Based on reports to Noonsite from cruisers, petty theft is on the rise in the Caribbean in general. Cruisers should take basic safety precautions and use common sense when ashore. Avoid walking alone in isolated areas, especially at night. Don’t carry large amounts of cash around or wear expensive jewelry.
The risks of petty theft, pickpocketing and assault increases during regattas and festivals. Do not leave drinks unattended.
Petty Theft: The main tourist areas are generally safe, but petty crime, such as pick-pocketing and purse snatching, occurs. There have been reports of theft from vehicles, especially rental cars. Armed robberies and tourists being followed by people on motorcycles have also been reported. Burglaries and break-ins are common at resorts, beach houses, and hotels.
Drugs: Used as drug passageway from South America to Europe and North America. Don't leave bags unattended or agree to carry a package for anyone.
Shark Attack: Such attacks are extremely rare. The last known and reported attacked happened in December 2020 at Orient Bay, a popular beach in the northeastern part of the island when a 38-year-old female tourist was killed approximately 500 metres from shore.
Vandalism: When exiting or entering the Simpson Bay Lagoon under the Sandy Ground Bridge, watch out for groups of people gathering on the bridge as CSSN has received reports of objects being dropped from the bridge onto dinghies passing under the bridge.
Dinghy thieves operate throughout the Caribbean. Be sure to lift, chain, and lock your dinghy and outboard when not in use, especially at night. When leaving your dinghy ashore, ensure that your dinghy and outboard are securely locked.
AirTags and other cell based/Bluetooth tracking devices are being used by cruisers to track their dinghys/outboards. Some thieves are aware of this practice and may detect, locate and disable them. Understand the limitations of using tracking devices. (See this May 2024 Jost Van Dyke, BVI CSSN report.) The use of GPS trackers (rather than Bluetooth trackers) is recommended. See this Report by David Lyman.
Advice throughout the Caribbean is to remove items from the deck that may be tempting for thieves. When going ashore close all hatches, lock your boat, hide valuables out of sight and secure any loose items, including fuel/jerry cans and jugs. Keep the boat well-lit to deter boarders. It is also advisable to keep your cockpit/salon areas and hatches locked at night when sleeping onboard.
A new method of corruption appearing in Caribbean islands is for a “finders” fee to be demanded when a stolen dinghy is “found”. (See this Nov 2023 Tyrell Bay, Carriacou CSSN report and this Apr 2024 Clifton Harbour, SVG CSSN report.)
Unattended yachts anchored and moored in the Simpson Bay Lagoon area which is shared between Saint Martin (France) and Sint Maarten (The Netherlands) are often the target of burglars and thieves. In July, August and September of 2025, there were six reports of theft and burglary, from yachts in the Witch's Tit area made to the Caribbean Safety and Security Network (CSSN).
In late November, December 2024 and into January 2025 CSSN received eight reports of incidents involving vessels anchored or moored in the Simpson Bay Lagoon and Marigot Bay areas. See the following reports for more information.
The Caribbean Safety and Security Net (CSSN) collects and shares reliable reports of crimes against yachts in the Caribbean, helping cruisers make informed decisions.
The CSSN website offers current and past incident reports, stats, regional piracy info, and annual summaries. Here are some of the ways to use their site:
Visit the CSSN St. Martin (France) page or visit the CSSN Interactive Map to keep up to date with the latest incident reports. The CSSN Sint Maarten (Dutch) page may also be of interest.
Also review Noonsite Related Security Reports for St Martin and Related Security Reports for Sint Maarten.
See Emergencies in General Info.
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