The armed robbery of six visitors early Sunday morning (see Tuesday’s newspaper) is obviously highly undesirable. It occurred about 2:00am in Cole Bay.
They did the right thing by apparently not resisting too much, so none suffered serious physical injuries. No amount of cash or hopefully-insured jewellery is worth a human life.
Further details on a specific location weren’t mentioned, but the victims likely came from some establishment still open at that late hour. Depending on how far the exact spot of the regrettable incident was from such, this raises the question if there any security had been present.
Police cannot be everywhere, so it’s important that, especially nighttime businesses, provide adequate protection for their clients, not just in, but also outside the premises. After all, the traffic there is largely due to their activity and busy parking lots or surrounding areas remain favoured targets for thieves.
Mind you, security guards are usually unarmed, which limits their ability to intervene when criminals have guns. In these cases, they can nevertheless help by quickly notifying authorities.
Public safety remains essential to the destination and its tourism economy. Residents and guests alike are urged to be extra careful when exiting bars and casinos, particularly around closing time.
St. Maarten is not a vacation park or secluded resort but a real country with related problems. Make no mistake, upholding the reputation of “Friendly Island” takes all of us.
