It's no secret to anyone living in Argentina that the country's crime rate has been on the rise over the past few months. While Argentina has never been entirely free of crime, the recent escalation is concerning. Unfortunately, my own experiences have not been immune to this surge in criminal activity.
A few weeks back, during broad daylight, someone attempted to break into our house by tampering with the front door handle. Their mistake was attempting it while we were home. We heard the noise and, upon unlocking the door, caught a glimpse of the culprit through a small window. Despite my immediate pursuit, I found myself defenseless as I had forgotten any means of protection. Though I wanted to confront the intruder, the risk of legal repercussions restrained me to issuing a stern warning before letting him go.
Thankfully, there were no further encounters with that particular individual. However, a couple of weeks later, another incident occurred.
I was resting in my room around 1 pm due to a headache when a loud crash startled us. Reacting swiftly, my husband and I searched for the source of the noise, fearing a potential break-in.
To our confusion, there were no signs of forced entry, yet our internet cable was missing, the modem damaged, and items displaced.
The sight of the torn-out cable left us in disbelief; the force required seemed beyond human capability. Despite the unsettling situation, our internet provider promptly replaced the cable in under two hours, allowing us to resume our daily online teaching activities.
The technician speculated two possible motives: theft for profit or malicious intent. Both scenarios, unfortunately, align with the increasing trend of criminal activities in our area. Our neighborhood's history of bullying, vandalism, and theft makes neither explanation surprising.
But these incidents are indicative of a broader societal issue. The proliferation of firearms has escalated crimes from petty theft to armed assaults throughout Argentina.
A recent incident involving a robbery on a subway, documented by a Russian expat, underscores the pervasive sense of insecurity in this country.
While poverty may contribute to criminal behavior, it does not excuse it. Those who resort to theft, vandalism, or violence are simply reprehensible.
Argentina's current political landscape may play a role, but it cannot justify such behavior. It's disheartening to witness the deterioration of safety and civility in our community.
Check out these selected news articles from CBA24N, a website covering news in Cordoba and occasionally other provinces. They highlight incidents of robbery and weapon use, just a glimpse into a larger trend.
