Article from the BVI News Online:

BVI Police Commissioner speaks about Crimes

Major crimes increased in 2008 when compared to 2007 says the Police Commissioner.

Serious Assaults are up by 19%, Burglaries are up by 28%, Thefts are up by 11%.


http://www.bvinews.com/main.asp?Sec...p;amp;ArticleID=2491&TM=60983.71

Duplicate post this one is closed....

Unlocking this as the other one had to be removed...

I hope they can get this under-control.

I read about the tourist couple that was attacked near Socita Bank on Tuesday and the group of five individuals who were attacked near Queen Elizabeth Park.

Sophia

I saw the article about the three tents (4 campers) robbed on Feb 12th in Brewers Bay. I have always felt safe in the BVIs, but I think just like anywhere it is always best to not let down your guard.

Marcia

And.... I just realized we were in Brewers on Feb 12th for the day when this happened, but it wasn't us!

Yeah, I hope they can curb this, as well. Over the years, the appearance of guns, and the incidence of violent crime against persons has surely increased, not to mention theft. We can all name places in the Caribbean that have lost a huge percentage of their tourism due to increasing crime rates and/or publicity of such.

I suppose I am more concerned for the BVI's potential loss of revenues than I am of my risk of encountering crime.

It should be OK as long as you don't go out at night

The crime problem has a lot to do with tourists who are oblivious to their surroundings. Ive seen many get drunk in myetts for example and stagger down the street. They make themselves easy targets to get mugged. As for the thefts of electronics the Police Commissioner should have a comp stat meetings like the police in ny use. To identify the MO of the criminals. These theives are not stealing the goods for themselves but rather to fence them for money. He has got to get a handle on these and quality of life type crimes tomake the tourists feel safe. Several years ago I was there after the Lois Livingston murder. Their rush to judgement(round up the usual suspects like in casablanca), caused four innocent americans to be incarcerated for a crime they didn't committ. All this while the killer is free on the streets. While on vacation dont let your guard down and you should be ok..

It was Lois MacMillan and I am not all certain that the wrong folks were charged and one convicted only to have it overturned by the high court in London..sadly Lois was a friend and I was pretty close to the whole story..that said..our police could use some more training..to say the least..

My friend Jay Saltpeter was the PI hired by the family of one of the accused. He came away with the probable conclusion that it was a local, who had hid away in the back of her car. When she left the Jolly Roger he attacked her shortly before the westend police station. As for the conviction, it was based almost entirely on the word of an informant(life long liar) who had on seven prior occassions testified that other cellmates in other cases had confessed to him. He had recieved more confessions than some catholic priests. The last time I was there in May, my boat had been broken into while we dined at the last resort. The Police their need to be more proactive and not just report takers. With the economy the way it is their is already a decrease in tourism, you dont need to add crime to the bad mix....

..then I'm sure your friend also told you how the REAL star witness for the prosecution, the cab driver who drove the accused around that night, suddenly disappeared before the trial..he's back now with a nice taxicab..coincidence I'm sure..

All righty then! Since the content of this thread has gone way off in the wild blue yonder, I think we'll stop this one here..