St. Croix crime...the truth

I have been living on st. Croix west side of christiansted for last 5 months. I feel 100% safe. I can be very forgetful and leave my wallet in the car unlocked all the time. I leave my front door open during the evening for a nice breeze. I go to the store or a friends house at night all the time. My kid left the door to the car open one night with my laptop in the car nothing happen.

Before arriving on the island this forum made it seem that I am guaranteed to have a robbery. Also was given a lecture from some old lady in Miami port who was moving away from st. John. She told me I am the wrong color and something horrible is going to happen to me.

so I guess only time will tell.

Those are pretty odd situations - car break in seem really regular in STX. Has happend to me all 3 times while in STX. Now when we go I leave cars unlocked and nothing in it. Last time was at monks baths and they actually broke Kim's window. Annoyed. I've had one car "break in" but was totally my fault. Forgot to lock drivers side door and backpacks in the back seat. Luckily we got everything back minus cash. Surprisingly this was at my "home base" Hull bay.

Moral of te story: leave you cars unlocked and nothing in it lol. I've finally
Learned.

Or maybe leave your car locked with nothing in it. I always do. Ikory, those habits seem like an accident, or event, waiting to happen. I'd say so far you are just lucky.

Those are bad habits to get into ikory. Best not to tempt fate and be a bit cautious.
I hope you continue not to lose your wallet, your laptop, your car or have something stolen from your home because you left the door unlocked. I always lock my home and car, especially when I am in it!;)
Those days of leaving everything wide open and keys in the truck are long gone.

AandA, why is it surprising that your car was broken into at your "home base". break ins happen anywhere.

ikory, you are a stealing waiting to happen-you have been lucky so far. the lady that warned you at the airport might have just known someone who was killed.

I am the worse with bad habits. Thought I slide my wallet into my pocket at gallows bay hardware today but dropped it instead. A customer outside shouting at me that he has my wallet. Awesome guy.

Another story: got stuck in sand and a local on a bike stopped helped me dig and put a lot of work into helping me. I offered him money several times. Even offered him just some cash to buy some beers on me since he was going to the bar. Nope he refused to take anything.

i have other stories as well of some amazing locals. I think I am just not a target with small kids with a okay car and hardly any valuables. Now I have had my car shot at while driving and robbed at gun point in east st. Louis but st. Croix just does not seem threatening.

I am the worse with bad habits. Thought I slide my wallet into my pocket at gallows bay hardware today but dropped it instead. A customer outside shouting at me that he has my wallet. Awesome guy.

Another story: got stuck in sand and a local on a bike stopped helped me dig and put a lot of work into helping me. I offered him money several times. Even offered him just some cash to buy some beers on me since he was going to the bar. Nope he refused to take anything.

i have other stories as well of some amazing locals. I think I am just not a target with small kids with a okay car and hardly any valuables. Now I have had my car shot at while driving and robbed at gun point in east st. Louis but st. Croix just does not seem threatening.

I have lived here for over fifty years and never felt unsafe. Nobody ever robbed me or shot at me, and I go wherever I please at any time.

There are over fifty thousand people living on STX, the vast majority of whom know nothing about this message board and go on about their daily lives with totally mundane considerations.

Nobody is playing the "knockout game" here...you can get knocked out by a random stranger in one of the safe mainland cities. How "safe" is that?

The face of crime: http://florida.arrests.org/

Why not move to "safer" Jacksonville? http://jacksonville.com/news/crime

Five-year old girl gets lost and wanders in the woods for an entire night on STX, accompanied by her two dogs. The whole neighborhood turns out to help search, and she is found safe and sound next morning, not eaten by bears or cut into pieces and buried in five different places.
Hmmm...put that same child in the woods in some safe place on the mainland and...

Your five year old girl gets lost in Sunny Isle shopping center, she is safe...don't let her get lost in downtown Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, etc.

BTW, for those who like to quote stats about murder rates, etc...the stats don't count the people who get killed in "stand your ground" murders.

You've got many other ways of getting killed without worrying about being murdered on STX...hospitals kill 210,000 annually by accident, prescription drugs kill over 100,000, auto accidents kill about 40,000, and more people die from bathtub falls and peanut allergies each year than were killed on 9/11.

Life is short...quit worrying.

just so you know, nice things happen nice things happen in the states too. not every one in the states is out to get you like you make it seem nativeson.

ikory, i know there are lots of nice people here. i have met my share of kind and giving people too

I am the worse with bad habits. Thought I slide my wallet into my pocket at gallows bay hardware today but dropped it instead. A customer outside shouting at me that he has my wallet. Awesome guy.

Another story: got stuck in sand and a local on a bike stopped helped me dig and put a lot of work into helping me. I offered him money several times. Even offered him just some cash to buy some beers on me since he was going to the bar. Nope he refused to take anything.

i have other stories as well of some amazing locals. I think I am just not a target with small kids with a okay car and hardly any valuables. Now I have had my car shot at while driving and robbed at gun point in east st. Louis but st. Croix just does not seem threatening.

