Bandits hold up cruise ship tourists in St. Kitts

[susiesan]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40184481

Be careful if you go to St. Kitts. I'm glad my cruise is not going there. If I was, I'd stay on the ship.

[xeriod]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40184481

Be careful if you go to St. Kitts. I'm glad my cruise is not going there. If I was, I'd stay on the ship.

But that news release states;
" A police statement calls Sunday's robbery "an unprecedented incident in St. Kitts." It calls visitors' safety a "highest priority." "

Haveing been there I'd say that incident is the exception and does'nt warrent " staying on the ship ". This could happen in many third world stops.

[fin]

It is sad to see places which are so beautiful physically, beset with the ugliness which infests so much of the rest of the world.

The recent fatal shooting of a cruise passenger on St Thomas was a real wakeup call to me that danger lurks in far more places than we generally believe.

[bound4somewhere]

A very unfortunate incident but the main thing is no one was hurt.

A reminder that we must use caution while traveling anywhere ... I will admit though, I feel much safer on a island in the Caribbean than in some US cities.

I will visit St Kitts for the first time in January and this will not deter me from enjoying my day ON island ...

[Zeno]

Having been to St Kitt's a few times (including a week-long vacation) I can say with considerable confidence that this is VERY untypical of St Kitt's. It really is one of the safest islands in the Caribbean and certainly a heck of a lot safer than Miami.

Frankly - staying on the ship is just silly. Bad stuff can happen ANYWHERE and if it concerns you that much - lock yourself in a closet and never leave the house - then maybe your safety will be 100% guaranteed.

[Host Cheryl]

But that news release states;
" A police statement calls Sunday's robbery "an unprecedented incident in St. Kitts." It calls visitors' safety a "highest priority." "

Haveing been there I'd say that incident is the exception and does'nt warrent " staying on the ship ". This could happen in many third world stops.

I completely agree, This incident couldn't have been foreseen since they were on a tour bus and had no control. Unfortunately, it could happen anywhere. I hope that everyone will use this as a reminder that even though we are on vacation, we should be careful and aware of our surroundings. We all need to use common sense, don't carry expensive cameras, wear expensive jewelery or carry large amounts of cash with us etc. St. Kitts is one of our favorite destinations. We've always felt completely safe while there. I would hate to think that a few thugs would prevent anyone from enjoying everything the culture has to offer.

[paul58]

I have visited St Kitts many times since my first visit on a cruise in 1989. I have always felt safe. We rent a car and drive all over the island.

[Jerseypoet]

This has nothing to do with being aware of your surroundings and being cautious. These people were in a tour bus and ambushed. There's nothing that these people could have done differently that would have prevented this from happening. There was no bad judgement, no wandering off the main roads, no flashing jewelry and money around. This is just an unfortunate incident.

[addicted to cruising]

I will be there in 4 weeks and will continue on with my day as planned. i agree with you all that this was an unforseen incident that could take place anywhere at anytime. Its the risk that comes with travel and Im so glad that no one was hurt. Although none of us like to loose our money or belongings the fact that is all they wanted is a blessing.

Note to selfs if you are not already doing so:
No jewelry in port! I dont even wear my wedding ring when I cruise
Little cash in pocket with 1 credit card and back up on board
return expensive souveniers to ship right away
think twice about the fancy camera...this part sucks as my DH bought me a Nikkon D90 and I cant wait to take it.

I must say Im shocked but onward we shall go as I couldnt imagine not getting off the ship.

[Straitaway]

This has nothing to do with being aware of your surroundings and being cautious. These people were in a tour bus and ambushed. There's nothing that these people could have done differently that would have prevented this from happening. There was no bad judgement, no wandering off the main roads, no flashing jewelry and money around. This is just an unfortunate incident.

That's exactly right! AND they have not caught the individuals who pulled off this crime. Just think how desperate these criminals are. The islanders are mad at them and they will probably be caught soon when they try to sell the stuff they stole. They may as well do one more if they are going to get caught anyway. I'll be there in 2 weeks and if they haven't caught the robbers, I'll probably stay on the ship.

