rumor about attempted car jacking last night?????

Bring on the vigilantes. I'm behind you 100%. Fifth drive by in 3 days. This morning by Nisky stoplight. Some idiot fired at a pedestrian, AK-47, 12 shots. I love this island, but this crap is enough to make me consider moving back stateside. The police are ineffective. It's such a shame. But 10 AM by Nisky with ships in town. No where is safe here.

DIDNT THEY FIND THE WHITE TRUCK? which had been stolen from someone else

They did but they also said "it is complicated"(regarding the truck)

Depending on cops to keep you safe will get you killed 90% of the time. Become self reliant, get a gun permit and be a responsible owner. That's about the worst mentality possible and if living HERE hasn't taught you that... haha

I was considering getting a gun permit before I ended up deciding to move from my current location to STX. I thought I read somewhere that getting a gun permit on USVI was difficult, and that concealed carry didn't exist on the island. Is there a location to get a permit and purchase a weapon on STX, or on the other islands?

DIDNT THEY FIND THE WHITE TRUCK? which had been stolen from someone else

They did but they also said "it is complicated"(regarding the truck)

Probably reported stolen after the info got out, that would make it complicated.

complicated? lol now what could that mean.

DIDNT THEY FIND THE WHITE TRUCK? which had been stolen from someone else

They did but they also said "it is complicated"(regarding the truck)

Maybe it's time for vigilante death squads to start patrolling at night. It shouldn't be difficult to lure these scumbag criminals into an ambush.

Maybe not vigilante death squads.

But, how about a volunteer police force? Rural areas in the mainland use volunteers on their police force and as fire fighters simply because the resources of the main groups are far too small. If VIPD were willing to train a volunteer police force, and deputize(?) them to be similar to first responders to restore order, take statements, photograph evidence, make arrests and, yes, even fire on perpetrators, then you would have a similar effect to "not knowing if the next person you attack is a volunteer police officer". I expect that would have the effect of dropping crime rates.

Just realize that, if you fire a weapon as a volunteer police officer, and you're wrong, you go to jail just as if you had committed a crime; we shouldn't want officers that will shoot first and ask questions later. Vigilantism isn't a solution. It is not possible to restore order by use of chaos and anarchy.

The idea of all citizens packing heat is outright crazy. We are not a 19 century society.

We pay substantial taxes to the local government that has no military expenses or foreign policy/diplomacy expenses. It is the government duty to provide their citizens with safe environment. The government of VI blatantly ignores its duties to the citizens. Ileagal gun possession here should be punishable by summery execution. It will thin the criminal population fast. within one year the problem will be solved.

While arming society can decrease number of theaft, burglary or drunken aggression it does nothing to stop the violent execution style crime so prevalent here. The perps here use the element of surprise by ambushing the victims. When you crossing the street and you get gunned down from passing car with AK47 it doesn't matter if you carry bazooka under your trench. You will die on the spot.

DIDNT THEY FIND THE WHITE TRUCK? which had been stolen from someone else

They did but they also said "it is complicated"(regarding the truck)

Probably reported stolen after the info got out, that would make it complicated.

They didnt use the word complicated the word they used was "thorny"

Maybe it's time for vigilante death squads to start patrolling at night. It shouldn't be difficult to lure these scumbag criminals into an ambush.

Maybe not vigilante death squads.

But, how about a volunteer police force? Rural areas in the mainland use volunteers on their police force and as fire fighters simply because the resources of the main groups are far too small. If VIPD were willing to train a volunteer police force, and deputize(?) them to be similar to first responders to restore order, take statements, photograph evidence, make arrests and, yes, even fire on perpetrators, then you would have a similar effect to "not knowing if the next person you attack is a volunteer police officer". I expect that would have the effect of dropping crime rates.

Don't we already basically have this? It's called the National Guard. Mapp just needs to activate them and get them engaged to supplement the police.

I was considering getting a gun permit before I ended up deciding to move from my current location to STX. I thought I read somewhere that getting a gun permit on USVI was difficult, and that concealed carry didn't exist on the island. Is there a location to get a permit and purchase a weapon on STX, or on the other islands?

I only know STX,

We have an indoor gun range you can purchase directly from or you can purchase from the states and have it shipped there.

You can get a concealed permit here, it can be a bit difficult but there's a few ways to make it easier.

1. Befriends with an officer
2. Own a business
3. Be threatened sometime in the past (not sure if you have to prove this or just say it)
4. submit paper work and sacrifice a chicken to the bureaucratic gods

Plus one you register your guns, the police tell their friends where you live and someone comes and breaks into your house and steals only the guns. It has happened to two friends of mine.

STXSailor,
STX is almost at the 19th century stage except most of the people are disarmed. If more guns were available the thugs would think twice wondering if their victims were carrying or not. When they are pretty sure they are not it makes them more bold.

The base answer, to most problems here and most everywhere else, is money.

Can the residents of these islands accept a major tax hike to pay for a more effective police force? Are we all willing to double or triple our current taxes to improve the schools, our hospitals, repair our roads, and provide an upgraded and more reliable WAPA? With fewer tax payers from major private sources (like Hovensa) there are very few options availablec to the government to bring in the funds needed to square things away.

I believe in less restrictive gun laws and believe that would help, but our current fiscal situation effects it all, far more than anything else.

More $$ will not help. More tax dollars from a major tax hike will just go into someone's pocket.

Evil is loose in the world.

These thugs are going to keep killing each other and innocent people will keep getting caught in the crossfire.

Not if they've got other viable options.

