Carolina22 Posted March 10, 2008 #1 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Is it as bad as we have been reading about? One message board was describing armed robberies in broad daylight at Orient Beach! Has us a little apprehensive to be honest. Are we safe or should we be watching over our shoulder the whole time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stones902 Posted March 10, 2008 #2 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Is it as bad as we have been reading about? One message board was describing armed robberies in broad daylight at Orient Beach! Has us a little apprehensive to be honest. Are we safe or should we be watching over our shoulder the whole time? Just be smart about your visit. If you have a rental car, don't lock valuables in it (that includes the trunk). There are people who regularly pry open trunks to get at wallets, cameras and other valuables. Also, don't presume that if you have a wallet that it will be safe in your bag while you are away from your beach chair. There are snatch & go type thefts on the beach regularly. Generally, it is a pretty safe place during the daytime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwdwnurse Posted March 11, 2008 #3 Share Posted March 11, 2008 We were just at Orient Beach this past December and had a wonderful time! Our driver told us that the main crime there was people stealing cars and just driving them around the island - they can't get too far! We felt perfectly safe, but one of us always stayed with our beach bag close by. The only negative thing we saw were a lot of locals coming up to us to buy their jewelry, CD's, etc. We just said a polite no thanks and they went away. Hope you go and have a great time! We want to go back in July.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wunderland Posted March 12, 2008 #4 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Cruise industry concerned about escalating crime here http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k130/port130.html St. Maarten loses its image as "The Friendly Island" because of attacks on tourists, http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/h44/edit44.html The real truth about crime on St. Maarten http://thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k151/truth151.html Crime Wave Affects Potential Visitors http://news.caribseek.com/set-up/exec/view.cgi?archive=77&num=18712 Leta Lynn Cordes http://cbs2.com/video/?id=57574@kcbs.dayport.com Angelique Chauvire http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/j017/murder017.html Womans body found brutally murdered - 3rd June 2006 http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/4118 Gangs - 14th July 2007 - Bloods and Crisps http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/11239 Does Justice Take a Holiday in Caribbean?http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=1884629&page=1 Video gay bashing http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/04/19/world/main1517044.shtml St. Maarten police refuse to investigate gay-bashing of the senior producer of CBS Newshttp://www.americablog.com/2006/04/st-maarten-police-refuse-to.html Exotic dancer’ found murdered in brothel http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/j141/Murder141.html Hungarian stabbed and robbed of cash http://thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k217/stab217.html Girl from Anguilla robbed of jewellery http://thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k208/jewel208.html 37 crimes reported last week http://thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k202/crimes202.html Woman robbed by four armed bandits http://thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k202/robbery202.html More robberies reported this year, says Holiday http://thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k177/rob177.html Police seek to identify corpse found in Belair http://thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k176/missing176.html Shallow grave victim was killed violently http://thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k168/autopsy168.html Crime worrisome, more http://thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k149/crime149.html Woman attacked, robbed near Great Bay Hotel http://thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k147/attack147.html Young men found guilty of robbing tourist couple http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k131/robbery131.html Maintaining the law here is a farce http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k117/wodc117.html Armed robbery at Atrium Hotel http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/11839 Bandits tie up women during armed robbery, 13 September 2007 http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/11833 Man attacked 13 September 2007 http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/11829 Man, women robbed in Oyster Pond home http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/11849 Three men robbed in Pointe Blanche http://news.caribseek.com/set-up/exec/view.cgi?archive=142&num=55211 Police continue to search for jewellery store robbers Oyster Bay Beach Resort http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k073/jewel073.html Spate of robberies - 8th August 2007 http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/11571 Police trying to match photos with facial characteristics of skeleton http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k061/bones061.html Police and doctor view body found in Salt Pond http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k053/man053.html Woman robbed of car on Walter Nisbeth Road http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k052/robbed052.html Man found dead in Great Salt Pond http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k052/man052.html Remains found in Guana Bay were of woman who was killedhttp://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k051/skeleton051.html Two armed robberies wedenesday morning 14Th July 2007 http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/11243 Oysterpond robbery - 13th July 2007 