by Brian Major
Last updated: 12:31 PM ET, Tue April 1, 2014
The U.S. Embassy in Nassau, Bahamas this week issued its second crime alert in three months, advising U.S. citizens residing in and traveling to the warm weather destination to "remain on heightened alert to avoid being a victim of crime." The warning follows the Bahamas' prime minister's December statement that the recent crime upsurge threatens to thwart the country's tourism growth.
The Embassy's March 28 warning advises that U.S. citizens residing in or traveling to the Bahamas "should review their personal security plans" and "remain aware of [their] surroundings, including [at] local events" and "maintain a high level of vigilance."
The Embassy alert cited a March 16 robbery in which a motorist was shot and his motorcycle stolen; a March 20 carjacking attempt at the Caves Village Plaza and the attempted robbery of an armored truck near a Wendy's restaurant in the Cable Beach district on March 21.
"Armed robbery and violent crime remain major threats facing both U.S. citizens and residents of The Bahamas, including in areas frequented by tourists on New Providence and Grand Bahamas Islands," the alert reads. "In the past year, a number of U.S. citizens have fallen victim to armed robbery." The Royal Bahamas Police Force maintains a online database of crime statistics.
Obie Wilchcombe, the Bahamas' tourism minister told the Nassau Guardian in December that recent incidents of crime have obscured the country's improving tourism fortunes. "The truth is we have to get control of the situation," said Wilchcombe. "We have gone through a very difficult time as far as tourism is concerned. We're now finding a way out of it."
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