Safety in Canberra?

That would be quite normal in most cities in Western Europe. But here I very rarely lock the doors of my house or even my car.

I did have my old Subaru stolen once. Well… the car doors were unlocked and the keys were somewhere in the car. I got the car back too! The cop that dealt with it was just fabulous, even though obviously it was my own stupid fault that the car got taken.

That’s the only incident I’ve experienced here in 14 years.

luther_bendross said :

SHERIDAN:

I don’t suppose you moved into a street beginning with ‘S’? Do you have cable ties around the hot water pipes just outside your laundry door? I only ask as I left Ainslie at around the same time for the very same reasons and sympathise quite heavily with your situation. If you think you may be in the house I’m suggesting, don’t hesitate to get in contact with me via the site’s moderator/overlord. I may not have any good news, but I may be able to offer a little bit of background and advice.

Is it an ex drug dealer house? Friend of mine moved into an ex drug dealers house and for up to 5 years afterwards would get people rocking up to the front door at 3am asking to score. Would then get told that that dude doesn’t live here anymore and they would sneak through the back yard looking for plants because they didn’t believe them.

luther_bendross said :

SHERIDAN:

I don’t suppose you moved into a street beginning with ‘S’? Do you have cable ties around the hot water pipes just outside your laundry door? I only ask as I left Ainslie at around the same time for the very same reasons and sympathise quite heavily with your situation. If you think you may be in the house I’m suggesting, don’t hesitate to get in contact with me via the site’s moderator/overlord. I may not have any good news, but I may be able to offer a little bit of background and advice.

This is a story in the making… do tell more… please =)

SHERIDAN:

I don’t suppose you moved into a street beginning with ‘S’? Do you have cable ties around the hot water pipes just outside your laundry door? I only ask as I left Ainslie at around the same time for the very same reasons and sympathise quite heavily with your situation. If you think you may be in the house I’m suggesting, don’t hesitate to get in contact with me via the site’s moderator/overlord. I may not have any good news, but I may be able to offer a little bit of background and advice.

I’ve lived in Canberra for 2 years now (Giralang & Harrison) and I have never had to call the police. I feel quite safe.
I lived in SW Sydney for 2.5 years and in that time we had 3 attempted home invasions when I was home alone which was scary as hell (hubby off with the army), we got burgled once and another time someone tried to steal my car and when they couldn’t steal it they trashed it instead.

Welcome to the wonderful world of gentrification. The inner north has only become super trendy relatively recently, and as happens the world over it can be a bumpy ride as all the cashed up trendies gradually flood in and flush out all the riff raff. Give it another few years and then all you will have to deal with is noise complaints from all the weeknight public service executive cocktail parties.

You need to pick your suburbs – it’s not always obvious.

Never had those issues where I am, I feel very safe most of the time. I think statistically Canberra is that way as well. I do think those issues would be more common in the Inner North though – doesn’t surprise me.

I’ve lived here 30ish years and think Canberra is as safe as anywhere. Sure Charny is a little Charny, and the closer you get to Civic the more likely you are to see/experience personal violence or drunken b & e’s, but on the whole I feel safer here than anywhere I have lived (Darwin, Brisbane, Melbourne).

If you like numbers, take a look at the canberra crime rates here :http://www.police.act.gov.au/community-safety/crime-statistics.aspx

Ainslie’s burglary rate is 7 times Charnwoods. That suprises me.

EvanJames said :

Are you at the southern end of Ainslie? It might be the proximity to Ainslie Village, or even just its walkable distance from Civic. You see a lot more “interesting” people and things in that area.. the public housing flats…

have friends who live on the walk up to the village and they have had their place hit on numerous occasions, usually prospectors, despite a large dog – have come in through the roof, snatch and run of kids’ pocket money coin jars and everything in between. street adjacent to them hasn’t had a single reason for alarm. so definitely a factor. and ainslie chemist is a methadone dispensary, so attracts sundry types… sorry to hear of your predicaments, but canberra is generally a ‘safe’ place – noting danger lurks in all corners of this funny globe (since when did a globe acquire corners, anyway? anyone?)