[IslandTime2]

As mentioned crime happens everywhere and if you live your life in fear of it you will miss out on your life.... St. Kitts is a great place and 99% of the people are wonderful... don't let this ruin your day there. I've read they've stepped up police presence on the island.

[stkitts4ever]

I hope that the information posted below will help to shed some light and ease people's minds about the situation that occurred in St. Kitts on Sunday. I hope for the sake of all the good, honest people in St. Kitts that the cruise ships and their passengers continue to visit this beautiful island.

POLICE CONTINUE INVESTIGATIONS INTO TOUR BUS ROBBERY AND ARRESTED PERSONS OF INTEREST

Basseterre, St. Kitts, (Tuesday 16th November 2010). In relation to the robbery of the tourists on a tour bus in the Sandy Point area on Sunday 14th November 2010, the police wish to inform the general public that investigations are continuing vigorously into this unprecedented and unfortunate incident. A number of operations were mounted in the wee hours of this morning (Tuesday 16th November 2010) in the Sandy Point area where scores of police officers and members of the St. Kitts and Nevis Defense Force conducted several searches on homes, persons and vehicles. Consequently four (4) persons of interest to the police in relation to the robbery were arrested and a number of items were taken into police custody. In addition The High Command of the Security Forces had
consultations with the Ministry of National Security and the Ministry of Tourism and other stakeholders. A holistic action plan was established to tackle the continued investigations into this unprecedented and dastardly act which is deeply regretted. The action plan involves the establishment of a special investigative task force to investigate this incident and increased tactical patrols and uniform police presence in the tourism concentrated areas and others areas deemed vulnerable. The High Command wish to thank all who gave invaluable information and crave for their continued support in dealing with this unprecedented act."

[Shiggidygirl]

This is a link to a news report saying the robbers have been arrested.

http://www.sknvibes.com/Legal/NewsDetails.cfm/15831

[Donaldm]

Our ship is scheduled to go to St. Kitts in about a week. I understand tourism makes up over half the island's income and thus the government will be going to extraordinary lengths to ensure the safety of tourists. They can't afford to have another similar incident so I think it will be safer than normal in St. Kitts.
We were in Egypt in 2000, three years after a tourist bus was shot up. Our tour group had armed escorts and our convoy had empty buses in case one was disabled. The Egyptian government did its best to keep tourists safe as I believe will the St. Kitts government.

[MagSeven1413]

We were in St Kitts last year and it was absolutely wonderful! It is definitely on our 'must see' list when cruising. The resorts and developments that were being planned looked to be out of this world. I wish I could remember them off hand; I think one was named Ocean's Edge..not sure. Plus they were planning a marina to handle huge mega yachts.

[Deckhandoug]

This is a link to a news report saying the robbers have been arrested.

http://www.sknvibes.com/Legal/NewsDetails.cfm/15831


Great news!

Thanks for posting it!

:)

[phdiva]

think twice about the fancy camera...this part sucks as my DH bought me a Nikkon D90 and I cant wait to take it.



Get insurance for your camera.

[merlin5353]

Get insurance for your camera.

I 'lost' a camera in Mexico several years ago and my homeowners insurance reimbursed me for it. Keep track of when purchased & how much it cost.

[Giorgi-one]

Having been to St Kitt's a few times (including a week-long vacation) I can say with considerable confidence that this is VERY untypical of St Kitt's. It really is one of the safest islands in the Caribbean and certainly a heck of a lot safer than Miami.

Frankly - staying on the ship is just silly. Bad stuff can happen ANYWHERE and if it concerns you that much - lock yourself in a closet and never leave the house - then maybe your safety will be 100% guaranteed.

Check St. Kitts crime on Google. Not as pristine as you would imagine. Among other things, a retired couple was found murdered in their home last year.

[Zeno]

Check St. Kitts crime on Google. Not as pristine as you would imagine. Among other things, a retired couple was found murdered in their home last year.

