@DavidSecurity

Greetings Expat,

I hope everyone is enjoying the great weather and finding time to explore Tunisia.

As a security professional I am always monitoring trends, especially when it comes to expat personal safety & security.  During the last 3 months we’ve seen a steady increase of petty crimes (Carthage, La Marsa, Berges du Lac) specifically in reference to purse snatching, vehicle vandalism, and burglary.

Of the three crimes on the rise, purse snatching is the one that most concerns me because of the bold nature in which the perpetrators are conducting them.  On one occasion a lady’s purse was snatched in broad daylight while walking through an upscale street in Berges du Lac.  Unharmed, the victim lost all her IDs, house keys, cell phone, and a small amount of cash. Another incident with similar results took place only a few meters from the US Embassy & American school on the La Marsa highway.

Tips to avoid motorcycle purse snatchers

• Be alert & aware of surroundings.
• Walk against traffic with handbags kept away from the street side.
• Be on the lookout for motorcycles.
• Avoid carrying important documents & items of high worth in purse.

US Embassy Security & Safety Update 

The US Embassy recently updated their safety and security section for Tunisia and it clearly states that “muggings have occurred during daylight hours in upscale neighborhoods; in some cases these encounters have turned violent when the victim tried to resist.”

Compare & Contrast (take a deep breath…)

Tunisia’s crime rate is far below most major cities and we have noted a significant improvement on the part of the security forces in terms of their professionalism & reaction.

Additionally, Tunisians are proud of their beautiful country and determined to make it shine during the tourist season.  As one optimistic Tunisian man puts it:

“Tunisia is ready to bring tourism back,” And we’ll even exceed what we used to achieve, seeing even more tourists than before the revolution.”