Overall Crime and Safety:

Although boardings and theft from yachts in the Caribbean are not unusual, Saint Lucia does suffer its fair share of incidents, particularly in Rodney Bay, Vieux Fort and most recently in Soufriere and Anse Canaries.

Specific areas of concern:

Cruisers should take basic safety precautions and use common sense when leaving the boat or going ashore at night. This includes locking your boat – securing all hatches and doors and stowing anything of value out of sight (in particular loose deck items of value). Avoid wearing anything of value ashore. Keep a record of serial numbers/photos stored in a secure place for purposes of investigation and proof of ownership should a theft occur. Cruisers have reported purse snatching attempts in broad daylight in the past.

There have been four reported armed robberies or attempted armed robberies on yachts at anchor at Soufriere and Anse Canaries since July 2022.

See security reports for St. Lucia and Related User Comments below for more information on security incidents experienced by cruisers.

Maritime Issues:

Thefts of locked dinghies and outboards from yachts anchored off Reduit Beach, Gros Islet, at the Gros Islet dinghy dock, Pigeon Island and in the inner lagoon at Rodney Bay continue to be reported. Best advice is to place your dinghy and outboard on deck and chain them overnight and NEVER leave your dinghy (and items in the dinghy) unlocked when leaving it ashore.

Incidents of theft and attempted theft from yachts continue to be reported to CSSN, both inside and outside the lagoon in Marigot Bay.

If heading to Soufriere to see the Pitons and Bat Caves, be aware that this part of the Island has suffered security issues in the past and continues to do so. Night boardings and burglaries have been a problem in the past, but in the latest incident reported by CSSN (August 2022), armed assailants attacked crew members of a yacht that was on a mooring.  See Latest Reported Incidents below.

Dinghy thefts continue to be reported to CSSN and it is vital to lift, lock and secure your dinghy at all times when it is unattended.  Do not leave any items on deck or in cockpits that could be easy targets for would be thieves.

Lock up well at night or if going ashore and it’s strongly recommended to employ a watchman if leaving the boat unattended. Also in Soufriere, cruisers were ‘mugged’ at the Hummingbird Resort dock (in March 2016,) when returning back from dinner to board their dinghy to go back to the boat. 

Daytime burglaries continue to be reported by cruisers leaving their boats at anchor in Vieux Fort while traveling to the airport to check-in with immigration and/or collect guests from arriving flights. It is recommended that at least one crew member be left on board at all times and anything of value be concealed out of sight. Overnighting in the port is not a good idea. Sadly, a British cruiser was killed defending his wife against armed borders in Vieux Fort in January 2014 (finally sentenced to imprisonment in March 2020). 

The Caribbean Safety and Security Net provide information by anchorage or by the island. If you experience a boarding, robbery or attack on your yacht or have information about a yachting-related security incident, go to the CSSN homepage and click on the “Report an Incident” icon.

Latest Reported Incidents:

• Anse Canaries, October 2022:  Attempted Robbery on Yacht at Anchor
  
• Soufriere, October 2022:  Another Armed Assault on Moored Yacht
  
• Soufriere, August 2022:  Armed Assault on Moored Yacht.
  
• Anse Canaries, July 2022:  Armed Robbery on Catamaran at Anchor
  
• Rodney Bay, July 2022:  Dinghy stolen from yacht at anchor.
• Soufriere, July 2022:  In-water and not locked dinghy stolen from yacht.
• Soufriere,  February 2020: Solo sailor was boarded by armed men, assaulted and robbed.
• Rodney Bay, January 2020: Dinghy and outboard theft.
• Rodney Bay, Gros Islet, November 2019: Dinghy and outboard theft.

Last updated:  October 2022