Violent crimes against tourists are very, very rare. Hundreds of thousands of tourists from North America visit Belize annually and most come to Ambergris Caye. We have crime. We have too much crime. Most of that crime is property related and non violent. Violent crime tends to involve those involved with violence, as you'll find in most places. Don't do things you wouldn't think were unsafe to do anywhere else and you'll have a safe and fabulous time here. I'm not from the USA, but from the UK. I've lived here over 10 years. The only crime we've experienced was when a very old, unlocked, rusty bike was stolen 8 years ago. We go out at night. We drink alcoholic beverages and, at different times, visit all areas of the caye. Sadly, people enjoy reporting and reading about bad news more than good news. There is no reason for any recent events to leave you concerned unless you plan to hang out with gang members and drug dealers.