In Caracas, Armored Cars Are All the Rage

Luis Fuenmayor, a Caracas-based airline pilot, says he never considered armoring his Chevrolet Tahoe because of the $28,000 price tag. He changed his mind when two armed motorcyclists robbed him of his watch in traffic. "It seemed expensive at first, but then I realized that, more than an investment, it's a necessary cost," he says.

Since President Hugo Chávez took power in 1999, Venezuela has overtaken Colombia as South America's murder capital. That spells brisk business for security firms, which are adding the middle class to the traditional corporate client base, says Ingrid Suarez, manager at armored-car company Blindcorp. The number of businesses in Caracas that prepare vehicles against attack has risen to 47 from 12 five years ago, she says. It takes about a month to outfit a car with armor, since the automobile needs to be stripped down and reassembled.