Crime and Public Safety
Recent Crime Incidents Involving Foreigners
The information contained here is based on general reporting of crime incidents in Guatemala affecting both foreign tourists and foreign residents of nationalities from outside the region. Reports of crimes on this website are drawn from a variety of sources and are not intended to be complete or a general analysis of crime in Guatemala. However, these brief descriptions provide information on the types of crimes committed against foreigners. Non-violent crimes, those not involving a weapon, and/or those not involving a substantial loss of property, are not included here. More information on current patterns and trends of crime in Guatemala is included in the Consular Information Sheet (CIS). This list is only additional information, and the CIS remains the Department of State’s definitive statement. Please also read “A Safe Trip Abroad”.
Examples of Crime Incidents Against Foreigners in 2009:
|
|
|
|
06/20/09 |
Patulul, route to Atitlan through Cocales: AA group riding on a chartered school bus with a private driver was pulled over by armed six men. The bus was hijacked and driven to a remote location where valuables were stolen. |
|
06/18/09 |
Guatemala City: Armed men followed and robbed a woman who had just pulled money out at a bank. |
|
06/14/09 |
Antigua: A woman’s purse was slit and belongings were stolen. |
|
06/11/09 |
Chimaltenango: A man’s belongings were stolen when someone broke into his car. |
|
06/11/09 |
Quetzaltenango: Two men wielding knives robbed a woman as she walked through a public cemetery. |
|
06/07/09 |
Chicacao, Suchitepequez: A group was riding in back of a pickup truck when six men in ski masks stopped the vehicle and stole their belongings. |
|
06/07/09 |
Chichicastenango: A couple was pick pocketed while shopping in the market. |
|
06/07/09 |
Santiago de Atitlan: A tourist group was robbed while hiking by individuals carrying machetes. |
|
06/03/09 |
Guatemala City, Obelisco: A couple and their young kids were robbed by two armed men. |
|
|
|
|
05/28/09 |
Guatemala City: A couple was followed and robbed at gunpoint after withdrawing money at a bank. |
|
05/28/09 |
Villa Nueva: A man’s car was stolen. |
|
05/28/09 |
Antigua: A woman’s valuables were stolen from her hotel room. |
|
05/19/09 |
Chisec, Cobán: Five individuals were attacked by unknown assailants while they were driving. One of the individuals was shot and killed and another was hospitalized as a result of injuries sustained. |
|
05/13/09 |
Guatemala City: An American citizen was attacked along with another individual as the two pulled up to a residence. The American citizen was physically assaulted and removed from his location by the assailants. |
|
05/06/09 |
Guatemala City: A man was pick pocketed while eating in a Pollo Campero restaurant. |
|
05/04/09 |
Santiago Atitlán, Sololá: Assailants fired shots at an individual’s home in an attempt to enter and burglarize the home. |
|
05/01/09 |
Between Antigua and Panajachel: Belongings of man who fell asleep riding a chicken bus were stolen. |
|
|
|
|
04/30/09 |
Antigua: Two tourists were harassed by a man who robbed them of their valuables as they walked to their quarters at night. |
|
04/29/09 |
Guatemala City, Zona 1: An individual was approached from behind and physically assaulted in an attempt to rob him of his valuables. |
|
04/26/09 |
Carretera El Salvador: Robbers ransacked and stole valuables from a citizen’s recently wrecked vehicle on the side of the road. |
|
04/26/09 |
Livingston, Izabal: Citizen was robbed of all of his valuables while his boat was anchored. |
|
04/14/09 |
Guatemala City, Zona 12: An American citizen was shot and killed by an individual on a motorcycle while she and another passenger were driving in a vehicle. |
|
04/12/09 |
Coban: The home of American citizens resident in Guatemala was broken into and robbed. |
|
04/11/09 |
Mazatenango: Six armed men pulled over a vehicle and stole the belongings of all of the passengers. |
|
04/09/09 |
Antigua: Two American citizens had their purses slashed and contents within stolen. |
|
|
|
|
03/30/09 |
Chiquimula: Robbers stole valuables from an individual while at a bus terminal. |
|
03/24/09 |
Escuintla: An American citizen was attacked by an individual armed with a knife in an attempt to steal his laptop, backpack and other valuables. |
|
03/24/09 |