I am not saying it is 'pristine' but try comparing it to LA or New York or if you want to stay in the Caribbean - Jamaica. Crime happens everywhere. It's a matter of degree and frequency.

[jotabecu]

We were on the Emerald Princess in St Kitts the same day this incident occurred.
Taxi drivers and tour operators we heard and overheard were very concerned and sorry that such a thing could happen in such a beautiful island and where hopeful authorities would take appropiate measures for the future and that seems to be the case.
As other posters have indicated it can and will happen in Kingston, New York, Paris and even Tokyo; and of course in St Kitts.
One must be careful to the best of one`s ability but perhaps not concerned to the extreme of not savoring the pleasure of travelling and learning of new places.
Enjoy!!!

[Giorgi-one]

I am not saying it is 'pristine' but try comparing it to LA or New York or if you want to stay in the Caribbean - Jamaica. Crime happens everywhere. It's a matter of degree and frequency.

i think many people would be very surprised at the amount of crime on St. Kitts. I know that I was when I started reading about it.

[Gem Lover]

I agree that this robbery might have been an isolated incident, but I'm not going on any excursions in St. Kitt. We will be there in January. If people can be robbed and terrorized on a ship approved excursion, I plan on staying safely on the ship. The robbers have not been caught and who knows when they will strike again. This incident can spur on copycat gangs. I think that boycotting the Island is a reasonable thing to do until the perpetrators are caught and punished. Those poor passengers might not have been hurt but they had to give up there possessions at gunpoint. This is something that they will never forget. What an awful thing to have happened to them.

[H2OH!]

The robbers have not been caught and who knows when they will strike again.

Not true...Looks like they've charged 5 in that mass-mugging on St Kitts. Hopefully this was an isolated event, and won't be repeated anytime soon.

Read story here: http://www.sknvibes.com/Legal/NewsDetails.cfm/15867

[merlin5353]

Glad to hear about the 'bad guys' getting caught. It just shows how serious the locals are to keeping their islands safe. There is always the possibility of things like this happening anywhere, so it's good to see a fast resolution. We're going to St. Kitts next February. Looking forward to it. I'm not worried about it. Some tours may be cancelled, but punishing the entire island is kinda harsh. :(

[parrotplay]

think twice about the fancy camera...this part sucks as my DH bought me a Nikkon D90 and I cant wait to take it.

I must say Im shocked but onward we shall go as I couldnt imagine not getting off the ship.

Hi Addicted

Bring your fancy camera, i bring my to all the ports and try not to worry about it. Last year i bought a sling bag for my Nikon, i really just bought it for comfort as i can just pop it into the bag when i am not using it, but it will also stay safe in there if you do not want to be obvious about carrying it. It has plenty of room for whatever else you want to carry. I also put my zoom lense in there too. I bought it at LLBean.

[psyfi]

I plan to do my tour on the island. I will wear my wedding ring because if I start taking it off all the time for fear it will get stolen then it doesn't get worn much an what is the point of that? I will be carrying my good camera. I love photography and a compact camera is just not going to compare to the photos I get with my SLR. My photos are my favourite souvenir. This was a horrible traumatic event and I truly feel for the people involved but nearly half a million visitors a year and 17 get mugged?? Check that stats in the city you live in and I'm sure it will be more dangerous there. JMHO.

[addicted to cruising]

I agree that this robbery might have been an isolated incident, but I'm not going on any excursions in St. Kitt. We will be there in January. If people can be robbed and terrorized on a ship approved excursion, I plan on staying safely on the ship. The robbers have not been caught and who knows when they will strike again. This incident can spur on copycat gangs. I think that boycotting the Island is a reasonable thing to do until the perpetrators are caught and punished. Those poor passengers might not have been hurt but they had to give up there possessions at gunpoint. This is something that they will never forget. What an awful thing to have happened to them.

