Avoiding Crime during Caribbean Travel

Crime is one thing that can ruin your Caribbean vacation in a heartbeat. If your information is stolen, you may have to rebook flights, leave early, contact your credit card company while on vacation and generally stress out over the items that were stolen. Most anything is up for grabs, including money and traveler’s checks, cameras and other technological equipment, passports, plane tickets, jewelry, and other things that you carry with you or leave in your hotel room. If you want to enjoy your Caribbean vacation the best way possible, take steps to avoid being the victim of crime in the Caribbean.

First and foremost, if you are a tourist, local pickpockets will assume that you are an easy target. Don’t be. Stay aware of your surrounding at all times and if you are carry money or anything valuable, make sure that if is somewhere very secure. For example, carry a purse under your arm instead of a backpack, which can easily be unzipped without you noticing.

Another common way to avoid crime is to consider how you are dressing. Of course you’ll want to look your best, but if you dress too flashy, thieves will know that you are a tourist and that you have money. Avoid wearing expensive jewelry or carrying designing purses. Instead, go for a more casual look. You’ll be more comfortable that way anyway.

In fact, leave your valuables at home all together. That’s the best way to keep them from getting stolen on your Caribbean vacation! Travel light—if you look like you’re ready to run after a thief to catch him or her, the thief won’t approach you. However, if you’re carry two heavy suitcases and have a camera case around your neck and a purse under you arm, a thief can quickly grab the money from your back pocket and run off without worrying that you’ll case him. If you do have to carry valuables with you for whatever reason, keep them locked in the hotel safe during the day. Remember, maids and other hotel personnel can rob you too, unless you use the safe, and that will be hard to prove if it happens.

Lastly, remember to protect your items at home as well. Have someone watch your house while you are traveling to the Caribbean to make sure that it is safe. You can even ask a friend or relative to stay there to defer thieves as well as take care of your pets and plants. Another tip is to make sure that your luggage is clearly marked with your name and address in case it gets lost, but at the same time, make sure that this identification is covered so that the person standing next to you can’t clearly read it. If a thief sees an entire family leaving on vacation ad reads you address, he or she can easily rob your home since you will definitely not be there.