Rainbow Beach

We never leave stuff in the car when we snorkel. If we want to snorkel together we use a locker. The thing is - it's not always "locals" you have to worry about. We learned this when we were cruising on a sailboat and had stuff got stolen. It's just as likely that it's another cruiser - or in this case - another tourist/snorkeler who lifts your phone/wallet/etc.

I must agree. Would you leave a rental car with your valuables, etc. in plain view in, say, Daytona Beach? No.

Pamela

Pamela....how you malign my old hometown!:-o LOL

Sad, Juanita, but true. I am from Jacksonville but spent most of my summers in Daytona and it is the last beach I can remember parking my car actually on the beach.

Tourists are target everywhere.

I would think the breakins would largely stop if every rental car had a sticker on the windshield saying:

"Keep Left and Never Ever Ever Ever leave valuables in your car, locked or otherwise."

Seems likes such an easy and obvious solution.

Tourists or not, I don't know why it's so surprising to people that valuables are stolen from their car. In any of the places I lived on the mainland, even small towns, I never left anything in the car that I wouldn't be willing to give away. It's just common sense. It's unfortunate that you can't trust people, but that's the way the world is, and it's worth the trouble to carry things with you rather than lose them.

It's the same in Hawaii. People bury their stuff in the sand in plastic bags while they are in the water. My rental car was robbed at Malekahana Beach in Kahuku. The thieving scoundrels had a transmitter that they could use to open electronic locks. They got a boogie board and a towel.

Maybe it's cuz I grew up near a beach but shouldn't everyone know if you leave things unattended at the beach it may get stolen. You wouldn't go off and leave your purse in the cart at the grocery store would you? And I mean it's just common sense everywhere stateside that you don't leave valuables in the car. So I feel bad for the people that were robbed but I also feel like they should have known better.

I cannot believe people leave valuables in cars, on the beach, etc .then are surprised when they are stolen.

Of course this happens everywhere, St Croix does not have the exclusive on theft.

Would you leave a camera on a park bench, a wallet on a theater seat, a purse unattended in a restaurant.......

Let's stop feeling sorry for people who are just plain careless.

Let's stop feeling sorry for people who are just plain careless.

Cold! The very fact that a person is a tourist on our islands means they don't know all that we do. Maybe they come from Podunk, Wherever, and are SOOOOO excited to be here they may leave their common sense at the door, for a moment. A little compassion for a victim doesn't cost us anything and may mean the difference in that person's entire Caribbean experience.

Neil's plan for a rental car sign made a lot of sense, except for one thing...that sets the car up as a rental car! Some may remember when FL had "Lease County" tags? Caused a lot of break ins. I don't really know..haven't rented a car on island in a while, but don't the rental car companies do a little "Welcome, and don't do this....". If not, they certainly should. Good project for the DOT, or other interested groups, would be signs at the usual tourist beaches, and other destinations, something like Neil's suggestion, carefully worded, so as not to cause undue fear but just make the happy go luck, can't wait to get in the water, tourist aware.

I cannot believe people leave valuables in cars, on the beach, etc .then are surprised when they are stolen.

Of course this happens everywhere, St Croix does not have the exclusive on theft.

Would you leave a camera on a park bench, a wallet on a theater seat, a purse unattended in a restaurant.......

Let's stop feeling sorry for people who are just plain careless.

Wow ... We all know that casual crime is not unique to the Virgin Islands. Yes, anyone who understands human nature in today's world, protects their property from everyday criminals. I still feel a certain outrage at petty criminals who target trusting people. YES... those same criminal acts take place in Maui, Madison, Santa Cruz, Sarasota, Vancouver, Key West, you name it.

So it is not about feeling sorry for the victims. It is about finding ways to stop the criminals.

There was a time in my life ....(many years ago) ....when I might have (intentionally or accidentally) left a valuable (camera..etc) in a public place and expected to come back and find it. That time rarely exists anymore. In fact, it becomes a huge 'human interest story' when somebodies property is even returned to them.

We have all talked about the young criminals in the USVI and the violent crimes that they commit. The younger brothers and sisters of those violent killers are the ones doing the property crimes around the island. Until the Government and the police make stopping those criminals a first priority, until the families of those young criminals quit making excuses for their behavior, until we all make education a first priority it will only get worse.