Tourist beaten and robbed in St. Thomas
 

A tourist was robbed and punched in the face several times. It happened in broad daylight by a shopping center. No one has been arrested.<BR><BR>http://www.virginislandsdailynews.co...home?id=435412

I don't understand why people make such a big deal when someone is mugged on one of the islands. People are beaten and robbed in US cities every day. It's sad, but a fact of life. There is no totally safe place. St. Thomas is beautiful. Go and enjoy!

The tourist was a cruise employee just to set the record straight and it was attacks on cruise employees that made decision easy for the cruise ships to pull out of st. croix. the shopping center is one that is frequented by locals and those walking to KMart from the cruise ship docks on a very busy street.

"the man visits St. Thomas weekly"<BR>according to the article.<BR> Why would the headlines say he is a tourist?? Trying to scare us tourists?<BR> Yes, these things happen around the world, even in our own cities and small towns.<BR> Just stay alert and on the main streets. Can't stay home because of these fears.

And for your information, the projects are where the crew members go to buy drugs. In St. Croix, it was the same problem. The cops even picked up the same guy that was mugged one week, back in the same area, looking for drugs the very next week!

Look, I can get beaten and robbed at home! It is not something I wish to do on my vacation. Although I know crime happens everywhere I will spend my money on an island where it is least likely to happen. St. Thomas, St. Martin and St. Croix to name a few are not on the "least likely" list.

For the record, crime can happen ANYWHERE and it tends to happen more so on vaction because people don't think it can. I was in Europe and people were mugged in every country I visited. The target people who are not paying attention or who are in the wrong place.<BR><BR>Don't think that crime doesn't happen on other islands. I know people who have been offered drugs in Aruba and Grand Caymen. People have had things stolen in Turks and Caicos, it doesn't happen often, but it does happen.<BR><BR>I walked the same street in St. Thomas near the K-Mart in late July this year. I was aware of who was around me, etc. I have been to both St. Thomas and St. Croix as a woman traveling alone and have NEVER been bothered, harrassed or the victim of crime. I have a great time but I don't let my guard down either.

Did you notice how a single murder this year in Anguilla raised so many concerns? And rightly so. But there have been 32 murders so far in the USVI this year, which is a sad and amazing record for such a small territory. So although crime can happen anywhere, it sure does happen a LOT more on certain islands!! And we all know which ones they are thanks to all the facts posted here.<BR><BR>

Crime in Hawaii up 3.6% in 2001, <BR>property crime rate second highest in U.S.<BR>Thirty-two murders were reported in Hawaii in 2001, down from 35 reported in 2000. <BR>Of the 2,717 murders, robberies, and aggravated assaults reported statewide during 2001, 61.5% were committed using hands, fists, feet, etc., 17.7% with other/unknown weapons, 11.2% with firearms, and 9.7% with edged weapons. <BR>Over $61.5 million in property was reported stolen in Hawaii during 2001. <BR>

Let's see....<BR><BR>In 2001 Hawaii had 32 murders for a population of 1.2 million.<BR><BR>In 2001 the USVI had 30 murders for a population of 110,000. <BR><BR>Therefore the homicide rate in the USVI is about 10 TIMES HIGHER than in Hawaii!! <BR><BR>What's going on in the USVI that makes it 10 times more violent? Is it a police problem?