That is more than would be reported in a whole season 10 years ago. Three weeks ago, a man and two women were robbed at knife point after leaving the Tequila night club. Ten years ago, tourists could and often did sleep safely on the beaches at night. Five years ago we were 'advised' to avoid walking alone on the beaches late at night. This year we were 'told' to stay off the beaches after sunset.
Crime has tourist officials concerned.
Within the last month representatives from all the State and local agencies involved held a strategy meeting looking for ways to deal with the problem. At the same time however, for the first year since the murder on Playa Marinero in 1993, there are no police on the beaches. How serious the authorities are about crime is thus an open question. Elizabeth reminds me that any incident can be magnified beyond all reasonable size, and Internet reports of crime in Escondido often fall into that category. She also reminds me to point out that at no time have we ever felt threatened or even uncomfortable in our years of vacationing in Puerto Escondido.