Warning-BE AWARE OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

I am a retired police officer, with 30 years experience. I am well aware that criminal activity can occur anywhere, of course.

On our February 2013 Eclipse cruise, I took a private group tour at St Lucia. One of the stops was at Soufriere, for a water taxi ride to a nearby beach. My wife and I opted not to do the beach excursion portion, and remain in the downtown area of Soufriere. A small number of other couples, also chose this activity, until the others returned in about an hour. We walked about a three block radius, and were accosted by various people on the street. We sensed that this was not a "good area" to be at, and we returned to the dock area.

However, a German couple who was on our tour, was not as fortunate. Moments later, I observed them entering into the Soufriere Police station, directly across the street from the dock.

To make a long story, shorter: the couple had been walking only 2 blocks from the police station, and encountered one of the residents, who THREATENED THEM WITH A KNIFE.

The suspect was subsequently arrested, and brought into the police station.

When the group returned from the beach excursion, the tour operator made no mention of this knife assault. The German couple rejoined our group, never speaking a word about this incident. I don't believe they spoke English. I interviewed our van driver, about the incident. He responded "just another drunk guy with a knife." I am sure that the suspect, had approached me and my wife, just moments before the assault towards the other couple.

Yes, other people on this site will say-crime happens everywhere. Even in Soufriere, 2 blocks from the police station, in the afternoon..............AND NO ONE WILL KNOW ABOUT IT.

I am from Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada which is the smallest of Canada's provinces only 130,000 people and we had some very terrible news from St Lucia. Just before Christmas a PEI resident was vacationing in St Lucia was walking on the beach with his wife and was stabbed to death. They did arrest a local for the murder. Doesn't sound like a very safe place.

Regards,

Kevin Reid

I am a retired police officer, with 30 years experience. I am well aware that criminal activity can occur anywhere, of course.

 

On our February 2013 Eclipse cruise, I took a private group tour at St Lucia. One of the stops was at Soufriere, for a water taxi ride to a nearby beach. My wife and I opted not to do the beach excursion portion, and remain in the downtown area of Soufriere. A small number of other couples, also chose this activity, until the others returned in about an hour. We walked about a three block radius, and were accosted by various people on the street. We sensed that this was not a "good area" to be at, and we returned to the dock area.

 

However, a German couple who was on our tour, was not as fortunate. Moments later, I observed them entering into the Soufriere Police station, directly across the street from the dock.

 

To make a long story, shorter: the couple had been walking only 2 blocks from the police station, and encountered one of the residents, who THREATENED THEM WITH A KNIFE.

The suspect was subsequently arrested, and brought into the police station.

 

When the group returned from the beach excursion, the tour operator made no mention of this knife assault. The German couple rejoined our group, never speaking a word about this incident. I don't believe they spoke English. I interviewed our van driver, about the incident. He responded "just another drunk guy with a knife." I am sure that the suspect, had approached me and my wife, just moments before the assault towards the other couple.

 

Yes, other people on this site will say-crime happens everywhere. Even in Soufriere, 2 blocks from the police station, in the afternoon..............AND NO ONE WILL KNOW ABOUT IT.

Thanks for posting this. There is huge unemployment in St. Lucia and there is crime. Our tour guide (ship's tour) warned us about this and to please keep close and not to go wandering off.

You are also right ... others on the site will say that crime happens everywhere. :rolleyes:

LuLu

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I am from Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada which is the smallest of Canada's provinces only 130,000 people and we had some very terrible news from St Lucia. Just before Christmas a PEI resident was vacationing in St Lucia was walking on the beach with his wife and was stabbed to death. They did arrest a local for the murder. Doesn't sound like a very safe place.

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

Just for the record Kevin, he was not stabbed to death on the beach; he was attacked and beat on the head with a piece of wood and died from his injuries in hospital. And yes, the perpetrator was caught and charged with murder.

Yes, crime can and does happen anywhere - no one is "keeping quiet" or not ackowledging the facts here on the. Proximity to a police station or being a beautiful island nation makes little difference to criminals anywhere in the world. Not sure why or where you think people would say differently, as you yourself, a retired police officer noted - crime can and does happen anywhere. Hence tour operators and people on this board and other travel sites warning visitors to not wander off on their own, to not flash large sums of cash or expensive phones, to not get falling down drunk and not know their surroundings, to stick to well lit areas at night and so on.

Overall, in comparison to other Caribbean islands - and other countries in general - St. Lucia is a pretty safe place to visit, however yes, of course, crime happens anywhere.

DH and I have been to St. Lucia before; cruising and also chose to go there for a week. There is definitely crime...as there is crime on the other islands too. Tourists generally stick out like sore thumbs so they are easy targets. Tourists are easy targets here in Washington, DC too.... People generally know a tourist has money on them....

DH and I love St. Lucia and have friends there now. But - one still has to be careful and aware of their surroundings.