Escuintla: An individual was robbed by three men brandishing weapons as she was picking up money that had been wired to her. |
|
03/23/09 |
Quetzaltenango: Two individuals were attacked by two armed men who physically assaulted them and stole their belongings as they left a bank. |
|
03/11/09 |
Teculután, Zacapa: A tourist was shot and killed by gunmen at a store. |
|
03/07/09 |
Guatemala/Belize Border Crossing: An individual had valuables stolen while entering Guatemala from Belize. |
|
03/06/09 |
Guatemala City: An American citizen had valuables stolen from his car. |
|
03/02/09 |
Guatemala City: A tourist was robbed of valuables when the car in which they were located was stolen. |
|
03/02/09 |
Guatemala City, Zona 10: An American citizen was hit by a motorcycle and robbed of valuables. |
|
|
|
|
02/27/09 |
Antigua: An individual was robbed at a convenience store by gunmen pretending to be the store owners. |
|
02/27/09 |
Petén: A van carrying six tourists was pulled over by five men brandishing weapons including a gun and machetes. The tourists were robbed of all valuables. |
|
02/23/09 |
Guatemala City, Zona 10: An American citizen was robbed at gunpoint of his laptop briefcase though no laptop was inside. |
|
02/19/09 |
Totonicapán, Quetzaltenango: A private bus carrying 12 passengers including American citizens was boarded by at least five armed individuals. The passengers were kidnapped and robbed of valuables including cash and electronics. |
|
02/15/09 |
Antigua: Two American citizens were robbed while walking through a market in Antigua. |
|
02/11/09 |
Santa Rosa: A private bus carrying 11 passengers including American citizens was boarded by five armed individuals. The passengers were kidnapped and robbed of valuables including cash and electronics. |
|
02/10/09 |
Guatemala City: An American citizen was robbed at gunpoint by two men after withdrawing money from a bank. |
|
02/07/09 |
Antigua: An American citizen was cornered by two individuals in market who slit her purse and stole its contents. |
|
02/03/09 |
San José Acatempa, Jutiapa: An American citizen was shot and killed as a result of a domestic dispute. |
|
02/02/09 |
Guatemla City: An American citizen had her purse stolen. |
|
|
|
|
01/30/09 |
Guatemala City, Zona 9: A group of American citizens were robbed by five armed individuals. |
|
01/30/09 |
Antigua: While on a bus from Antigua to Xela, valuables were stolen out of an individual’s bag. |
|
01/29/09 |
Antigua: American citizen had valuables stolen from his car. |
|
01/29/09 |
Guatemala City: An individual had her purse stolen while riding a bus. |
|
01/29/09 |
Gualán, Zacapa: An individual was approached by two armed men while his vehicle was at a stop light. He was kidnapped and taken to an ATM. |
|
01/27/09 |
Chichicastenango: An American citizen had his pocket picked while in the Chichicastenango market. |
|
01/24/09 |
Panajachel: A tourist was robbed while riding a tuk-tuk. |
|
01/23/09 |
Antigua: While on a bus from Antigua to Xela, valuables were stolen out of an individual’s bag. |
|
01/18/09 |
Antigua: Two individuals were robbed at gunpoint while walking home from a bar. |
|
01/17/09 |
Guatemala City: Two American citizens had valuables stolen while riding a bus. |
|
01/16/09 |
Guatemala City, Zona 10: An adult male was approached by two individuals on a motorcycle while driving his vehicle. The individuals attempted to rob him of his cellular phone and shot at his vehicle when he did not turn it over. |
|
01/16/09 |
Quetzaltenango: A female American citizen was robbed at gunpoint. |
|
01/16/09 |
Chimaltenango: Two adult male American citizens had their pockets picked while on a bus. |
|
01/07/09 |
Guatemala City: Three individuals were robbed of valuables including cash while riding on a bus by an individual claiming to be the bus driver’s assistant. |
|
01/05/09 |
Atitlán: An American citizen adult male resident in Guatemala was shot at by three men after he refused to stop his pickup truck. |
|
01/05/09 |
Escuintla: An American citizen female was robbed while riding on a bus from La Gomera to Siquinala. |
|
01/02/09 |
Flores, Petén: Two American citizens were robbed at gunpoint while they were in a taxi outside of the Santa Elena airport. |
|
01/01/09 |
Guatemala City: Three individuals were walking to their car when an unknown individual approached them and stole the purse of one of the individuals. |