This information was received a 2nd hand from a noonsite contact in Venezuela. Noonsite is still trying to find out more information about these 2 incidents.

Below is a response from a guy I know living aboard in Porlamar re. the latest incidents there (late September 2011). The diesel man supplies diesel to the cruisers, has done for many years, and his father before him I believe. He also changes money for people, I have changed with him as have many without problems. So this was the response:

“The 2 boats I know about in Porlamar, 1 was robbed 3 hrs after changing money with the diesel man and everyone on the beach seemed to know they had changed. They caught two of the guys. The other (boat robbed) seemed to have no reason, just wrong place wrong time! They had only just dropped anchor and got robbed!!”

So that’s the story from Margarita. As always be careful, don’t flash money and hope you are not in the wrong place at the wrong time. At least they caught some of the guys.