One thing folks keep pointing out is "ship sponsored excursion"...unless you have your head in a hole a bus, catamaran etc from any cruiseline is just as vulnarable as a local tour. Last time I looked they all drive on the same roads and use the same waterway. In fact most of the cruise excursions use the locals buses and boats so they are not marked by the cruiseline and even if they were do you think criminals would defer or specifically target becouse the mode of transportation indicated the cruisline name. Crime is crime and as tourists we are targets regardless of how you arrive or how you tour. And you may not be so safe on that ship...you know there are pirates out in those waters

[BND]

We were in St. Kitts the day before (Saturday) on Explorer of the Seas. We did the Clay Villa Plantation and Beach tour (plantation tour was wonderful). We had 4 or 5 taxi vans following each other so I doubt anyone would have tried to rob all of them the way they did one, but that said, crime happens everywhere. St. Kitts is beautiful and we really enjoyed our time there.

[TTEllis]

St. Kitts is AWESOME, gonna be there again next week on the Emerald Princess, good grief dont let an isolated incident keep you from exploring this island. Great island, GREAT people, too much fun. Later Todd

[addicted to cruising]

Get insurance for your camera.
Good idea...not sure why I dont think if that for items like this

[amsp]

Get insurance for your camera.

that, and download pix to a computer each night. we also burn them to dvd each night. that way, if the camera is lost or stolen, you still have your memory enhancers. our camera got stolen at o'hare airport when we returned from hawaii. yes, i miss the camera sometimes, but i had all of my pictures safe and sound. my trip insurance gave me full purchase price - wow - that was nice!

[amsp]

I agree that this robbery might have been an isolated incident, but I'm not going on any excursions in St. Kitt. We will be there in January. If people can be robbed and terrorized on a ship approved excursion, I plan on staying safely on the ship. The robbers have not been caught and who knows when they will strike again. This incident can spur on copycat gangs. I think that boycotting the Island is a reasonable thing to do until the perpetrators are caught and punished. Those poor passengers might not have been hurt but they had to give up there possessions at gunpoint. This is something that they will never forget. What an awful thing to have happened to them.

it is, of course, your choice, but you will miss one "gem" of an island. some of the views are unforgettable!

[jabberjaw070596]

Just read on John Heald's Facebook page that Carnival it going to continue to monitor situation the plans are to return there on November 26

[CoralReef]

that, and download pix to a computer each night. we also burn them to dvd each night. that way, if the camera is lost or stolen, you still have your memory enhancers. our camera got stolen at o'hare airport when we returned from hawaii. yes, i miss the camera sometimes, but i had all of my pictures safe and sound. my trip insurance gave me full purchase price - wow - that was nice!

Good suggestion. If you're not taking a computer, you can also take some extra memory chips and switch them out each night.

[Karysa]

Come to think of it you are probably less safe on a cruise sponsored excursion because who else packs that many people onto a bus or catamaran. The robbers know that they got one shot at this for a while so they try and hit a large group at once. Same thing happened a couple of years ago in St.Lucia.

[paul58]

Visitors Warned About Safety in St. Kitts After Tourist Robbery
By Sheena Brooks

Taxi and tour operators are complaining of not getting work, now that cruise lines have warned passengers not to venture past Port Zante for safety reasons.

Several taxi drivers called into local radio shows reporting that passengers had told them bulletins had been posted in their various cruise ships saying not to take much cash and not to wear jewelry when they disembarked in St. Kitts.

One taxi driver said that on Wednesday (Dec. 1) he secured a tour group who although favorably commenting on the beauty of the island, expressed fear in exiting the vehicle to take pictures. He also informed he was asked to lock the bus doors and windows when they pulled up to tourist attractions.

“They were saying how beautiful and clean the place was, but when it came time to come out and take pictures and enjoy the beaches and such they were afraid. I told them St. Kitts was very safe and they said they did not want to get shot or murdered. They were even afraid to take out their cameras, and they asked me to lock up the bus. The group told me the ship officials had warned them about St. Kitts and there were notices mounted inside the ship about St. Kitts,” the unidentified caller said.

The Observer spoke with Tourism Authority Communication Manager Saju Ng’alla on Thursday (Dec. 2), and he said he was unaware of any warning specific to the island.

