St. Thomas Crime.....

sometimes it does seem that way

The STX crime thread was started by a poster with a question about moving to STX from STJ -- if they would have asked about the crime on STT then it would have taken a different direction.
There is certainly crime on STT but the worries about going out after dark do not seem as pervasive here -- Red Hook, Frenchtown and many other restaurants, except in downtown Charlotte Amalie, generally seem to be very active during the dinner hours and early evening.
Reichhold Center, the Movie theaters, Marin Center, Pistarkle Theater and the many charity functions , like Montesorri Night last night, all seem to always generate good attendance after dark as well.

I think both islands have about the same level of crime. They have better PR on STT.

The thread on this forum is about STX because the OP specifically asked about STX.

I used to think that if you didn't do dangerous things, only travelled in groups at night, didn't go into dangerous places, etc that you would be pretty safe on STX. That was until our home was invaded at 1:00 am by armed thugs. After it was all over and two of the criminals were dead and the third arrested, we found out that we had no previous connection to the criminals. We were singled out because we lived in a nice neighborhood and had a nice house. They were sure that we had lots of jewelry and cash laying around. They were wrong.

We have some of the strictest gun laws in the country here in the VI, yet all of these criminals were armed. Maybe we need to change the law to make it easier to arm law abiding citizens. I would definitely suggest getting a few large dogs and install lots of cameras and motion sensors.

But then I am sure many will blame us. We shouldn't live here in a nice neighborhood in a nice house, lording it over everyone.

I agree! I really would like my .22 here and my husband's as well, especially his shotgun! Yep, that shotgun would do the trick! We both have carry permits in Aekansas. When are the authorities going to realize when you take those guns away from the law abiding citizens the criminals will always have guns! The VI by making it so difficult to have one here, it isn't protecting it's citizens.

Someone told me you must have a safe for your gun in order to get the permit. That is crazy knowing how much time it takes to get to a gun from a safe! We have no kids at our house! Why must it be so hard? Right now all our guns are stored in Arkansas until we can figure a way to get at least one down here. Crime wouldn't be so random if we could have guns cause they wouldn't know what house had them.

The STX crime thread was started by a poster with a question about moving to STX from STJ -- if they would have asked about the crime on STT then it would have taken a different direction.

my point is that only STX crime seems to get talked about on this forum, and I rarely see any mention of the same exact crimes or even worst that are occurring on St. Thomas. Yet, STX is the one to get the black sheep label.

Someone told me you must have a safe for your gun in order to get the permit.

Not only that but they come to your house to inspect it before they issue the permit. Of course that's probably just for the people that aren't from heh.

The STX crime thread was started by a poster with a question about moving to STX from STJ -- if they would have asked about the crime on STT then it would have taken a different direction.
There is certainly crime on STT but the worries about going out after dark do not seem as pervasive here -- Red Hook, Frenchtown and many other restaurants, except in downtown Charlotte Amalie, generally seem to be very active during the dinner hours and early evening.
Reichhold Center, the Movie theaters, Marin Center, Pistarkle Theater and the many charity functions , like Montesorri Night last night, all seem to always generate good attendance after dark as well.

Yeah. It would have been swept under the carpet as usual.

Beware of a white vehicle on STT whose driver and passenger seem to be posing as drivers of a stalled/vehicle and then robbing people. Unfortunately, it's not safe to offer assistance during this holiday season.

The STX crime thread was started by a poster with a question about moving to STX from STJ -- if they would have asked about the crime on STT then it would have taken a different direction.
There is certainly crime on STT but the worries about going out after dark do not seem as pervasive here -- Red Hook, Frenchtown and many other restaurants, except in downtown Charlotte Amalie, generally seem to be very active during the dinner hours and early evening.
Reichhold Center, the Movie theaters, Marin Center, Pistarkle Theater and the many charity functions , like Montesorri Night last night, all seem to always generate good attendance after dark as well.

Yeah. It would have been swept under the carpet as usual.

(tu) yep...the St. Thomas folks know not to air their dirty laundry out in public

yep...the St. Thomas folks know not to air their dirty laundry out in public

The OP in the other thread asked for the truth. Should we lie? I think it is better to tell the truth, the crime in the USVI is worse than anything that you are likely to encounter anywhere in the states. Almost anywhere in the Caribbean for that matter.
http://virginislandsdailynews.com/news/v-i-homicide-rate-still-among-world-s-highest-1.1434291

Keeping it quiet doesn't help fix the problem.

yep...the St. Thomas folks know not to air their dirty laundry out in public

The OP in the other thread asked for the truth. Should we lie? I think it is better to tell the truth, the crime in the USVI is worse than anything that you are likely to encounter anywhere in the states. Almost anywhere in the Caribbean for that matter.
http://virginislandsdailynews.com/news/v-i-homicide-rate-still-among-world-s-highest-1.1434291

Keeping it quiet doesn't help fix the problem.

hey man, whatever floats your boat. I'm just pointing out my observations seen on this board.

Since the crimes in STT made the newspapers I hardly think that we not airing "dirty laundry."
It is there for everyone to see and read.
However, my observation is that the majority of the members on this board from STX have been impacted by violent crime at one time or another.

