I am so sorry that happened to your family. My husband & I have been going to St. Martin for many years even though my husband didn't love some of the areas and I have to keep some of the stories of crime to my self. I am really afraid of going and try to visit some areas only with other people or when Grand Case is having their Tuesday night festivals. We own a timeshare and I only hope you will try this island once again. It has so much more than any other island and I know this can happen anywhere in the world. We travel a lot and are always warned about crime in Europe and here in the US. It is the times and the ecomony that make people so bad. It is terrible that the police don't really do alot to stop this. If the punishment was really very bad, then maybe they would think twice. I am sorry again and wish you well. I know how you feel, since I was in my office with my boss and two gunmen came in and made us lay down on the ground. You can imagine what I thought. This is the end of our lives and I thought they would rape me. They had ski masks on and guns in their hand and they were shaking. My husband made my boss put in an intercom, but of course I went back. It was the worst day of my life.. I must say that some of the times in St. Martin I got sick and once broke my elbow and the drs. and hospital were wonderful. Another time my husband passed out at the butterfly farm and the medics were there in a minute on the French side. So their are some great sides to the people on the island. I guess there are trouble makers all over..

Hi Janet,

You sound like a strong, balanced individual, despite the horribly sick individuals you've had to face. I'm happy you can still enjoy your time on St. Martin. I can't see us visiting that island ever again. Both my husband and my son were hospitalized right after our trip with what the docs are 99% sure was dengue fever. If you read between the lines on a lot of travel sites, you'll see that it's become a real problem on St. Martin, St. Barts, and BVI. Our docs said Brazil in S. America is facing an epidemic of dengue. My husband had to be re-admitted a second time with dangerously low blood WBC and platelets. I had a mild case, and was released from the emergency room. When the blood work comes back from the state (dengue takes awhile to confirm via the labwork) I'm going to bring this to the press. Travellers should be warned about what's out there. We'd brought tubes and bottles of very protective sunscreen, but we didn't know we should be bringing an equal amount of bug spray...My husband is still flat on his back, weak as a kitten, and he and my son are very vulnerable right now to any random microbe that visits them. They are out of work for 30 days. Although we met some wonderful people, locals and tourists alike on St. Martin, the island is not getting any safer. Good luck to you and your family...