HCMC - No longer safe

Caught in the act (Crime in HCMC)

In my earlier days in HCMC, when I was still green, I attributed being cheated by some Vietnamese to my naivete. Then my wife was pick-pocketed. Still defended HCMC and blamed ourselves for not being careful. Then my apartment was burgled - ok, bad luck. Then I was robbed a few months back - my fault? Today, my mum was robbed. A very kind young lady brought us to the police station and help us make a police report. She said that her foreigner boss and another manager also fell victim to crime. Sorry, HCMC, I cannot defend you anymore. You have become too dangerous for me as a foreigner.

One year back, I rated you, HCMC, as the second safest city for tourists after Singapore, even safer than the other cities in Southeast Asia. Sorry, not any more. Not after what has happened to me and my family - call it bad luck, call it my fault, call it whatever you want - but HCMC has degenerated into a very dangerous city to be in, especially the city centre. Even their own citizens are afraid. See the following news from just one source, vietnamnet.vn (I've added more sources since then) :

Police-detain-25-muggers-on-buses-in-hcmc
Back-to-the--hot-spot--of-street-crime-in-saigon
More-mobile-police-for-hcmc-to-fight-crime
HCMC-to-mobilize-forces-to-crack-down-on-crime
Robbers-slash-man-s-arm-for-30-chinese-phone
Woman-s-arm-chopped-off-by-thieves
Woman-pushed-into-moving-traffic-by-bag-snatchers
HCMC-parks-targeted-by-criminals
Witches-brew

From vietnamnet.vn
Cruel-tricks-of-saigon-bandits
Incredible-tricks-of-saigon-robbers
Robbery-on-the-streets-of-saigon (1)
Robbery-on-the-streets-of-saigon (2)
The-police-to-declare-war-against-robbery-in-saigon
Street-knight-identifies-robbery
Combating-street-robbery--street-knight--model-still-a-concern
Ministry-of-public-security-to-tackle-robbery-in-hcm-city
Crime-will-bring-consequences-to-vietnam-expat-victim

I read the comments of some foreigners about how wonderful the country and city is, about how long they have stayed here and never fell victim to crime, about dumb people who don't know how to protect themselves from being robbed ... all I can say is that it only has to happen to you just once, and that spell which Vietnam cast will be broken. I gave HCMC four to five chances. Enough! For all its charm, beauty and hospitality, I do not want to live in a city where I have to look over my shoulders each day I go out, especially if I have a bag ... to look at every bike coming my way as a hostile force out to rob me, to go home and wonder if it has been broken into. This is what's happening to me now every day - certainly not a good way to live life.

I do not want to feel the helplessness of being robbed again and not being able to do anything about it. It is very frustrating. And if you do happen to be robbed, you are to surrender everything because if you retaliate, chances are you'll be hurt or killed. And the irony of it all is that you should thank your lucky stars that you're not hurt after being robbed. And you can expect that nothing will be done by the authorities despite your report. Whether it's the sheer numbers they have to deal with, or the helplessness, or the inefficiency, or the simply can't-be-bothered attitude, or whatever excuses they can cook up, you'll never see your belongings ever again - unless you're some super VIP with heavenly connections.

Even with all the pleasant memories, experiences and some wonderful Vietnamese friends, there comes a time when what is acceptable crosses the line, and enough is enough. I have made enough excuses for you, HCMC ... hasta la vista, Saigon! I'll be back for business but never to live again.