http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/11236 Armed robbery suspect dies after lungs collapse http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k049/lungs049.html Rash of armed robberies, break-ins http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/11244 60 yr old robbed - 5th July 2007 http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/10995 Robbery in Pelican - 5th July 2007 http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/11004 Robberies continue - 5th July 2007 http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/11018 Woman injured in robbery - 3rd July 2007 http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/11022 Attempted armed robbery - 27th June 2007 http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/10922 Six held, weapons found after territorial gang war http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k031/fight031.html Robbery suspects arrested - 21st June 2007 http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/10866 Suspected mastermind in Suarez García robbery held - 13 February 2006 http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/j112/flem112.html Pic Paradise crime - 23rd February 2008 http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/12282 Barbara talks http://barcann.livejournal.com/39316.html St. Maarten? Never again.. http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g147346-i222-k1022883-St_Maarten_Never_again-St_Maarten_St_Martin.html Boycott Future Travel to St. Maarten Until Justice Is Served http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/294432000 Keep track and visit www.thedailyherald.com for more! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Epperbiker Posted March 13, 2008 #5 Share Posted March 13, 2008 Beau? Is that you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindrid Posted March 14, 2008 #6 Share Posted March 14, 2008 Geez..... looks like he(?) is really the bearer of bad news.....:rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheilaSailAway Posted March 14, 2008 #7 Share Posted March 14, 2008 Wow, someone has done their research! Egads! LOL We are headed to SM in September, I hope we survive it!:D ;) :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carolina22 Posted March 15, 2008 Author #8 Share Posted March 15, 2008 Wow, someone has done their research! Egads! LOLWe are headed to SM in September, I hope we survive it!:D ;) :eek: I hope you survive too! Since we aren't going until October, maybe you can let us know if you made it!! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiemoral Posted March 18, 2008 #9 Share Posted March 18, 2008 Damn!!!! I have been to St. Martin/St. Marteen 5 times!!! I didn't know it was that dangerous!! Once we went for a whole week and made it back with nothing but great memories and great new friends!!! Bottom line is, there is no "safe" place left on the earth. Just use common sense and you should make it back ok! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter-n-GB Posted March 18, 2008 #10 Share Posted March 18, 2008 "Common sense" apparently is in short supply. Bottom line is St. Martin is not as dangerous as Jamaica, but not as safe as Cozumel. Don't walk alone, and don't act like a dumb ass tourist big shot with lots of cash. Lots of wouldbe criminals are put off by the fact that you see them in the first place, so carry flashlights (really bright ones) at night, and don't forget your mace!! Criminals thrive in a society where they are reinforced by easy victims. The more difficult we make it, the less inclined they are to strike. Of course, without any real law enforcement, they have less of an incentive to avoid actually murdering one of us, but I am referring only to the very extreme of the criminal element in SXM.. Bottom line is most (MOST) violent crime is between locals, and the remainder is theft, and B&A.. If SXM gains its independence and becomes its own soverign nation, you may see it get better (if both sides unite), or worse (if France and The Netherlands funding disappears, and no unity). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocF Posted March 19, 2008 #11 Share Posted March 19, 2008 This whole string of links impresses me as being alarmist at best and intentionally harmful to St. Maarten at worst. We have more and worse crime here in our little town of 13,000. If you are really worried about crime, you can stay holed up in your home with bars on all the windows and locked gates on the doors. The primary cause of death is life. The OP needs to get one. Reasonably prudent people will be no more likely to have a bad experience in St. Maarten than they will in any tourist laden destination. Incidentally, for the person who posted claiming Cozumel is a safer destination, both our DD and her husband and a co-worker had their rooms robbed while staying in Cozumel. Like I said, reasonable levels for prudence are necessary everywhere these days. Doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wunderland Posted March 19, 2008 #12 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Another jewellery store hit by bandits in daylight heist http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k257/heist257.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddincat Posted March 20, 2008 #13 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Kinda curious as to why all your posts are negative commentary about St. Martin. :confused: I've also heard that you're not safe in Germany, or NYC, or Chicago, or Toronto, or Tokyo, or (enter any city name here) ... just about anywhere that crime happens, which is pretty well everywhere. Nowhere is completely safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redroses27 Posted March 20, 2008 #14 Share Posted March 20, 2008 i was in st maarten in july and i am very vigilant and we still had an incident and thank god i had my drivers door and passenger door locked or the out come would have been very different. i was driving up the road with my little putt putt they give you and a car passed me, further up the road that same car was stopped in my lane with the hood up so i had to slow down, in the meantime there was a kid walking