Area with the lowest crime?

Are they with Independent, the Body Corporate of the Year? Because those guys don’t care if a dozen cars are stolen in one night, they still won’t install any decent security!

Even if the residents all want to chip in for the cost, they still won’t do it.

This happened in my building in Braddon. The neighbours got to know each other over the weekly (at one stage) wait for the police rather than over any official “neighbourly barbeque” that anyone thought to put on.

I’m pretty happy with the outer inner North. I get accosted if I’m out late at night and there’s a bit of odd vandalism on soft targets like the shopping centre, street lights and the phone booth but nothing of value to private individuals is ever damaged or stolen.

Although a friend is starting a business at the shops so I might start to take a lot more interest in the public vandalism. What the hell is wrong with those people?

lumpy said :

I’m guessing by now you’ve made up your mind about your living situation, but if it’s any consolation, my poor little runabout has taken a flogging in Kingston. It’s the second time this year, having moved from a unit around the corner with an underground carpark, to one with a tenant carport all of 10 metres from my bedroom window. I’ve spoken to the body corporate and apparently vehicle break-in’s are rife in Kingston, even so in the underground carparks. Unfortunately, all I can do is fork out the $30 each time to have my lock re-attached. This morning, it was both front door locks ripped out. Nothing in sight in the car, other than a sun visor. A girl who lived a street over said her car was broken into for the 40c in her ashtray.

I’d without hesitation say Kingston is a safe area, but the same problems will happen anywhere. I feel your pain buddy!

Ever considered to just leave it unlocked?

I remember when I lived in Braddon and the neighbours across the road had their house broken into 3 times in 2 months. They said getting the lock and/or door repaired each time cost them more than the value of what got stolen. So they started leaving their front door unlocked, but installed an alarm (not back to base, not necessary for the average junkie thief).

I had someone go through my car the other night while it was parked on my driveway. It was unlocked (no, I’m not giving you my address). And I had a great laugh in the morning when I realised they must have taken ages to go through it as it was a humongous mess in there and left empty handed as the most valuable thing in my car is my daughter’s little ponies.

If it’s that predictable how about laying in wait with a baseball bat, or my personal fave, a samurai sword!

I’m guessing by now you’ve made up your mind about your living situation, but if it’s any consolation, my poor little runabout has taken a flogging in Kingston. It’s the second time this year, having moved from a unit around the corner with an underground carpark, to one with a tenant carport all of 10 metres from my bedroom window. I’ve spoken to the body corporate and apparently vehicle break-in’s are rife in Kingston, even so in the underground carparks. Unfortunately, all I can do is fork out the $30 each time to have my lock re-attached. This morning, it was both front door locks ripped out. Nothing in sight in the car, other than a sun visor. A girl who lived a street over said her car was broken into for the 40c in her ashtray.

I’d without hesitation say Kingston is a safe area, but the same problems will happen anywhere. I feel your pain buddy!

Pork Hunt said :

Where in Civic did you get a parking place for $50/week?

Unfortunately, this was the initial focal point of the OPs story for me too. And then I was sorry for your hardship. 🙂

Canberra is like any other city. It has “good” suburbs and “bad” suburbs. I’ve grown up here thus was lucky enough to have these drilled into me. If you want a quick and easy intro in Canberra suburbs, try this site; http://www.suburbantrends.com.au/

It uses heaps of official statistics (crime and economical) to give you a general idea of a particular suburb.

Ask around, do some homework, and you will quickly discover where you should live in Canberra.

Be aware however, that nowhere is 100% safe. My parents live in an affluent suburb in Canberra yet their street has been targeted by thieves repeatedly. Living in a nice “respectable” house does not protect you from crime. (Naturally.)

Where in Civic did you get a parking place for $50/week?

+1 on the car cover. They won’t bother, they’ll just move on to the next one. Bad luck for that person, but it’s not your car this time.

I have lived in Rivett, Holder, Stirling, Fisher, Dickson, Giralang, Downer and Waramanga, and lived on dark side streets and main roads, and have had no issues in any of those places.

I think that most of Canberra is pretty okay, you just have to park in areas that other posters have mentioned (closer to the house the better imho if not in a garage) and sensored, security lights make a huge difference. Good luck.

I live in Franklin, and the Franklin/ Harrison area is very low in crime. It’s about 10k from Civic: the equivalent of Red Hill or so, and there’s the excellent Redex (sorry, Red Rapid) along Flemingon. Potential problems are the availability of share accomodation. Not sure about that at all up this way. Also, you’re unlikely to have much of a yard up this way. A strip of green and maybe a concrete square and most people consider themselves lucky.