I would have to say that you would want to be off the NPS hiking trails before dark - but not because of a crime/safety issue. I have seen people recommend the Rams Head hike for a full moon - bring good lights, shoes and be xtra careful if you try that.

Too much drama folks. I'd agree that if the villa robberies have you a shakin' in your boots, don't come. More lobster & painkillers for the rest of us.

jlk, congratulations on booking your first STJ trip! I'm afraid this thread may not have given you much good advice.

Based on your stated intentions, you are not likely to run into any problems. Crime against tourists is usually against property, not persons. Being smart can keep you out of most bad situations. I found the wording of your post interesting as you seemed to be looking for "rules," then were resigned to there being none. Au contraire, knowing the "rules" on STJ can keep you out of a lot of problems. You already seem to know some, but others are less obvious. Your concerns about personal safety are probably more than they should be. Although the Tradewinds article is disturbing, most of the crime reported was straight villa burglary. For what you have stated, STJ should be a remarkable safe place.

The guidebooks and villa manuals have lots of straight forward (but nonetheless good) tips like don't leave anything in you car even if you lock it, especially at Salt Pond, lock our villa when not there, don't be flashy with money, jewelry , electronics, etc. Let me add a few more. The STJ NPS trails should be absolutely safe given you have enough water and sunscreen;I don't believe I have ever heard of anyone being accosted on an NPS trail ever. But you may also find that with the exception of Reef Bay Trial, you may be the only ones on a trail. Likewise all the beaches are safe with the worst problem being something occasionally pilfered from a car or more rarely from left alone stuff on the beach. In June even parking should not be bad at the beach; it is always bad in Cruz Bay.

All the bars and restaurants in STJ are safe during the day and evening. Late at night though, particularly after closing, things start to get a little sketchy. Do not hang around Cruz Bay, the basketball courts, or Pine Peace after closing. Make sure you have a ride. Do not be walking around late at night. Don't get drunk in Cruz Bay. Do not think that if you are near the police station that you are safe. Do not get in any confrontation with a local; if you do, do not let it escalate. None of these warnings seem necessary for you based on what you have said, but some tourists seem to lose their good sense on vacation in Paradise.

You can also do some things to reduce your chances of being a victim of burglary. Even when you are in the villa, do not leave your ipods, laptops, or anything obviously valuable in the open. Lock whatever you can in the villa safe when you leave. Lock your villa, etc. If you can, leave your laptop at home.

While the Tradewinds article is a troubling indication of the frequency and degree of villa crime against tourists, all in all, STJ is still a pretty safe place, especially given what I take to be your interests. Incidentally jlk, you said that there are two opinions in this thread indicating perhaps a difference of opinion;if you reread the thread, you will see that there are not two opinions. There is the Tradewinds article and a fair amount of unfocused ranting about mentioning crime on STJ, even to the point at which the local paper is demeaned for reporting burglaries.

Gee how I miss this board!!

:@)

lol blu...good to have you back....enjoy!!

Counting down to your next trip?

Nice to see U, Blu! I am sure by now you've heard about Indigo, hope you got in a couple of "Black and Blues" while you were here!