Costa Rican authorities in Talamanca, Limon are reporting 18 American tourists were held at gunpoint while their hotel rooms were ransacked.
The incident occurred at the Samasati hotel when a guard was overtaken at 1 a.m. yesterday by gunmen who proceeded to wake up the tourists in their bungalows, herding them into the hotel’s restaurant. Reportedly there were five masked gunmen, two that held the tourists and guard captive and the other three that ransacked the rooms.
The gunmen then stole a hotel vehicle to escape and shot out the tires of other vehicles to insure that no one could follow them. Some reports claim the hotel owner was shot when he was awakened by the gunfire.
No one was injured but approximately $6,000 in cash, digital equipment and other personal belongings was taken.
The hotel is located in the southern region of Limon, hear the Panama border.