I don't know if making it easier to conceal or open carry a firearm is a good plan for the USVI.

Having said that I certainly can say I personally have changed my behavior because now I ASSUME anyone may have a gun. [legally or illegally]
I absolutely suppress any expression of road rage or making any comments to any other person who exhibits disturbing actions when I previously would have said something -- now I ignore it totally because it feels like anyone could just pull out a weapon and use it.
Never go out late to bars anymore and I was a 4am regular at closing time, both as a patron and employee, for decades here. Of course I am older, wiser? now but the threat of violence is just as big a part of it and the amount of late night drunk driving seems to have escalated too.
I have changed a lot of my thoughts on where and when I feel perfectly safe anymore and now even hear occasional gunfire in my neighborhood of 35+ years - that was NEVER true before.
It has occurred to me to leave the Islands - even after over 40 years of living here - but the good things of life I enjoy here far, far outweigh the increasing stupid violence.

So whether everyone is carrying a weapon or not I assume there is one close at hand - legally or illegally. Maybe the criminal elements assumes the same?

Like Willy Nelson sings - It's time the long arm of the law puts a few more in the ground

Don't we already basically have this? It's called the National Guard. Mapp just needs to activate them and get them engaged to supplement the police.

Oh, I like this idea MUCH BETTER than mine! If crime is so high that VIPD is overrun, then the governor should call upon the National Guard! The purpose of the Guard is exactly to restore order when chaos erupts, and if crime is really this bad, then by all means call out the National Guard!

No, I'm not being sarcastic, either. Seriously. Call out the guard, have them patrol, and...deal...with the criminal element.

The idea of all citizens packing heat is outright crazy. We are not a 19 century society.

We pay substantial taxes to the local government that has no military expenses or foreign policy/diplomacy expenses. It is the government duty to provide their citizens with safe environment. The government of VI blatantly ignores its duties to the citizens. [Illegal] gun possession here should be punishable by [summary] execution. It will thin the criminal population fast. within one year the problem will be solved.

While arming society can decrease number of [theft], burglary or drunken aggression it does nothing to stop the violent execution style crime so prevalent here. The perps here use the element of surprise by ambushing the victims. When you crossing the street and you get gunned down from passing car with AK47 it doesn't matter if you carry bazooka under your trench. You will die on the spot.

The points you've made are very true. And further, there is no correlation between citizens with concealed or open carry permits and a decrease in crime, as has been suggested by another person in this thread and now I can't find it to quote it. There are known, correlations between crime and poverty, crime and education, and poverty and education. Based on this thread and other threads I've read, the correlation is playing out right in front of us all.

Reducing crime isn't going to be solved by arming its citizens, even though I'm willing to do this for myself for the short term. Reducing crime comes from increased education and/or increased job opportunities. I'm blessed with the opportunity to do both.

But, what if...

...instead of all of us ranting like the Queen of Hearts, screaming "off with their heads", we decided to try just helping out one person. Any age. Whatever age we each feel comfortable working with, and assisted them with their homework?

...we assisted one person with help trying to find a job?

...we assisted one person with trying to learn a skill that could be used to get a job?

Just one. Not everyone. Just one.

How many people are on this board? Maybe 150. Okay, so we've now helped 150 at risk men and women to stand up and get it done the right way. If we tell these 150 that their "repayment" for each one of them to help one other person, the same as they were helped, and simultaneously take on another one person...now the number of people assisted is 150 * 2. As this stream continues, assisting one person and having that person help one person, we approach 150 * (2n). The islands have approximately 60,000 residents: everyone on the island will have helped everyone else away from the path of crime in 16 iterations (and that's doesn't count the 150 multiplier).

Are you willing to help 16 people move away from crime and move themselves, as well as all of us on this board, to a better, more valuable, and fulfilling life?

Seems better to me than killing them off. It might take longer than a year, but it seems better, to me anyway.

never happened to us.

Plus one you register your guns, the police tell their friends where you live and someone comes and breaks into your house and steals only the guns. It has happened to two friends of mine.

Plus one you register your guns, the police tell their friends where you live and someone comes and breaks into your house and steals only the guns. It has happened to two friends of mine.

this has been an issue/occurrence for at least 30 years on stx. Decision used to be try to register and be a victim yourself or don't register and deal with that after using the gun if necessary...

This is the same anywhere you live now - the threat of gun-related violence is nearby and is a fact of life. Except in FL you KNOW people are armed.

Having well-armed paranoid neighbors and colleagues does not make me feel safe. I really have no idea who they are planning to shoot.

It's great, after a 3 hour point and shoot class you are legally able to carry and conceal a weapon.

Sjointer, those are great ideas, but they will only work with impressionable youth, who still have time to be saved. For those thugs whose lives have been entrenched in criminal ways for many years, those ideas won't work. There are some hard core criminals here, remember Dwayne Woodrup DMX? Wonder when he's gonna surface, or whether he succumbed to his injuries sustained after the second or third attempt on his life, when he was airlifted out of STX to Florida, I believe. Google that, and read up on his cohorts. Your ideas won't work on the likes of these guys.

This is the same anywhere you live now - the threat of gun-related violence is nearby and is a fact of life. Except in FL you KNOW people are armed.

Maybe not in CA either. It's really tough to own a gun at all in CA

Arrested:
http://viconsortium.com/featured/v-i-p-d-has-arrested-four-suspects-said-to-be-involved-in-east-end-rape-incident-press-briefing-called-for-2-p-m/

Press briefing on Consortium FB page.

Names and photos of perpetrators released to the press.