“It is common practice for travel officials to alert tourists about safety precautions when visiting any foreign place. The ship personnel routinely advise passengers against making themselves targets for theft, etcetera, and there may be signs mounted in ships to make passengers aware of some of these safety travel tips. I am not aware of anything specific to St. Kitts warning passengers to be careful here,” he said.

Following a November 14 armed robbery of a group of tourists on their way to Brimstone Hill in a tour bus, two cruise lines had cancelled calls to St. Kitts. The 17 visitors had traveled to St. Kitts aboard the Celebrity Mercury cruise ship.
Local authorities, tourism and other government officials condemned the act and after five men were apprehended and charged in connection with the robbery, the ships returned to St. Kitts.

More than 17,000 cruise passengers visited St. Kitts last week, with this week showing a similar level of activity. On Monday, Celebrity Summit docked at Port Zante with nearly 2,100 passengers; on Tuesday, three other ships called with almost 4000 passengers; on Wednesday, four ships arrived. Thursday and Friday saw only one ship arriving each day, and two ships are scheduled to visit on Saturday.

Tourism Minister Hon. Richard Skerritt has said the nation has begun the healing process, and assured there was an international the public relations recovery effort.

“The process of healing our wounds internationally will have to be ongoing and will need the help of all well wishers everywhere. There must be no doubt that the tourism-related public relations and sales recovery efforts in the marketplace will need to be closely coupled locally with the implementation of a comprehensive security plan designed to build a proactive and pre-emptive culture in our overall National security programming and community policing,” he posited. This is from one of the local papers.

[hcat]

I posted this elsewhere but think it should be on this thread.. the one reply I received said the beer truck incident was reported locally but they had not heard about the batik..

This was on one of the Celebrity threads:

"St. Kitts does have a bit of a problem, though Last week a beer truck driver was shot while on his route and the batik shop was burglerized overnight. The week before a bank was robbed in town by men with guns. Check the local news on St Kitts and compare it to that of other islands -see how it stacks up. "

[donaldsc]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40184481

Be careful if you go to St. Kitts. I'm glad my cruise is not going there. If I was, I'd stay on the ship.

I see that you live in Kansas City, MO. I am sure that bad things happen to good people in Kansas City. Does this mean that you will never leave your home there?

Check out the following statistics -

General Information: Violent vs. Property Crime Rate:
State: Missouri (MO) Violent Crime Property Crime
City Population: 445,965

Murder: 82
Forcible Rape: 308
Robbery: 1,890
Aggravated Assault: 3,871
Burglary: 6,896
Larceny or Theft: 22,973
Car Theft: 5,600
Arson: 478
Data Source:
2003 FBI Report of Offenses Known to Law Enforcement

DON

[BigRed93]

We stopped at St Kitts on 12/2. Fantastic day, would have been highly disappointed if we did not do it.

The ones that committed the robbery are in jail. We saw the area where the incident took place. You should never go into port with excess cash, and why the need to wear jewelry? Don't ask for trouble. Don't hold the monkeys for many reasons, including possible injury, disease or that they might steal your earrings or glasses or possibly pick your pocket.

[TourDeCruise]

We went to St. Kitts on 12/5 (couple days ago) and took the Caribelle Batik and Brimstone Hill tour. We did see police patroling at Brimstone and in town. Fortunately no problems for those of us on the Celebrity Mercury this time. We were not aware of the other recent incidents cited on this thread. Kathy

[chachi]

I think it crazy to stay on the ship for one incident. I live in a fairly safe community, but there are robberies and occasionally a murder. I am not going to stay in my house because of it.
Crime happens everywhere.

[OCruisers]

Check St. Kitts crime on Google. Not as pristine as you would imagine. Among other things, a retired couple was found murdered in their home last year.

Yes, agree .... Very TRUE! Much more crime than many realize.

Still, we do take excursions. Love taking that catamaran to Nevis. :cool:

[donaldsc]

I am not saying it is 'pristine' but try comparing it to LA or New York or if you want to stay in the Caribbean - Jamaica. Crime happens everywhere. It's a matter of degree and frequency.

Or to Kansas City.

DON