We returned from St Martin Sunday night (11/30/08) and want people to know that there is crime on the island and our family is lucky that the only thing stolen from us are things as at least one of our thieves had a knife. Below is a note to our travel agent and the on island manager. I have taken out names. PLEASE read if you are traveling to St Martin. We were in a multi million dollar home right on the Beach in Pelican Key.

I don’t know if xxx has been informed that our villa was broken into early yesterday morning. My husband confronted one of the thieves as he was making his way toward the bedrooms and my son came flying down. They screamed and chased them and fortunately my husband grabbed the remote with the panic button on his way out of the bedroom so he was able to turn the alarm on immediately. We did not set the alarm because we had some trouble with it going off during the week. I honestly don’t know if it was a problem with the alarm or with the operators. We were able to see the other trying to steal our rental car when we played back the video cameras, he wasn’t able to get the gate open; we will have to pay Avis to rekey. A computer, camera, blackberry and a small amount of money was taken. They had also taken several other things, some were in my daughter’s bag and left on the table, others were dropped on the beach and around the house along with a 6-8 inch fillet knife. My son told me that (on island manager) indicated in an initial call that “that is why you should put the storm shudders down”. We were never told that we should do this, actually told by the housekeeper that locking the doors was adequate. We now know that the sliding doors can be popped open with a knife or screwdriver as the far door has a small indentation in it. I would suggest that this information should be included in both (rental) information if storm shudders should be closed.

After we talked to you yesterday, xxx, we watched the tape to find out when that video camera had been pushed up with the 2x4 that is against the wall. It happened at about the same time 4:15 ish on Friday morning, you can see a shadow and then the camera goes dark. Remember that we told you that my husband and daughter were pick pocketed at (restaurant) on Thursday night? Well now it stands to reason that they were in the house Friday morning as well and that is where that money went, particularly as they took my daughter’s last $5 out of her wallet on Sunday morning, which wasn’t with the other things. It doesn’t really look like a normal wallet, but it was lying with my husbands on the bar on Thursday night, so it would be logical to look. My son remembers getting up to go to the bathroom about that time, flushing the commode and hearing a footstep. He started down the stairs, but didn’t hear anything else and thought that I had been up (not at all unusual) and that is what had woken him up.

It is obvious that they were watching the house and the owners and (housekeeper) need to be informed. My son spoke to 2 different clerks at the airport; they assumed his lost voice was due to a night of partying so he explained. They both indicated that crime is up on the island recently. xxx, you would know if that is the case or not, but regardless, some changes need to be made to the information that guests receive.

We are still shaky, my husband and son have no voice as they stressed their vocal cords, but we are very happy that we are all safe, the knife and realization that this could have ended differently have made us very grateful for our family.

glad you are safe. that is most important..

[barcann.livejournal.com]

I am so sorry this happened to your family. That's not a vacation memory that anyone should have. Thank God you are all ok- except for the lost voices.

That is a terribly scary experience to go through!

I wonder if it is related to this incident? and they went back this time to another house armed and prepared?
[www.thedailyherald.com]

We will be staying in that area and are wondering where you were staying

Hey!

If it's any help to you perhaps the original poster will fill in some of the blanks after 2 weeks.

Bottom line, lock up your villa, timeshare, house, cottage or whatever. We will be staying in a similar private home soon and will close the storm shutters each night. I'm cautious, but not worried.

From what I gather there are extra police patrols around this neighbourhood. Familiarize yourself with the emergency phone numbers and keep your cell phone available.

Hundreds of folks are in the neighbourhood and if you are really concerned then set up a phone "buddy system" with some of the residents next door or nearby.

Denis

Welcome to the SXM Welfare System.

Ed

So BIGDENX - what blanks did the poster leave out - names?

All the precautious you point out are platitudes - the real precautions, implied or are necessary, should not be necessary on vacation.

Hey Realist!

Disregard the "platitudes" and move on to a perfect world...let me know when you find it.

Denis

Found it - Jost Van Dyke. Ivan's Honor System Bar on the beach says it all. Drink all you want and at the end of your trip or stay, pay up in the cash till. Do you really think you could run a business like that on SXM?

There will never be a perfect world, BUT on vacation you should be able to get pretty darn close.

Hey Realist!

Perfection is in the eye of the ferry rider...not disagreeing with you for a minute about crime on JVD, but I can't afford 3 or 4 trips a year to the BVI's.

We'll suffer the flaws and spend more time doing our things on SXM.

Denis

Must spend all that time on the Dutch side, what with the euro, such as it is. But with the spelling of your name, that may not be an issue, good for you.

Actually, bottom line, we found our trips to JVD to be equal to or even less of an expense than our trips to SXM. Of course, you do have to avoid the months when most of the few restaurants are closed. But, it's still the untouched Caribbean - maybe one or two guest houses over a story tall, if that. NO TIMESHARES, NO CONDOS, NO STREET VENDORS, NO BEACH BEADERS. Number of rental cars on the island, what 3? Any traffic lights? None. I wonder if they ever were without power because they ran out of oil (TF)

Our budget hasn't changed. How we chose to use it has.

BIGDENX, thanx for pointing out the fact, you get what you pay for. However, in today's economy, you gotta be sure what you are paying for is what you want. Our first trip we did provisions for a week, the store we ordered from, threw in an extra pork loin to save us even another day of going out. Ah, generosity.

You asked for a perfect world, YOU recognized a more perfect world, but you economic allude me.

Hey Realist!

Don't insinuate I may not know what I want, I know perfectly what I want:

Best opportunity to do Aviation Photography in the world.( my passion)

Best group of friends and acquaintances of any place we travel.

Best choice of different styled beaches in the Caribbean.( short of Cuba)

Easiest and cheapest airfares from Florida.

Timeshare weeks purchased for VERY LITTLE and costing under $600.00 AMF per week plus use of a friend's home occasionally.

Choices..choices...choices for dining.

Inexpensive alcohol and tobacco.

All night gambling if you feel the need.

When we want to experience the unspoiled beaches and milieu like the JVD you describe, we find it quite inexpensive to do the Spanish Virgins and manage to get 2 trips a year there as well. SJU is also a bargain ticket from MCO/FLL/MIA. A long weekend on Vieques can be worth the $$$. Reconstruction of the beaches is very impressive and Culebra speaks for itself.

BUT..I fly over JVD a bit going back and forth and the New Year's boat melee beneath is something I would like to join...perhaps next year.

Now..if I could meet Sir Richard...

Denis

Frankly, I really don't gove a rat's bottom about your vaca stat's - once a year, twice a year, - who cares. What matters is a meaningful vacation - evem if it is only ONCE a year.

It aint about the MONEY, like it seems to be with you, it's about the safety, comfort and pleasure. Tons of traffic, wall to wall people on the beach, hawkers and cruise folks - I can drive to any Jersey beach for that.

If you were talking about Keith Richard, didn't know he was knighted too, but he is so cute with the way be twists his room/villa key in his hair. He always knows where it is and always has to get that close to the door to open it.