We witnessed two separate events during our visit last month that made us feel a apprehensive - something we had NEVER felt during any prior visit. The first happened at Woody's at about 4:00 on a Saturday afternoon. We had just walked in and hadn't even sat down yet when two patrons (we were later told that one was a local and the other a tourist) standing next to me started what appeared to me to be a heated verbal exchange. Within 10 - 15 seconds, one of the cooks flew out of the kitchen area armed with an aluminum baseball bat, grabbed the patron standing next to me and hauled him out the door. Later we were told that the patron standing next to me had pulled a knife on the other (I didn't see the knife, but the patron who allegedly pulled it was facing the other patron with his back to me, but facing the kitchen where they could see it - this was the reason for the bat). The story behind the incident: the local patron became upset with the other because he was bumped by him which caused part of his beer to spill - that's all (or is it?)

The second incident happened just before 1:00 AM (later that same Saturday night), at the intersection in front of First Bank. We didn't see what prompted the incident, as we didn't notice anything happening until we saw people running down the street to watch, but there was a fight involving several individuals (black and white from what I could see), and someone was screaming "call the police!". The police did show up, but after 10 minutes or so - not as promptly as you would expect given their location. I really don't know the details here since we stayed inside, but I can say that two incidents on the same day (and our only late night that visit), are unfortunate at the very least. Will it prevent us from traveleing to St. John ever again? No, but it has definitely made us feel apprehensive about a place where we had always felt comfortable and safe in the past. Residents we spoke with afterward told similar stories that only added to the apprehension; the overwhelming consensus being that law enforcement is not effective in handling these situations (they are good at driving around with their lights flashing, however). It's clear to me based on what we were told, that things have gotten worse over the last year or so, and that little is being done to address it.

This is so sad that STJ has become like this. When we first started going down there about 10 years ago, we loved the island for it's peace and quiet, that it was not "built up" like STT, more like a homey feel. Unfortunately, the past few years we've been going down, we have noticed an increase in traffic, building, especially in Coral Bay, and a general feel of the island getting more "antsy". It's hard to describe. Last year at our renal unit, when we were gone to the beach, someone broke in and stole our personal stuff-passports, id's, $$, cell phones, car keys, credit cards. They were locked in a safe, but the people who did this stole the whole safe, and rifled through our suitcases. I personally felt violated! Luckily we were not hurt, but it scared me half to death. Not only because someone violated our stuff, but our money was gone, our I.D.'s, and birth certificates. How would we get back home? I cried and cried. Luckily, it was at the beginning of our vacation, so we were able to have keys, money, etc. overnighted to us ( it took 2 days and lots of money to get it to us). The police were called, but once they found out we were not injured in any way, they seemed not to care. They came to our rental, looked over the scene. No pictures were taken, no fingerprinting. I know that it was not a big case to them, or important, but it was to us. Anyway, we did get home, and I will be back again, but we are thinking that this may be our last trip because of the general "feeling" we are getting. And now this guy. Very scary.

I must say though, that the other people in the area were wonderful when we were robbed. Neighbors surrounding the villa offered us money, and a place to stay with them for a few nights. The villa owner did all she could to help us out, offering money to get us by. The people at Connections let us use their phone at no charge to call home, and helped us with our many questions we had, and getting us our overnight package. A local business owner offered us cash to get by. Great people all of them. I never had so many people willing to help strangers.

ccasebolt, I know how you feel. Though we have not seen incidences like that, it kind of creeps me out to know that it's happening in our paradise. It may be time to find a new paradise. The police need to start taking more responsibility for their actions. I think their motto is "to serve and protect". I think they need to start caring too.

I wonder what the local merchants, villa owners, and management companies are doing about the lack of an effective police force? They are the ones who are going to suffer the most. Tourists can always find a different destination, and when they (we) do, it will cause them much financial hardship. It's up to them to address this sad situation.

I know there is crime everywhere and I know that the incidences mentioned above are isolated. However, I am having some concerns. Although, I won't cancel the Oct trip, I am concerned about renting a very isolated villa. This may well be my first and last trip to St John. I suppose the most serious concern is the lack of a proper police response. I agree with the above, for an economy that relies on the tourist dollar, one wonders why the merchants, villa owners, etc. tolerate the lack of an effective police effort.

Crime is still rare on STJ. It's certainly safer than where I live. Most first time visitors have no negative experiences, have no dealings with police. They don't spend time on forums or read online VI papers. They experience paradise and are thrilled to have discovered it. They don't see the changes. They only see how wonderful it is. They'll keep coming.

The political and law enforcement situation has been as it is for a long time. Coming from the mainland, we're shocked, but it's pretty typical for the Caribbean as it is for most developing countries. As a political entity, the USVI is part of the US, but culturally it's a Caribbean island.

I'm not sure when we're going back to STJ again. We've been going since the mid-80s, have seen tremendous change, and I find little of it to be an improvement. There's less and less of what I first loved about the place and more and more of what I dislike. I still enjoy it, but increasingly I feel sadness and nostalgia for what's been lost. Of course I met people on my first trip who told me I should have been there in the 60s or 70s, before everything started to change. It's changed and some people who wouldn't have liked it 20 years ago are happy there now. I think we will look at other places to see if we can find one that still has more of what we first loved about STJ. We've been talking about it for a while, but now the time has come. My wife's tired of hearing me whine. We're going to Kauai next month and maybe will try Virgin Gorda next year. The Grenadines sound great to me, but the travel is complicated (which is part of what keeps them as they are).

one wonders why the merchants, villa owners, etc. tolerate the lack of an effective police effort.

What can they do?

The V.I. police department is under EDUCATED, under funded, under staffed. The total mind set is NOT to " Serve and Protect" I am sure officers do not consider themselves Public Servants. The local papers are full of officers who have committed a crime themselves. As mentioned above St. John is a very small island and most of the officers are friends or relatives of the people causing problems. They are okay with handing out parking or seat belt tickets (of course only to tourist or anyone not related) other than that the John Q public is on his own.

How awful. 🙁

I was just reading the police log for St. John. Lots of things, but mostly against locals, not tourists. Even so, I wish people would just be kind to one another all the way around, you know? 🙁

I think that it would behoove the USVI government, police, etc. to get a handle on this criminal behavior before it completely scares away the tourist industry that pays for their salaries. If it happened to them on a personal basis you can be sure that they would not drag their feet in apprehending the criminals. Unfortuately, it is not a personal issue for them so they can take a cavalier attitude in handling these crimes. But wait until it is their Mom who gets mugged, or their sister raped, Dad beaten. They just might then sit up and take notice to the crimes around them.