on the side of the road with a backpack and all i heard was the door handle hit the car and a loud noise and my husband said floor it, the kid ran to the passenger door and tried to open it and when he couldnt he hit the car but my husband told me after the kid pointed a gun at him and said open the door, so yes be careful, i had read a lot on traveltalk online and good thing i listened, just be careful i heard of a few more incidences from people staying at the resort we were at especially around the casinos at night and this happened to us in the afternoon broad daylight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wunderland Posted March 20, 2008 #15 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Locals will never talk negative in front of a tourist. The island really was a Friendly Island 30 year's ago. It all has changed! Turism is the islands only income source and bad news are not wanted! If you do some reasearch you discover the truth! The island is no pardise. Beyond the sunny sky, the turquoise water and colours is danger. Robbery's arte a daily occurance! Even in Philipsburg. Gangs - 14th July 2007 - Bloods and Crisps http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/11239 Reinforcements coming to deal with armed robberies http://thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k147/stein147.html Prejudice in paradise Caribbean travelers may face anti-gay violence, protests http://www.southernvoice.com/2006/5-26/news/worldnews/islandtravel.cfm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anglkiss Posted March 21, 2008 #16 Share Posted March 21, 2008 i was just in st. maarten 2 weeks ago while on a cruise and i would never have known so much crime takes place! my friend and i went to orient beach..i went up to the bar for a good while and my friend for some reason wandered away from our chairs. our bags sat there for probably 30 minutes unsupervised and nothing was taken! furthermore, i thought all of the locals were more than nice. i definately wouldn't worry about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
decemberroses Posted March 21, 2008 #17 Share Posted March 21, 2008 The primary cause of death is life. The OP needs to get one.Doc You are kidding, right? Otherwise, that was seriously rude. The OP simply asked a question. So those coming to these forums to ask questions are now told to get a life?! Sheesh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carolina22 Posted March 23, 2008 Author #18 Share Posted March 23, 2008 This whole string of links impresses me as being alarmist at best and intentionally harmful to St. Maarten at worst. We have more and worse crime here in our little town of 13,000. If you are really worried about crime, you can stay holed up in your home with bars on all the windows and locked gates on the doors. The primary cause of death is life. The OP needs to get one.Reasonably prudent people will be no more likely to have a bad experience in St. Maarten than they will in any tourist laden destination. Incidentally, for the person who posted claiming Cozumel is a safer destination, both our DD and her husband and a co-worker had their rooms robbed while staying in Cozumel. Like I said, reasonable levels for prudence are necessary everywhere these days. Doc Sorry you feel your comments were necessary. I live in a city that is much larger than yours and we certainly have our share of violent crime. Because of that, we know where to go and where not to go to avoid being victims ourselves. Prudent and reasonable? I would think researching and asking questions before we go would definitely be considered prudent and reasonable! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liver Posted April 6, 2008 #19 Share Posted April 6, 2008 I've never been on a cruise but I stumbled upon this forum whilst doing a Google search about Angelique Chauvire - the girl who was murdered opposite my home of five months. I had never marched for anything before but I marched for Angelique. I was now searching the internet to see if, more than a year on, there was any progress on solving her case. Of course not. Not a mention of it anywhere. I realise that as daytrippers during high season, your chances of being targets of crime are small in comparison to those of us who live and work on the island for a season or more. Not that this is a reason to be less vigilant. I have stayed alone for lengthy time periods (as a young female) in some of the most dangerous places in the world (many countries in West Africa, Rio de Janeiro, run down suburbs of Paris and London) but the fear that I experienced in SXM - even when accompanied by a native islander - was equal and higher at times than any fear I have felt elsewhere. I don't want to put people off visiting the island - I have since been back once myself - but I want the governments of these two territories to realise that there is such a thing as moral and ethical tourism. We need to be vocal about the fact that this issue makes us think twice about returning to spend our cash on SXM in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marym933 Posted April 6, 2008 #20 Share Posted April 6, 2008 I was in St. Martin/St. Maarten last week. I have never seen so many security guards in my life! (especially the Dutch side) There was one outside of every store on Front Street and Back Street and many on the pier. My husband and I got a little turned around walking, so we wandered off the beaten path, but I never felt threatened. Naive maybe, but I enjoyed my time there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Booper Posted April 7, 2008 #21 Share Posted April 7, 2008 The last time we stayed on St. Martin, in 2002?, I remembered seeing street police at night in Gran Case. But I don't remember seeing security police outside the stores on Front Street, especially in the daytime. I still consider it one of the safer places in the Caribbean. We will be in SXM this November, on the Indy TA and DW intends to spend time on Front Street helping the local economy. We will check that out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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