Recent press reports and police statistics indicate a rise in armed robberies in various traffic intersections within the National District. These crimes generally take the form of two individuals on a motorcycle approaching stopped cars in busy intersections and robbing the occupants at gunpoint. Press reports also enumerate the intersections within the national district with the highest number of reported cases. All U.S. citizens should exercise extreme caution while traveling through the following intersections:
- John F. Kennedy & Abraham Lincoln
- John F. Kennedy & Máximo Gómez
- John F. Kennedy & Ortega y Gasset
- Ortega y Gasset & San Martín
- Ortega y Gasset & Paraguay (entrance to Plaza de la Salud)
- 27 de Febrero & Churchill
Press reports also state a rise in these same types of crimes on the west side of the district, as follows:
Avenida Luperón in front of various business establishments, including El Canal, Jumbo, Happyland and La Sirena.
The U.S. Embassy reminds all U.S. citizens residing in the Dominican Republic to lock their vehicle doors and windows to avoid becoming targets of opportunity by showing extreme affluence (excessive jewelry, careless use of expensive electronics, etc.) and to secure personal items in the cargo compartments of your vehicles, away from public view. It is imperative to understand that criminals will resort to violence if challenged. Therefore, in the event of a robbery, no one should resist. Please refer to the link below for the press report.
The U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo would like to remind all U.S. citizens to remain aware of your surroundings at all time, maintain a high level of vigilance and take appropriate steps to enhance your personal security.
We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in the Dominican Republic enroll in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at https://step.state.gov/step. STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates, and makes it easier for the U.S. Embassy or nearest U.S. Consulate to contact you in an emergency. If you don’t have Internet access, enroll directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
Regularly monitor the State Department’s website at http://travel.state.gov, where you can find current Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and the Worldwide Caution. Read the Country Specific Information for the Dominican Republic at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_4965.html. For additional information, refer to “A Safe Trip Abroad” on the State Department’s website.
Contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate for up-to-date information on travel restrictions. You can also call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free from within the United States and Canada, or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). Follow us on Twitter at https://mobile.twitter.com/travelgov and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/travelgov, and download our free Smart Traveler iPhone App at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/smart-%20traveler/id442693988?mt=8 to have travel information at your fingertips.
For any emergencies involving U.S. Citizens in the Dominican Republic, please contact the American Citizens Services (ACS) Unit of the U.S. Embassy. The Consular Section is located at the corner of Cesar Nicolas Penson Street and Maximo Gomez Avenue, Santo Domingo, D.R.; telephone 809-221-2171; e-mail sdoamericans@state.gov. For more information, visit our web page http://santodomingo.usembassy.gov.
