TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Assault/Robbery near Flamingo over the weekend

Did anyone hear of this? It was friends of my friend...they were there altogether last year, this year just the one couple...2 men held them at gunpoint, took her purse w/$ and phone. A nearby man was gardening (so not sure of time yet) who approached to help them, the two gunmen took off, the resident man took them to police. The two victims have bumps on the head from the guns being jammed aside their heads. I'm in shock, I would have thought walking around that area was safe....this is so upsetting.

today is a holiday so there is no newspaper and no word of this incident...when did it happen?

I'm not exactly sure when, waiting for more word from the couple to my friend...just so unsettling, to close....

Singbeach,
Crime is everywhere. St. Martin has upwards of a couple of million visitors per year, and now has a booming population to boot. With so many people, there always will be some bad apples in the mix. We just returned after staying THREE glorious weeks, and I can say this year did not feel threatened at all. In fact, we noticed more police and gendarme presence than in previous years. Walking late night through Grand Case seemed a lot safer than in previous years...but remember people.....it is paradise...NOT Utopia.

As we all have heard many times before on this forum as well as any other travel forum...do not overdress. Leave the freakin' bling at home....Do NOT flash money around, and don't look like a target. Not saying it won't happen, but be aware of your surroundings, and NEVER let your guard down. Some people seem to do stupid things while on vacation...but that mistake can be huge. Common sense goes a long way.

As for being unsettling because it was close...do you feel the same way when picking up any local paper? I see you are from MA...does crime keep you out of going to Boston, Worcester, or any town in the great state of Mass??? There never is a day that there is not a report of a murder, a rape, a robbery, or something to report. After the horrific episode in Boston a few years back, Boston became ''Boston Strong''. Same is happening in SXM, more people are coming together to fight crime, but it will never be totally gone. Do Not Let hearing of one or two instances on the island scare you, or anyone else from going and enjoying vacation. Just use common sense.

Ed.
As you stated "we noticed more police and gendarme presence than in previous years" and there is still alot of reported incidents of crime now. Doesn't that bother you?

SXM??? Wendell

depends on the word ''bother''. Wendell, is there anyplace on earth totally safe?? Will I stop living my life because of the fear of crime??? I am not downplaying this robbery/assault, or any other robbery assault. The point is with millions of people, there always will be some troublemakers ''stirring the pot''. Noticing a greater police presence is something we all have been asking for for a long time now. I am glad that the government of SXM is starting to listen. Again...COMMON SENSE goes a long way.

I second your points, thanks.

With all due respect, you seem to be assuming that this couple did not use common sense and were, in effect, looking for it. Give them the benefit of doubt and at least wait until more details are available.

Thank you, married couple in mid 60s, just walking back to Flamingo timeshare, not flashy at all, simple, down to earth, normal. I would think in that area ok to walk safely....

Sadly in the world we live in today areas one assumes are safe zones aren't anymore.

Was it in the daytime?

I really can't say these victims did this

"As we all have heard many times before on this forum as well as any other travel forum...do not overdress. Leave the freakin' bling at home....Do NOT flash money around, and don't look like a target. Not saying it won't happen, but be aware of your surroundings, and NEVER let your guard down. Some people seem to do stupid things while on vacation...but that mistake can be huge. Common sense goes a long way.

I also can't say they didn't use common sense. And common sense is a relative term not everybodys is the same. So people which are deemed to have little shouldn't travel?

SXM??? Wendell

No, I did not assume this at all. It was a generalized statement. It was meant as it was written for everybody to be careful, and don't let your common sense or your guard down at any time. I do not know the details of this crime, but the point given was that crime is everywhere...not just in St. Martin. We all cannot continue to live in fear...but go on living but be careful. Everyday all over this world, innocent people are attacked, murdered or worse. It sucks, but unfortunately it is the world we live in. Saint Martin is no different.

That's exactly how I interpreted your comment.

This is disturbing. We are around that age, and we walk from BBB and/or Red Piano back to our unit at La Vista Beach at least once or twice each trip. We've never felt the need to be concerned for our safety in that area. I wear only costume jewelry on the island, and never carry a purse. I think that makes us less of a target, but who knows? If the crooks assume that my husband has a wad of cash in his wallet and decide to threaten us with guns to get it, then so be it. They'll get little, but it will still be an unsettling experience, and change yet another way we enjoy the island.

I hope we'll get more information about this attack.

Was there an article describing the events printed in The Daily Herald?

It would be nice to know the facts before conclusions are made...

Crime IS everywhere. And yes, common sense is necessary.

It's a sad statement though, that no one has said "Wow, those islanders are so friendly. They tried to help a tourist in trouble." There are GOOD and BAD everywhere. And THAT is perhaps the most important thing to remember.

