Gang members, missionaries, workers, domestics, laborers, glue sniffers, and beggars. How to identify and avoid potential threats:

Hostiles Gang Member Profiles:

• Unkempt appearance, baggy clothing, tattoos and superior or aggressive demeanors, i.e. "attitudes."

• Loose clothes to hide weapons such as chimbas (pipe guns) and knives and cover tattoos when casing a place, person, or vehicle.

• 95% are between ages 14-25 years.

• Groups of 2-4, slow-moving, constantly scoping houses, gates, doors, windows, and parked cars.

• Sometimes one of the group will "work" the opposite side of the street.

• One member always watching their back (“checking their "six").

Potential Hostiles:

• Laborers - sometimes stare, linger, and scope people and property.

• Sniffers: glue sniffers carry baby food jars or one quart plastic oil cans and STP type containers in hand and wear old, dirty clothes; have been occasionally seen completely nude.

• 50% of time they are barefoot or one foot bare; eyes red; scraggly hair-beard; majority 10-20 years old, some 25-40.

• Beggars: old clothes, frequently no shoes, no mochilla; up to 50% female - females tend to work fixed locations; males wander comparatively more.

• Do not go near or give beggars and children handouts of food or money. Use legitimate channels to donate to charities.

• Street People - similar to beggars, even worse condition, limited movement.

• The fake water delivery or "Agua Azul ruse" - look for the truck before opening a door.

• Mango stick youths usually work alone or in small groups and may carry a 1-2 meter metal pipe or wood pole.

• The "mango stick" is for breaking car windows, etc.

Action:

• Call the Police, your security provider, or company management to request extra security coverage. Provide information regarding who, what, where, when. Report name of resident, your location, description of individual's age and direction of movement.

• Raise your security awareness of your surroundings through observation and mental preparation, to include how you can avoid trouble areas, high-risk situations, and what actions you would perform if faced with a threat.

• Report name of resident/your location, description of individual's age and direction. Keep a pad of paper and writing instrument in your vehicle and by your telephone to note descriptions of suspicious persons, vehicles, and incidents.

Non Hostiles: Profile

• Hair neatly trimmed; well groomed appearance.

• Clean, non-baggy clothes.

• "Mochila" or pack - not too full.

• Walking with purpose from Point A to Point B, with destination in mind.

• Not constantly scoping residences and potential targets.

• Normally wearing shoes.

Religious canvassers:

• Mormons always travel in pairs wearing white shirt, ties and nametags.

• Jehovah's Witnesses - normally travel in groups of 2-5; all women sometimes with children; usually seen only on weekends and offer "WatchTower" and "Awake" publication first.

** Some passersby are off-duty watchmen aka: "vigilantes" and may be carrying a machete. (Note: Their machetes are usually carried in sheaths unlike most campesinos.) Some may carry a handgun or shotgun. However, if they are clean, have a mochilla and are not "lingering" except in their own work area, they probably do not represent a threat.