Again!? Really!?
I am so angry right now that I want to find the three thugs that beat up and burglarized the Rogue Tavern owner last night and murder them.
I know the police won’t do anything about this because the three thugs are probably related to somebody on the force!
When I first arrived on the island in 2013, I thought that I had found paradise. What I realized after my first weekend here was that I had found the Island of Thieves!
I came here to be a dentist and my employer found me a home on the beach. It was idyllic. A fenced back yard leading to a wonderful beach. A sea captain friend of one of the owners was having to return to San Francisco to be with his mother who was dying of cancer. He asked me to watch over his dog. I made sure to lock the gate to make sure that the dog would not run away.
After a peaceful night, I went to bed.
I was awakened at 2am by a call from one of my employers. “Are you okay?” he asked.
I was groggy and not sure how to answer him. “Yes, I’m fine,” I answered.
“Your car has been stolen,” he replied.
“What! No!”
I got up at that point and moved from the bedroom to the kitchen where I had left the car keys. The keys were not there. Also, my wallet and phone were missing.
I moved outside and saw that the car was not there. And the dog I had been entrusted with was also gone.
Shortly after, the police arrived and the two owners of the dental clinic also came to the house. The police did their obligatory questioning, and then one of the owners announced, “Welcome to the Island of Thieves!”
My first thought was, “What? Why didn’t you tell me before?”
I wouldn’t have been so trusting.
Then I was told by another owner, “The thieves are probably related to somebody in the police force, so do not expect any justice!”
I was crushed. I could not count on the police to do their job? They would protect the thieves over me? A rude awakening.
Welcome to Saipan.
Now, I chose to stay on the island and try to make things work. The issues lately are more civil (CW issues) than criminal, but I remain amazed that people are murdered, go missing and disappear with no resolution by the police.
Back to the current situation: a new restaurant in San Roque named Roque’s Tavern was robbed last night. This restaurant has become my favorite restaurant on the island. A combination of Peruvian and Italian dishes and a menu that I just love!
Now I read that the owner and head chef was beaten and robbed?
This is so wrong on so many fronts.
This young man was just talking to me last time I was in the restaurant about his future plans for the menu. He wanted to add steak that he would age himself, and a Peruvian-infused rotisserie chicken. Wonderful plans for a growing restaurant!
What is he to do now?
Can he count on the police to do their job?
Can these thugs be apprehended and removed from the streets so we can all be safer?
I want to conduct my life without fear. I know that this is probably unrealistic, but it shouldn’t be!
This is a tiny island. We do not even make it on most atlases as more than a dot. Let’s clean up our act and protect our citizens from this scum that pervades our society.
Nelson Krum, DDS
via email
Dr. Krum – – the police problem which makes exasperated has a double whammy; if a criminal prosecution ever results from a police arrest, the jury will often render a nullification verdict and the perp will walk.
You took the words right out of my mouth!
Might I add also in many cases the inadequacy of the AG office in prosecution and the lenient plea deals and lack of meaningful sentencing, especially in regards to the career criminals with the “proper” family name.
It’s still paradise it’s worse where your at now. Don’t come to Saipan….
Thieves don’t discriminate! Even I as a local had to endure theft twice. It must be the Island of Thieves!
I’m pretty sure you are a smart man as being that you are educated, there is no place on earth that is100% completely safe. Saipan isn’t as it used to be, we have people flooding in from all parts of asia, the FSM and other Micronesian islands. We have drugs that taint the locals as well, which was never a real issue in the past. You do not know this island the way we locals have known it and we as well are not horrified when it comes to being robbed to include people like yourself, tourist etc. Even a local Lawyer himself recently was robbed. I’ve been robbed and I have family in the police force and not just a rookie, and still thieves haven’t been found
Sadly, these type of crimes do seem to happen regularly. You are doing the best thing by making people awknowldge the situation. One thing we can do is support these business owners who are victims and let them know the community is behind them.
Its sad to hear these crimes still occur but seriously name 1 place in the world that theft does not occur. Its not right that it happens but it does happen. The stupid s— people do does not reflect on an entire island.