Police officers arrested a man who snatched a mobile telephone and other items from a female visitor in Castries on Friday and fled.
The woman had disembarked from a visiting cruise ship.
According to reports, the incident unfolded at about 11:15 am near the Vendors' Arcade.
The President of the Saint Lucia Craft and Dry Goods Vendors Association, Peter 'Ras Ipa' Isaac, told St Lucia Times that such occurrences are bad for business.
"When things like that happen and the word spreads it only discourages people from disembarking from the cruise ships," Isaac asserted.
In addition, he explained other passengers who had already disembarked might return to their ships.
Isaac felt that generally Saint Lucians recognise the importance of tourism, its benefits, and the ripple effect that crimes against and harassment of visitors can have.
But he explained that some who are economically or otherwise in a bad situation might not have that mindset.
In this regard, Isaac spoke of the need to address the social issues contributing to crime.
Recalling Friday's phone snatching incident, Isaac told St Lucia Times that a young man assisted in apprehending the perpetrator.
He described the perpetrator as a 'well known character' around the vendors' arcade but not known to be involved in such 'unsavoury behaviour.'
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