I'm not absolutely certain this is the same incident but the Daily Herald--not the online version--reported that some tourists from the UK had the woman's handbag snatched at gunpoint around 10:30 PM on Friday night walking on "the main road between Atrium Hotel and Burger King". I guess that means Billy Folly. The woman's purse contained her smart phone but no money or credit cards. Others tried to console them and drove them to the Simpson Bay police station.

Not being political but until residents and or security people can arm themselves this will keep going on. These criminal punks know they can run a muck to rob people because they know they can't defend themselves. You can't even use pepper spray legally in St Maarten. Wasp spray is your only alternative. To bad they don't make wasp spray in small cans.

but they do scuba! By the way, expect a firestorm of pro and anti gun talk now!

No, do NOT expect pro and anti gun talk now, if this thread is to continue.

i agree but i can see it happening. thanks carol

Are you referring to pepper spray being legal or wasp spray in small cans?

wasp spray in small cans. I think i remember hearing about the pepper spray thing not being legal in st. maarten. I found the wasp spray in a small hardware store. I only needed a little bit so it was perfect. Had never seen it before that

Thanks. I'll be on the look out. I would think that would be something that the ACE in St Maarten would want to carry. Can't bring it from home in checked luggage due to TSA and airline restrictions.

exactly, perfect size for a trip. Try looking at or asking a local hardware store, not home depot types

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Wow, this is kinda scary. You would actually take your spouse to a vacation place where you think you might need mace/wasp spray? Where's the "common sense"

SXM??? Wendell

Lets see. The OP gives us a thumb nail sketch of what might have happened with her hope that she will have more to report. posters from that point on run with the ball making statements based on speculation and conjecture. Then Carol makes the only statement that may be helpful in understanding the incident even though her source has some different facts. So what happens? Craziness begins again. I wish that reason instead of emotion would prevail on this forum, but I fear that is just wishful thinking.

Crime is everywhere,but when it actually happens to you in a particular place especially with a gun it is unsettling. Folks should be aware and it should not be dismissed as everywhere. It's not just a bad experience, it is a life threatening experience and shan't be dismissed as crime is everywhere. Gun crime isn't anywhere I go a second time. So I will be vigilant on Sxm as potentially the only place I go intentionally knowing it is there to stay and have fun with this and past information knowing there are a few bad and violent apples on the island and I will take all the precautions already mentioned about jewelry, cash, purses, etc. sorry for the run on sentence.

My thoughts exactly.

Why would you second guess what someone does in order to feel safe?

The park near my home is very safe, BUT there have been a few assaults there over the years. If my daughter wanted to jog there, the rational side of me would say the odds of her being assaulted are microscopic. The dad side of me says take pepper spray just in case. Even though the odds of being a victim are low, the potential for harm is unlimited, and I would rather she have some protection than none at all - just in case. Where does your concept of "common sense" fit into this scenario?

It's just Wendell trying to jerk a chain. He does that on occasion.

I am extremely serious.
I don't understand why someone would user their vacation time, spend a lot of money on airfare for them and their family, spend 4 hours plus traveling, spend money for lodging to have a relaxing vacation to a place where they think they need to bring pepper spray along for safety.
Please explain this to me.

SXM??? Wendell

Wendell:
How does your last post help make the subject of the original post clearer or add additional material?

i don't get why there are always those that downplay the crime reports...if a crime happened, it happened, and people should be able to discuss the scenario in which it happened...no reason to needlessly inject "crime is everywhere, don't worry about it" into the threads

One of the first posts was "if you use common sense you will be ok". So that says to me the victims should have used common sense and they didn't and it is their fault. I don't understand why people keep blaming the victims. It is not right. And then I read people wanting to take mace ( which is illegal in SXM) or taking a mace substitute to their vacation destination.
The couple had a bad experience in SXM. I am sorry they had to go through that and it probably ruined the rest of their vacation. It is sad to think that some persons spent their hard earned money and looked forward to a great vacation and it was ruined by a thief.

SXM??? Wendell

Singbeach, do you have any further information concerning the robbery of the friends of your friends near Flamingo? Hopefully they are O.K.

I live in NYC and I carry neither pepper spray nor wasp spray (
i don't even know what this is ) so it is mind boggling to hear that people even consider this in St Martin........

When travelling, even in SXM we don't worry and don't take any kind of spray.We dress for poverty and we look like we could probably use a handout. Seems to work and a few years ago while sitting on the cement sidewalk in front of Le Grande Marche enjoying a sandwich from the deli section two local girl employees went inside the store and brought out a plastic chair for Judy to sit in. Looking old, pennyless and down and out sure seems to work.