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Hello all!
My wife and I were planning a trip to STT in April and so we bought a travel guide to the islands. After some reading, we found of course that the crime rate is mentioned and the standard "Be very careful" statements are made. So, knowing this forum has been a HUGE source of information and a Godsend for us, I checked it and found several threads detailing the robbery of guests at their villas/resorts and the whole feeling of "Don't go out at night". We were planning on staying at Secret Harbor but are now considering staying at one of the gated resorts and not leaving the resort for evening adventures for fear of the crime.
I was very startled at the crime statistics that one forum poster compared to his statistics of a similar sized US city. The USVI statistics were staggering. And while I hear many of the forum posters come to the defense by saying that you simply should take the same precautions that you would in a large US city and not walk dimly lit parking lots in small groups at night, not wear any jewelry or anything that might suggest value or wealth, don't walk the beaches at night, etc.
Sadly, that is exactly what drew us to the USVI in the first place. We had heard so much about the nightlife and great places to eat and drink, and couldn't wait to enjoy the beautiful beaches both at day and night. While the "treat it as you would a large US city" statement may be true.....we didn't plan on coming to STT to enjoy acting like we were in LA. So naturally that makes me a little worried. I don't want to spend the money and time to travel there and be scared to do anything.
I'd just like some good honest information from the valuable posters on this site in regards to the current state of affairs. This forum has really been a blessing and we're so glad we have found it. Thanks so much for all of you contributing to it. We are so excited to experience such a wonderful, beautiful place.....just hope we can do it without locking ourselves in our rooms or worrying the whole time.
Is it a case of the media overblowing it or is it truly a fairly unsafe place? Do we have anything to worry about?
Cls5806, which travel book was it that mentioned crime "in the islands?" I'd like to read it. Since those books are frequently updated, what was the publication year of the one you read? Thanks.
The way I see it, there is a certain amount of crime wherever you go. Everyone's advice to travel smart should be heeded.
That being said, one of the reasons I like USVI is that I feel comfortable going "off-property" and experiencing the culture of the island, not just the resort. I don't feel this way in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, or Mexico. To me Puerto Rico is borderline, but I only go there with my friend who lives there part-time.
Other than USVI, the other islands I feel comfortable on are Aruba and Bermuda. Of course, in Bermuda, I'm afraid I'll get arrested for wearing something too casual, like a t-shirt 😉
I was a Police Officer in Philadelphia for over 11 years, and now one in the suburbs. I have worked everywhere from drug-infested neighborhoods to affluent ones. I have been to either St. John or St. Thomas a total of five times, and will soon be down there a sixth. I would highly recommend the Virgin Islands to anyone!! I have driven extensively through both islands myself, and have been driven in cabs by drivers who stopped for gas on the way, one that had seemed intoxicated, and one that was a retired VIPD K-9 Police Officer. The K-9 guy carried a scrap book about he and his dog, both made the news and newspaper many times due to being a drug dog and affecting seizures -- pretty neat.
I have never saw anything in the VI that I didn't see more of in my police experience in the Philadelphia area. I know each person interprets their surroundings differently, especially when we have all been raised in different places. There were over 400 murders in Philadelphia last year, but people don't think twice of going to Center CIty for a night or day out. It's hard to convey to people my own experience, even relative sometimes, without them having experienced it themselves. But realistically, people should be more afraid of going to work everyday in downtown Philadelphia then the tourists areas of the VI. If people knew what actually goes on next to them in their own neighborhoods sometimes, city or suburbs, they would be dying to get a vacation to the Virgin Islands.
As it is repeated over and over and over, use common sense when traveling.
PLEASE ENJOY THE VIRGIN ISLANDS!!
ms411,
I'll check on that and let you know the publication date, title, etc. I think the book is at my office.
I bought it at Barnes & Noble a couple weeks ago. It was a USVI travel guide. Lot of great info on resorts, restaurants and places to eat and drink, sights to see, and a lot of tips and hints that you wouldn't pick up short of going down there and asking the locals.