Just for the record Kevin, he was not stabbed to death on the beach; he was attacked and beat on the head with a piece of wood and died from his injuries in hospital. And yes, the perpetrator was caught and charged with murder.

Yes, crime can and does happen anywhere - no one is "keeping quiet" or not ackowledging the facts here on the. Proximity to a police station or being a beautiful island nation makes little difference to criminals anywhere in the world. Not sure why or where you think people would say differently, as you yourself, a retired police officer noted - crime can and does happen anywhere. Hence tour operators and people on this board and other travel sites warning visitors to not wander off on their own, to not flash large sums of cash or expensive phones, to not get falling down drunk and not know their surroundings, to stick to well lit areas at night and so on.

Overall, in comparison to other Caribbean islands - and other countries in general - St. Lucia is a pretty safe place to visit, however yes, of course, crime happens anywhere.

We both live on islands that relies heavily on tourism for our economies. When we watch the news at home and hear about the murder of a tourist in a distant Caribbean Island that does not leave a very safe impression on one's tourist spending dollars.

Regards,

Kevin Reid

The one and only Caribbean island where my husband and I were verbally assaulted was in St. Lucia, a block or so from where the ship docks. Thank goodness that's all it was, but it certainly left a bad taste in my mouth. I know crime can happen anywhere (I live in a suburb of Chicago famous for having more churches per capita than any other city in the state - very nice middle to upper middle class. The week I moved into my home there was a murder on the next street:eek:). But at the same time, in the several times I have visited here I have found the people to be less friendly and a bit more 'harsh' in dealing with visitors than on most other islands ("harsh" being one step up from rude). I am not saying everyone! We have also met some very friendly people here as well. Just saying we encountered it more than on other islands. (of course in Jamaica we were often approached to buy drugs, but that's a whole other story:rolleyes:).

Taking a ship excursion isn't protection against crime - I was on a cruise and one of the ship's excursions was robbed at machete point. They were on a "hike" to some waterfalls when the men came out of the jungle. Then there was the group of 22 that was robbed in Mexico. I thank you for this reminder - that no matter where or when - we need to exercise caution.

Always good for a refresher as crime can happen anywhere it doesnt matter if your on vacation or not:mad:

Sounds like when my cruise ports in St. Lucia, I may just stay on the ship :)

It's not "vacation" if I cant relax and I have to be worrying about someone jumping out of the bushes with a machete.

For me personally, If I'm going to go through the expense of travelling to the Caribbean, why would I NOT want to get off the ship and experience at least a little something that each island has to offer. Even if it's only for an hour or two.

Violence can happen anywhere, anytime. You can get hit by a bus crossing a street at home.

I think you're more likely to get hit by lightning than attacked by someone jumping out of the bushes wielding a machete.

I have done a lot of travelling to Mexico and the Caribbean and I've never been in a situation where I felt uncomfortable or in danger. Make smart choices and be aware of your surroundings and you'll be fine.

No matter where I travel, I'm always polite and respectful, even with pushy street vendors. I've never been threatened by locals.

I was mugged in Honolulu when I was 12 years old. It was a scary experience but it never deterred me from returning to Hawaii several more times...

This is just my opinion... Enjoy your vacation and make the effort to experience new and wonderful things...

Sounds like when my cruise ports in St. Lucia, I may just stay on the ship :)

 

It's not "vacation" if I cant relax and I have to be worrying about someone jumping out of the bushes with a machete.

Please don't miss this beautiful island! We were just there a week or so ago on our Feb 9 Eclipse cruise. We booked a private tour with Spencer Ambrose. It was the highlight of our cruise. Seeing the Pitons, bathing in the hot sulphur springs, swimming under a waterfall and snorkeling at the black sand beaches of Anse Chastanet were magical experiences for us. My DH, 2 teenage DDs and I can't wait to visit St Lucia again!

Unfortunately, there is crime everywhere! In fact there is much more crime right here in our US cities than there is on the islands. Every day we see on TV that in our own state there have been murders, rapes, robberies, drug busts, bullying, hate crimes, domestic violence, etc, etc, etc. I find the frequency that it happens here at home much more alarming than the occasional occurrences in the Caribbean. Everyone just needs to be aware of their surroundings and don't put yourself into potentially dangerous situations.

Please don't miss this beautiful island! We were just there a week or so ago on our Feb 9 Eclipse cruise. We booked a private tour with Spencer Ambrose. It was the highlight of our cruise. Seeing the Pitons, bathing in the hot sulphur springs, swimming under a waterfall and snorkeling at the black sand beaches of Anse Chastanet were magical experiences for us. My DH, 2 teenage DDs and I can't wait to visit St Lucia again!

 

Unfortunately, there is crime everywhere! In fact there is much more crime right here in our US cities than there is on the islands. Every day we see on TV that in our own state there have been murders, rapes, robberies, drug busts, bullying, hate crimes, domestic violence, etc, etc, etc. I find the frequency that it happens here at home much more alarming than the occasional occurrences in the Caribbean. Everyone just needs to be aware of their surroundings and don't put yourself into potentially dangerous situations.

