after a survey of all the marinas in Northern Brasil, they have chosen Jacare Marina as having the best facilities and by far the best security of all. They intend to continue using Jacare as the preferred port-of-call for their cruisers in the future. I think that is as good a recommendation as one could wish for.
I would encourage Captain Ron to visit Jacare marina again. I am sure that he would be most pleasantly surprised!!
Paul O’D
There have been many robberies in and around Jacare over the years. In 2000 my yacht was boarded and robbed along with another yacht the same night. There were also two incidents of women being mugged on shore There was then a spate of dinghy thefts.
The owner of one yacht at anchor caught people attempting to cut through his anchor chain. It got so bad that all the foreign yachts left. In 2011 my wife was assaulted and robbed 100 metres from the marina and I had a gun placed to my head while in Joao Pessoa by thieves after my bicycle, (they didn’t get it!).
The marina and anchorage are located very close to a large ‘favela’. A friend of mine who has a house on the waterfront in Jacare, from where he works during the day, now returns to an apartment in Cabadello at night following his family being robbed at gunpoint. The English owner of the original boatyard was the victim of a violent home invasion. To say Jacare is safe is a very irresponsible statement.
I now live on the Island of Itaparica, near Salvador, which has also, over the years, experienced many incidents, including violent assault and murder. At the moment it has been a few years since any incidents have occurred, mainly because very few yachts come here now. There is absolutely no doubt there will be more incidents in the future. If you are lucky enough to visit Brazil and no fall a victim to some sort of crime you are just that……LUCKY.