Oak Park vs. Evanston (Naperville, Schaumburg: work, home, crime)

[adele115]

Originally Posted by Alter123

I just moved into a condo on Oak Park's west side, in the central section. I love it here, though the taxes are outrageous. Anyway, I've had problems with my garage door. I often leave it open by mistake. Once, recently, I left the garage door open over night.

There are two bicycles in the garage. In the five or so times I have left the garage door open, the bikes were left undisturbed. I've been reading this forum for a couple of months, with particular interest in OP, since I was going to purchase here, so I was a bit paranoid about this issue. So, I'm happy to report that there seems to be needless alarm being raised around this issue, and it makes me wonder whether people aren't being alarmist about crime in OP more generally.

This is from today's wednesday journal (this would make me a bit paranoid too):
[SIZE=4]Five more armed robberies in Oak Park
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Five armed robberies were committed in Oak Park last week, three with a handgun and two with knives. Two teens crossed the 200 block of North Austin Boulevard into Oak Park just before midnight, July 28. Both pulled handguns on a man standing in front of his apartment building and demanded his wallet. One gunman reportedly said, "If there's no money in here, I'm going to drop you." The second gunman then threw the wallet on the ground and took the man's cellphone and both men ran back across Austin.
Minutes later a man walking home from the Green Line CTA station was accosted by two men with guns who told him, "Drop everything and get out of here. We're taking all your stuff." When they pointed guns at the man, he screamed and ran to his nearby residence.
"It's got to be the same people," said Commander Clemet Harbour, who noted that police are doing interviews with various people and are preparing to conduct physical line-ups.
Harbour said he wasn't as sure about two men who robbed a Chicago man walking on the 700 block of South Maple around 9:30 p.m., Aug. 1, after cashing a check at a nearby currency exchange. One robber approached from the front while the second man placed a hard object, assumed to be a gun, against his back. The man gave up his wallet, which contained $750.
Around 8 p.m., July 29, a man holding what appeared to be a knife stopped a woman walking on the 6600 block of North Ave. and demanded her purse. The man fled when the woman screamed. Around 10:30 p.m., Aug. 3, a man walking in the alley behind the 1000 block of Lake St. next to Austin Gardens was confronted by a knife-wielding man who took his iPod.

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[BJT83]

I'm not trying to minimize crime in Oak Park, but there is a similarity in all of the above cases. The people were out, at night, alone. I'm not saying there's a formula to preventing or resisting violent crime, sometimes it just happens. I also understand you can't always be in a group or with a dog. However, I would never walk around my Oak Park neighborhood at night alone unless it was absolutely necessary, and I would do it very alertly (like in any urban Chicago neighborhood). My wife and I often walk our dog at night and I'm amazed at the amount of people I see walking around by themselves listening to their ipods. That's just a bad idea.

Oak Park is wonderful. I live in the Arts District and couldn't ask for anything more. There are countless galleries, restaurants, cafes, bookstores, etc. within blocks. I can get downtown via car or train in 20-25 min. The tradeoff is that there is a fair amount of crime. If I wanted to be more safe I'd live in Wheaton and hate my commute downtown.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Alter123

So, I'm happy to report that there seems to be needless alarm being raised around this issue, and it makes me wonder whether people aren't being alarmist about crime in OP more generally.

Yes, they are. I don't think most people move to Oak Park thinking it will be as crime free as Wheaton or St. Charles. Crime in Oak Park is much more comparable to a safe city neighborhood like Lincoln Park.

[adele115]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Yes, they are. I don't think most people move to Oak Park thinking it will be as crime free as Wheaton or St. Charles. Crime in Oak Park is much more comparable to a safe city neighborhood like Lincoln Park.

I would hate to live in those areas - blyuch I don't think I'm being an alarmist, but rather a realist w/ concerns about childhood safety (as well as adult). However, as I've said before, albeit for the crime concerns, Oak Park is wonderful. And yes, the Harrison Street Arts District is great - except for those Gillette shaped welcome towers

[adele115]

Originally Posted by Anthera

Adele,

You should read the Evanston Review online. There should be a police blotter.

Rather than give you my biased views on Evanston (though I do like Oak Park too), I would sugest that you drive up to Evanston this weekend. check out the lakefront beaches, have lunch downtown, maybe go to an open house.

Anthera,

Have spent a lot of time in Evanston over the years - I love it too!

[awerne]

I recently bought a new condo in Evanston at the Grand Bend Condominium on Emerson and Green Bay. I have family and many friends in the area and have spent a lot of time there. I can not say that I, or anyone I know has really had to worry about crime or their safety. I grew up in Naperville never giving much thought to the issue but I feel just as comfortable in Evanston as i did there. The area surrounding Green Bay and Emerson is clean and inviting and the last place I would imagine any trouble.

I love living here! Good luck to you.

[adele115]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Yes, they are. I don't think most people move to Oak Park thinking it will be as crime free as Wheaton or St. Charles. Crime in Oak Park is much more comparable to a safe city neighborhood like Lincoln Park.

In the sun-times there is an article here: Man's body found in Oak Park Dumpster :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Metro & Tri-State
about a man's body that was found in a dumpster face up near a grocer in Oak Park (near Jewell on Roosevelt I believe). Don't read much like this in Lincoln Park

[sukwoo]

Originally Posted by adele115

In the sun-times there is an article here: Man's body found in Oak Park Dumpster :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Metro & Tri-State
about a man's body that was found in a dumpster face up near a grocer in Oak Park (near Jewell on Roosevelt I believe). Don't read much like this in Lincoln Park

FWIW, there are no apparent signs of trauma. I'm sure homeless people are found dead in Lincoln Park on occasion too.

[adele115]

Originally Posted by sukwoo

FWIW, there are no apparent signs of trauma. I'm sure homeless people are found dead in Lincoln Park on occasion too.

Yes, though I'm suspicious about this one. Although Monday evening's storm was bad, the past two nights have been very pleasant, so there were many other sleeping options than a garbage container. Just because one is homeless doesn't mean there are basic aesthetic judgments. Though, if the trash compactor element was known, it could have been an option for someone looking to dispose of a body w/out a trace.

[adele115]

Originally Posted by adele115

Yes, though I'm suspicious about this one. Although Monday evening's storm was bad, the past two nights have been very pleasant, so there were many other sleeping options than a garbage container. Just because one is homeless doesn't mean there are basic aesthetic judgments. Though, if the trash compactor element was known, it could have been an option for someone looking to dispose of a body w/out a trace.

I forgot to add, there is another report that the man was actually "run through" the trash compactor" by a jewel employee (unknowingly). I don't know how the "no sign of trauma" came to be, but the trash compactor detail is more current than the article I posted>