That's just it, I know exactly where to avoid at home, not there

That's just it, I know exactly where to avoid at home, not there

Amen!

LuLu

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That's just it, I know exactly where to avoid at home, not there

Maybe, you should just stay at home.....WV has a lot guns for protection.

That's just it, I know exactly where to avoid at home, not there

So you would never travel to anyplace you have never been for fear of something bad happening? I'm so sorry for you. I could never give up the chance to see so many beautiful places on the off chance something could happen. Especially when I know it could happen to me at home in my safe little neighborhood.

Just curious.. if you don't travel for fear of danger then why are you posting on CC???

I love wandering around the various port cities we visit. I've never had a problem in spite of the fact that I look like a tourist and I'm always alone.

If you pay attention you can tell when you're about to venture into a dicey area. I've made a tactical retreat a time or 2 having realized I was somewhere a white guy from the USA didn't belong. Just pay attention and don't look like an easy target and you'll be fine just about anywhere.

So you would never travel to anyplace you have never been for fear of something bad happening? I'm so sorry for you. I could never give up the chance to see so many beautiful places on the off chance something could happen. Especially when I know it could happen to me at home in my safe little neighborhood.

 

Just curious.. if you don't travel for fear of danger then why are you posting on CC???

Haha, that is not even close to what I said and you know it. I could go without the smart-alicness (sp?). What I did say was that on one island, if the crime is so bad as the OP stated, I will simply stay on the ship that day. If I realize it's not so bad, I'll take an excursion. You all get so offended by a non-offensive comment. Quote me where I said I plan on missing "so many beautiful places". One place? Perhaps. So many? Likely not.

There is crime everywhere...we all know that. One of the islands I feel is the safest is Aruba (I've been there 4 times). Now, if you are an American and have never been there, you might not agree with me because you know what happened to Natalie Halloway. I was there before that happened and after it happened. Obviously this was a horrible incident. I, however, have no problem walking around Oranjestad at night. When you are not in a familiar area (home or abroad) keep your wits about you at all times.

We were on a Princess tour 5 years ago and on a walk on the trail above the waterfalls,3 men with guns came out of the jungle and had everyone lay down and took wallets and all jewelery-leave your rings on the ship.

So you would never travel to anyplace you have never been for fear of something bad happening? I'm so sorry for you. I could never give up the chance to see so many beautiful places on the off chance something could happen. Especially when I know it could happen to me at home in my safe little neighborhood.

 

Just curious.. if you don't travel for fear of danger then why are you posting on CC???

Dorchester is right on the water. Why dont you take your family for a nice outing there and then for a nice dinner at night.

Or even better, how about some nice shopping on trendy Tremont St, Boston. If you walk all the way to the west end of Tremont, youre smack at Mission Hill, Roxbury. As a local, I know this. A tourist would keep walking straight into the neighborhood.

Dorchester is right on the water. Why dont you take your family for a nice outing there and then for a nice dinner at night.

 

Or even better, how about some nice shopping on trendy Tremont St, Boston. If you walk all the way to the west end of Tremont, youre smack at Mission Hill, Roxbury. As a local, I know this. A tourist would keep walking straight into the neighborhood.

The neighborhoods of Boston are worlds away from St Lucia. I don't see the point you are trying to make. Are you saying that tourists should not visit Boston because they don't know the neighborhoods to say out of, as you a local would? :confused:

Soufriere can be a scary ordeal.

We were on an OI (on island) vacation and driving thru Soufriere. Individuals try to wave you down to supposedly give you directions. What they do is get you down a dead end street and accost you.

Luckily we were warned by another couple who had it happened to them. He told me he just slammed it into reverse and nearly ran over two of the men. Scared the hell out of him and his wife.

I just studied the road map before entering Soufriere and drove right by the guys trying to flag us down.

Not sure why the police aren't doing anything about this.

Soufriere can be a scary ordeal.

We were on an OI (on island) vacation and driving thru Soufriere. Individuals try to wave you down to supposedly give you directions. What they do is get you down a dead end street and accost you.

 

Luckily we were warned by another couple who had it happened to them. He told me he just slammed it into reverse and nearly ran over two of the men. Scared the hell out of him and his wife.

I just studied the road map before entering Soufriere and drove right by the guys trying to flag us down.

 

Not sure why the police aren't doing anything about this.

wow.

What I did say was that on one island, if the crime is so bad as the OP stated, I will simply stay on the ship that day. .

So an unknown person on an internet forum can post whatever they want about what "maybe" happened once on an island, and you'll let that determine your vacation and plans for your visit......????:rolleyes: Guess you better stay out of Chicago, New York, LA, and every other US city, you know crime happens there all the time.......