I have lived here for over fifty years and never felt unsafe. Nobody ever robbed me or shot at me, and I go wherever I please at any time.

Life is short...quit worrying.

Well said.

I am the worse with bad habits. Thought I slide my wallet into my pocket at gallows bay hardware today but dropped it instead. A customer outside shouting at me that he has my wallet. Awesome guy.

Another story: got stuck in sand and a local on a bike stopped helped me dig and put a lot of work into helping me. I offered him money several times. Even offered him just some cash to buy some beers on me since he was going to the bar. Nope he refused to take anything.

i have other stories as well of some amazing locals. I think I am just not a target with small kids with a okay car and hardly any valuables. Now I have had my car shot at while driving and robbed at gun point in east st. Louis but st. Croix just does not seem threatening.

I have lived here for over fifty years and never felt unsafe. Nobody ever robbed me or shot at me, and I go wherever I please at any time.

Life is short...quit worrying.

Well said.

I get this, but it is so much easier to deal when you're a tough man - which is sexist, but at least for me and others I know, it is reality.

About a year ago in Kmart Sunny Isles, I had a young man pin me in the back aisle where the office supplies are and demand money from me. I told him No, and to leave me alone. His response was to shove me, chuups me, and then make a slicing motion across his neck with his finger while glaring at me. I was really scared leaving the store, and this was in the middle of the afternoon! My husband said I should have just told him that I was going to tell him on his mother, but how am I supposed to do that? He knows I don't know his mother, and escalating things would have just made it worse.

I understand some people can deal with this sort of thing better, but for me, it was really disconcerting. I just don't have it in me to "get over it" all the time. So yeah, I'm different. We didn't leave St. Croix because of the crime, but in some ways it feels like a weight lifted from my shoulders.

Next month makes 25 years for us; we were here for Hugo. This is our home and our only home.

I have never felt unsafe, been robbed or shot at (although I was robbed at gunpoint in the states) I have never hesitated to travel anywhere on St Croix.
I know if I my vehicle breaks down, someone will stop and help me--it has happened.
I know I can start a conversation with anyone anywhere and we will become friends--it happens all the time.

It really irritates me when people slam St Croix; people need to leave if they dislike living here.

Life is short, do what makes you happy.

just so you know, nice things happen nice things happen in the states too. not every one in the states is out to get you like you make it seem nativeson.

ikory, i know there are lots of nice people here. i have met my share of kind and giving people too

...so it's OK to make it seem like everyone on STX is out to get you, but I get flamed for pointing out that the new thrill on the mainland is knocking out perfect strangers at random on the street?

No, I don't think that everyone in the States is out to get you...neither is everyone on STX, so quit telling the world that it is more dangerous here than in Afghanistan.

In case you're unaware... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liatWFj5COk

I am the worse with bad habits. Thought I slide my wallet into my pocket at gallows bay hardware today but dropped it instead. A customer outside shouting at me that he has my wallet. Awesome guy.

Another story: got stuck in sand and a local on a bike stopped helped me dig and put a lot of work into helping me. I offered him money several times. Even offered him just some cash to buy some beers on me since he was going to the bar. Nope he refused to take anything.

i have other stories as well of some amazing locals. I think I am just not a target with small kids with a okay car and hardly any valuables. Now I have had my car shot at while driving and robbed at gun point in east st. Louis but st. Croix just does not seem threatening.

I have lived here for over fifty years and never felt unsafe. Nobody ever robbed me or shot at me, and I go wherever I please at any time.

Life is short...quit worrying.

Well said.

I get this, but it is so much easier to deal when you're a tough man - which is sexist, but at least for me and others I know, it is reality.

About a year ago in Kmart Sunny Isles, I had a young man pin me in the back aisle where the office supplies are and demand money from me. I told him No, and to leave me alone. His response was to shove me, chuups me, and then make a slicing motion across his neck with his finger while glaring at me. I was really scared leaving the store, and this was in the middle of the afternoon! My husband said I should have just told him that I was going to tell him on his mother, but how am I supposed to do that? He knows I don't know his mother, and escalating things would have just made it worse.

I understand some people can deal with this sort of thing better, but for me, it was really disconcerting. I just don't have it in me to "get over it" all the time. So yeah, I'm different. We didn't leave St. Croix because of the crime, but in some ways it feels like a weight lifted from my shoulders.

Wonderful to hear, hope you're doing well in your new home.

Speaking of feeling uncomfortable in stores, here's something else you'll not see on STX:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJDmuk41d_0

just so you know, nice things happen nice things happen in the states too. not every one in the states is out to get you like you make it seem nativeson.

ikory, i know there are lots of nice people here. i have met my share of kind and giving people too

...so it's OK to make it seem like everyone on STX is out to get you, but I get flamed for pointing out that the new thrill on the mainland is knocking out perfect strangers at random on the street?

