Relocation Help - Please!!!

Bottom line, you have to come and see if life here is for you. It is for me.

If you are worried about crime the USVI is not the place for you. Their gun control laws are totally backward promoting additional crimes leaving the basic citizen helpless. Law enforcement is frequently found involved with many illegal happenings. Stay where you can defend yourself and have real law enforcement.

Again, best to visit and see if it's for you.

Seems to be the norm to me. Are you really saying Neil that you don't know at least 5 to 10 people here (at least) that have been the victims of real crime? Even if you can afford a "better neighborhood" (which IMO doesn't really exist here) you will just double or triple your odds of getting robbed. If your answer is no, you either don't know many people or don't know them well. It's a bit insulting that you keep calling our crime rate a perception when it's the highest in the nation. I understand not wanting to talk badly about our home but if you continue to ignore it, it will not go away.

I've lived most of my adult life in major cities and have never experienced as much crime as we have or know SO many others who have also been a victim of crime in one little area.

Couldn't have said it better.

Those who claim our crime isn't worse than the States are deluding themselves. In 11 consecutive winters here, I have had the following occur to either myself, my family, or my friends:

1 Had my teeth kicked out by a thug in Christiansted.
2 Had my iPod stolen out of my car.
3 I've been in a resturaunt while it was robbed at gunpoint.
4 Was standing 80 yards away from a gas station, when suddenly a car drove up and gunned down a guy gassing up his vehicle. One of the bullets richoched near me. It was alarming, to say the least.
5 I've had countless (at least 10 I can name off the top of my head) friends robbed at gunpoint. Hasn't happened to me yet, knock on wood.
6 My sister and her boyfriend were driving out West when a car full of masked gunmen tried to run them off the road, and nearly succeeded.
7 Know several friends who have had their homes burglarized.
8 My good friend and co-owner of my boat has been jumped 3 times in town. Last time he needed stitches.
9 I know three people who have had thugs run up from behind, smash bottles over their heads, and rob them.
10 Some of the business owners I know have had their resturaunts robbed repeatedly. (Paradise Cafe, No Bones, just about every resturaunt on the North Shore, etc.)

Now, let's compare that to the States. I've lived in a major metro area (3 million people) for SIXTEEN YEARS and have never had anything like what I outlined above happen to me. So, yeah, I'd say it's a tad worse here.

But the important point is this: I AM STILL HERE! ALL THE CRIME IS NOT ENOUGH TO STOP ME FROM LIVING HERE, BECAUSE I ENJOY IT HERE SO MUCH. THE PROS STILL OUT WEIGH THE CONS. And, that's really all that matters. Who knows? One day, my feelings may change. But, after 11 seasons, they still haven't. 🙂

Please dear Lord do not let this question be another log on the fire. Is it as 'bad' in the "East End" as it is elsewhere?

The East End - if you are asking STT - is the same as anywhere on STT - the housing projects that are spread about on the island may have some different and more serious problems but most of the neighborhoods are about equal overall - ---- ---- Water Point - Botany Bay - somewhat in Mahogany Run - with guarded gates have paid security and some high HOA fees.

Please dear Lord do not let this question be another log on the fire. Is it as 'bad' in the "East End" as it is elsewhere?

If you are asking about the east end of St Croix, the answer is ...

First we need to define the word 'bad'. In my opinion, crime on St Croix is NOT bad. Crime is bad in Somalia and similar places. Crime statistics do not always tell the whole story and as you have read here, people living side by side apparently have had very different crime experiences and knowledge of crime. I think most of us agree that violent crime is usually centered at or or near the "housing projects". That is where many of the young, restless, undereducated men (boys) live. They are the ones who commit most of the violent crime on St Croix (and other islands).

The east end of St Croix does not have any 'housing projects'. Most of them are on the north and west ends of the island. Statistically that is where most of the violent crime occurs. That area includes Christiansted. So the area east of Christiansted seems to have less violent crime. This is not to say that no violent crimes occur east, as at least two the most well known recent shootings took place there.

It is my observation that property crimes (home and car break ins) have increased significantly over the past 5 to 10 years on the east end. I don't have the figures to prove this, but I think it is true and others agree. Suffice to say that The US Virgin Islands has a violent crime problem. The government and police are trying to do something, though not as aggressively or quickly as many of would like to see.

Go back and reread this thread and search for others. You will get many many passionate responses. Then make your own choice.