have stayed in st. martin for many years. never felt unsafe and been everywhere night and day. my question then , can I still walk around grand case and marigot at night.? can I drive saftley betwen these two cities and esmeralda resort without encountering problems. I used to go grocery shopping at the end of the day in culdisac too. Can anyone bring me up to date on moving about the saftey of the island these days?

Regarding walking around Grand Case and Marigot safely in the evening, that is something only a fortune teller can tell you. Some will say that it is safe as long as you are aware of your surroundings and then there will be those that would not walk around later in the evening, when crowds are less. In fact there was a post about 1 year ago that talked about a pocketbook theft in Grand Case that turned violent BECAUSE the woman refused to give up the purse. Lesson 1 - do not bring a pocketbook but if you do, release it if someone is attempting to take it. Deal with the problem immediately afterwards when you are safe and sound.

As an example, we took a cab to Marigot one evening and the driver was extremely cautious. He made sure he met us at the door of the restaurant to escort us back to the cab. You could tell that he was nervous. The time was around 9:30 PM. This being said, there are those that don't think twice about going to either later in the evening and will tell you the same. It is your choice and since you sound very cautious about this to begin with, maybe you should not go in the evening unless you are going by cab. That way, the answer is simple and clean.

Driving around the island in the evening, to me is simple as long as I am on the Dutch side where the roads are better lit. I have always found the French side to be intimidating and poorly lit, especially on a rainy evening.

[www.vrbo.com]

Life is not a child's game of follow the Leader. Instead, life is more about finding one's own purpose in life....your life's plan, and then making a positive difference on earth.

No you shouldn't drive at night to many locations. We used to leave casino Royale at 1 or 2 AM and drove back to Anse Marcel without fear. But those safe DAYS from the 80's & early 90's are over & gone.Don't stop if a car bumps into your car and they want you to stop. Drive to a police station or your hotel. Don't wear gold jewelry or flash money anywhere.The island has changed and under a crimewave.Last Feb a criminal group on SXM got our CC # which was only used once 10 months before to charge AA tickets and never used again. They 3 men & one woman charged $5000.00 worth of goods & food services in a few hrs. Luckily for the merchants I call home everyday and CITI Bank called about usual charges. We called the bank and cancelled the card that morning. SXM has all types of crime now just like everywhere else. Plus the criminals waited a week after we arrived to start charging thinking we wouldn't realize the activity until our statement arrived a month later. good luck. P.S. Never leave anything in your rental car ever!

Bob, if you used that credit card only once, and from what you say only for AA tickets purchased over the phone at home, then the only place that your number could have been stolen was from someone in the US who knew where you where going. It couldn't have been from someone in SXM. Somehow it seems that someone followed your purchase to where you were going (possibly a thief within AA's ticketing dept) and figured that since you were on vacation for an extended period of time, you would never check. With your scenario, there is no other possibilities on where the thief originated his/her crime. You can't fault SXM for that one.

BUT that does not mean that people on the island don't do this as well. They have been known to do this in the past although I haven't read about any lately. Try to only use your card in places that you really feel are trustworthy and if you are in a place that takes your card away from the table and you want to be diligent, then rather than wait for the waiter to come and collect the bill and the card, bring your card directly to the cashier and watch carefully as they swipe it and return it to you. To me, that is the only way to know for sure that the number is not stolen.

[www.vrbo.com]

Life is not a child's game of follow the Leader. Instead, life is more about finding one's own purpose in life....your life's plan, and then making a positive difference on earth.

oR HOW about someone inside the credit companys security department. If the phoney charges were made while you were on de island who would know that better then them and they know how quick the card co is to right off bogus charges.

Actually BobP,
I have read your posting of this crime before and never commented on it. But the same thing happened to me with my Amex card that I use alll the time, in NY and in SXM.
When I got home from SXM there were multiple messages on my machine from Amex. Over $4000 in charges and gift certificates. They immediately cancelled the card. When I asked what happened, they told me I would never know.
I reported the charges/crime etc to the Police Deptin NYC and filed a complaint. They told me it is almost ALWAYS an inside job.
They actually had my card replicated and used it in Michigan (while I was in SXM charging on my real card). The reason I even know that much is they left a tip at Ruby Tuesdays up there.
Good luck
irina

Irina & John, Our CC was used on a totally secure GOV computor to book our tickets in April 07. The CC was never used again. The French police HQ told us when filing our report that a group from S. America is operating (3 men & 1 women) on SXM and commiting CC crimes. Only one of the men spoke english to the casher at Romeo & Juliet Shoe Store.They also used a blank CC's and made a CC with our # & name. They waited about a week after our arrival to charge items & food. A well known restaurant on the Dutch side allowed them to make a .02 cent charge to see if it would work. Then they charged a dinner for over $150.00.What's wrong with these restaurant owners/cashiers allowing a 2 cent charge on a CC as a test. They set the restaurant up to lose the total charge.IMO, our info was given out by someone at PJIA working with the criminals.They never figured on me calling home every day. They could only use the CC for a few hrs before we cancelled.We lost nothing the merchants got stuck for $5000.00.Now we use a new CC for charging AA tickets and cancel the card right after the purchase.I don't want those SOB'S to profit from the CC company or have SXM merchants lose more $$$$ to them.Plus it kills a day running after the police to get them to take a report.Do you mean a theif wait 8 months with our cc# until we arrived, I think not.IMO, when we arrived someone at the airport either AA or imigration passed our CC info on to the criminals. Thinking they were so smart to wait a week to begin using the CC.Inaddition not one cashier asked them for I.D. and the businesses didn't have video tape of the transactions or customers.If they had taping systems in their shops at least the police could look for them And hopefully deter criminals.Talk to ya, Bob

How did they get your cc number Bob?

[www.vrbo.com]

Life is not a child's game of follow the Leader. Instead, life is more about finding one's own purpose in life....your life's plan, and then making a positive difference on earth.

sOUNDS like a cc security issue to me. How would anyone at pjia ever get the cc number if you didn't use it there. Once you charge the tickets the cc number or the security code doesn't travel with them. But the people at the cc security department would have access to the uses and all that info and the ticket stuff to. No? Its gotta be someone inside the credit card company scamming cause theyd have access from ticket purchase of your dates and would know that most of us wouldnt be checking from home every day. Methinks your blaiming the wrong parties and oughta take a good hard look at the company your cc is with.

Did you, by chance, call your credit card company to tell them that you were traveling? I have heard some horror stories about doing that. I call my CC company (CapOne) to let them know but have not had anything happen as of yet.

[www.vrbo.com]

Life is not a child's game of follow the Leader. Instead, life is more about finding one's own purpose in life....your life's plan, and then making a positive difference on earth.

Anon, Methinks you have it wrong.AA doesn't use their own people at pjia anymore its a private company hired by AA.No criminal will wait 8 months for us to arrive on SXM and then wait a week to MAKE a CC and start charging.Do you actually know if your info can't be taken at the airport. I'm sure your purchase record is in their computor.Many times we have changed our dates of travel at AA on SXM and they have everything right in front of them.Again, IMO no criminal will hold your info for 8 months and then have to find out you really did arrive on island.There may be connection withthe immigration people too.Remember many of them were arrested for sneaking people into SXM for $$$$$.No we didn't notify our CC company we were traveling.This criminal group has blank CC's & equptment to produce your banks CC with peoples info on it.This group isn't kids and they are well organized and have contacts because most don't speak or write english.becarefull