I wish everyone a safe and violence free holiday season.

isle 3985, they did not come to inspect before the permit was issued to hubby. i believe they have the right to though

I think it's more that the STX people on this board tend to know each other and be more networked in the community. STX seems to be to me to be more closely connected than STT - the population is lower, so it is more "small town." Also it depends upon how active someone is in knowing people in the community - my husband lived on STX for ten years and knew no one affected by crime. I lived there three and knew several. I'm just more social than he is, he's more happy keeping to himself.

I've spent time over the last two years reading the Daily News and the Avis and others on their police blotters, as well as the press releases on the VIPD website, and generally the crime is about the same on the two islands - maybe a bit more gun violence on STT.

Here's the current front page of the VIPD press releases ( http://www.vipd.gov.vi/Public_Interest/Press_Releases.aspx). As you can see it's about 60/40 STT/STX:

Female Minor Stabbed in Leg, Phone Stolen - STT

Man Robbed and Beaten - STT

Police Capture Carjacker Within an Hour - STT

Woman, 18 Along with Minors 16 and 14 Charged with Theft - STT

Suspect Arrested Following Robbery and Assault on Ranger American Security Officers - STT

Man Steals Petty Cash From Business - STT

18 Year Old Charged with Robbery - STT

Man Shot at Bus Shanty - STX

Alcohol the Cause of Auto Accident - STX

Man Arrested for Forcible Rape of Female Minor - STX

Man Arrested for Possession with Intent To Distribute Cocaine - STJ

Man Arrested in BMV Fatal Shooting - STT

Man Shot in Knee - STT

Victims Injured in Robbery - STT

Man Fatally Shot in Frederiksted - STX

Surveillance Camera Spots Man Taking Items - STT

Couple Robbed While on the Beach - STT

Man Causes Multi Car Accident - STT

Man Arrested for Reckless Endangerment - STX

Pedestrian Dies in Vehicle Accident - STX

BMV Employee Fatally Shot - STT

Copper Thieves Caught Red Handed - STX

Traffic Stop Leads to Weapon Confiscation - STX

Home Damaged By Gun Shots - STX

ETA: This is for the month Nov. 5 - Dec 6, 2013

And your point now is what Julie Kay - you have moved away from the islands for whatever reason and while you lived in STX, your comments are valid but none of my friends or family have been killed, robbed at gun point in restaurants, nor had their homes invaded.
To continue the constant put down on STT, where you have not lived nor have personal experiences is pointless to this thread.
Yes.........every island has crime but my point was that almost every single person on the STX thread has dealt with it on much more personal levels. Good for people thinking about movng here to go elsewhere. Just like you did.

Alana, I don't see how my post was attacking STT. It's a list of facts about both islands? Please enlighten me how that was an "attack." I don't claim to know anything about living on STT, only STX.

Please refrain from the personal attacks. Thanks. I have reported your nasty remark.

I left two weeks ago, I still have information to share. Eventually I won't any longer.

Thanks for your comments JulieKay and helping to make my point. I'm sure that the STT residents of this board are fully aware of the crimes that occur in St. Thomas, even if they may not have been personally affected. However, they don't speak about it on this board, but they sure do throw in their two cents to speak about crime on STX. Isn't that ironic.....

I think it's more that the STX people on this board tend to know each other and be more networked in the community. STX seems to be to me to be more closely connected than STT - the population is lower, so it is more "small town." Also it depends upon how active someone is in knowing people in the community - my husband lived on STX for ten years and knew no one affected by crime. I lived there three and knew several. I'm just more social than he is, he's more happy keeping to himself.

I've spent time over the last two years reading the Daily News and the Avis and others on their police blotters, as well as the press releases on the VIPD website, and generally the crime is about the same on the two islands - maybe a bit more gun violence on STT.

Here's the current front page of the VIPD press releases ( http://www.vipd.gov.vi/Public_Interest/Press_Releases.aspx). As you can see it's about 60/40 STT/STX:

Female Minor Stabbed in Leg, Phone Stolen - STT

Man Robbed and Beaten - STT

Police Capture Carjacker Within an Hour - STT

Woman, 18 Along with Minors 16 and 14 Charged with Theft - STT

Suspect Arrested Following Robbery and Assault on Ranger American Security Officers - STT

Man Steals Petty Cash From Business - STT

18 Year Old Charged with Robbery - STT

Man Shot at Bus Shanty - STX

Alcohol the Cause of Auto Accident - STX

Man Arrested for Forcible Rape of Female Minor - STX

Man Arrested for Possession with Intent To Distribute Cocaine - STJ

Man Arrested in BMV Fatal Shooting - STT

Man Shot in Knee - STT

Victims Injured in Robbery - STT

Man Fatally Shot in Frederiksted - STX

Surveillance Camera Spots Man Taking Items - STT

Couple Robbed While on the Beach - STT

Man Causes Multi Car Accident - STT

Man Arrested for Reckless Endangerment - STX

Pedestrian Dies in Vehicle Accident - STX

BMV Employee Fatally Shot - STT

Copper Thieves Caught Red Handed - STX

Traffic Stop Leads to Weapon Confiscation - STX

Home Damaged By Gun Shots - STX

ETA: This is for the month Nov. 5 - Dec 6, 2013

The difference in population between the two islands is only a thousand or so. But STX is three times the size, and the people are more dispersed, which is probably why it feels more "small town."

Bernie

Also, the murder rate, on average, is about the same for both islands.