No, I don't think that everyone in the States is out to get you...neither is everyone on STX, so quit telling the world that it is more dangerous here than in Afghanistan.

In case you're unaware... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liatWFj5COk

You do know this "knock out game" didn't exist until CNN "publicized" it, yes? And statistics of it actually happening are virtually none?

Some stuff is created by news for news.

"Knockout game is America's latest phony panic attack" http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/11/25/guess-what-the-knockout-game-is-america-s-latest-phony-panic.html

Like the other video you posted.

.so it's OK to make it seem like everyone on STX is out to get you, but I get flamed for pointing out that the new thrill on the mainland is knocking out perfect strangers at random on the street? i have never said every one is out to get you. i have related experiences i have had and people i know have had. do i take precautions, yep just like i did in the states i have generally felt safe in the states and here. i personally have been the victim of more crime here in 9 years than i had been in the states for 40 years. do i think one island has more than the other NO but statistics show that we have more crime per capita that stateside. that is a fact that can not be disputed by anything you say.

No, I don't think that everyone in the States is out to get you...neither is everyone on STX, so quit telling the world that it is more dangerous here than in Afghanistan.i am not saying it does not happen elsewhere no one said everyone was out to get you here or that it is more dangerous than afghanistan, but if i were moving there i would want to know what the crime is like. common sense to want to know that i think it is bs when people act like crime does not happen here. and they were asking about the crime of stx and not the states or afghanaistan

native son, that was from the tv show What Would You Do, right. that is where they purposely treat people bad to see what other people would do.

so are you trying to now say there is NO racism here. please tell me you are joking

Message Removed: Please revisit board rules regarding forum etiquette.

AandA, why is it surprising that your car was broken into at your "home base". break ins happen anywhere.

ikory, you are a stealing waiting to happen-you have been lucky so far. the lady that warned you at the airport might have just known someone who was killed.

Now this is what I was told: people would be idiots to commit crimes in Hull Bay "it's be deep frenchie territory boye". Cops don't get called.... one of the dem frenchies catches you, it's a long boat ride to da north drop and u don't come back.

Who knows if that is true or not. A lot of people in hull bay know me as that's where STT adventures - the company I work for is based out of and I don't meet many people on STT that don't know my bosses Web (from the buzz) and Ian. It's one reason I love the northside. I spend a lot of time down in Hull and I've gotten to know alot most of the people I've noticed that they really do look out for one another if somebody needs a dollar for a beer they get it, if someone needs a jump on the car they get it if somebody need you to watch their cell phone and keys when you go to the bathroom they do it and you don't have to worry about your stuff. Now in town or anywhere else for that matter not so much.

My neighbor who is a 6gen "Frenchie" told me when moved in that if I see someone suspicious park my car sideways at the road exit to our neighborhood. If someone smashes it trying to flee after a break in that he would buy me a new car lol.

We saw who broke into my car in Hull. 2 West Indian kids who my friend Eric saw them stashing the bags behind a fence after taking out the cash. Eric grabbed the bags and put them behind his fence at his house so we actually got everything back $-200 in cash. I realize that that's about as lucky as you can get we got everything back including their cruise ship sign and sale cards I think their passports were in there and their cell phones who carries all out together in a backpack lol. I wouldn't.

that explains it and i loved your "accent" :@)

that explains it and i loved your "accent" :@)

Conversely I find it amusing in it's inaccuracy and I don't mean that at all in a mean spirited way. The only person I ever found who could truly and accurately write the local vernacular was the late Arona Peterson who authored several books on VI flora and fauna and local recipes which have unfortunately gone out of print since her passing. You can still find excerpts online. For several years she contributed a wonderfully informative weekly piece to the VI Daily News written totally in the vernacular which was always an enormous source of delight. That was way back when the VI Daily News was a locally owned newspaper ...

I do get where you're coming from, AandAt2VI, and I'm delighted that you've found a living situation in a safe place and a local hangout where you now know so many and feel comfortable. As far as the Frenchies and the fishpots there is an admixture of truth and fiction in those stories.

Same can be said for "The Smith Bay Posse" and other groups in certain areas throughout the island. Loose-knit communities often come together when the proverbial ca-ca hits the fan but that sort of vigilante justice isn't the norm here and only comes about when either all else has failed or there's not sufficient evidence for the VIPD to make a good case.

For several years she contributed a wonderfully informative weekly piece to the VI Daily News written totally in the vernacular which was always an enormous source of delight. That was way back when the VI Daily News was a locally owned newspaper ....

I remember that!

Not to mention her recipes were outstanding!

Getting back to CRIME .........new shooting in a highschool in Colorado - 8 miles from Columbine.
Guns and children do not mix.

i am glad the shooter did not kill other students. it is a shame this child chose to try to kill other children.

Alana, Guns and IRRESPONSIBLE children do not mix.