Neighborhood safety question (Century City/West LA area vs. Miracle Mile) (Los Angeles: rent, gated)

[dazed/and/confused]

Hi,

I've recently moved to Los Angeles and have been looking for a place to live. I'm a 22 year old female and my budget is roughly $900/month or less.
I found a pretty nice place on the 600 block of S Cochran, between Wilshire and 3rd, but I'm concerned about the safety of the neighborhood (one of the people living there told me that his car was broken into several times in the past few years and was ever stolen, but later retrieved, at one point). The place is reasonably priced but doesn't have parking and I heard that it was an issue.
I've also been looking at some studios in West LA, mostly in Brentwood and Westwood, and there is one particular place in Century City, near the Westfield mall, that looks pretty good. It is right at the higher end of my price-range, but if its in a significantly better area, I'm willing to pay that premium.

Should I rent the S Cochran unit or pay a bit more for a place in West LA?

Thanks!

[BRinSM]

where will you be working, i think that should be your ultimate deciding factor.

[greggd]

Convenience to work as per BR above is key.

Are both units security gated, parking secure at the more expensive location.
Personally, i would recommend a secure parking spot for your unit. Finding a spot on the street everyday can become a bit of a hassle to a major hassel.

The westfield area is a great area, no doubt about it. If its close to work, more secure, a comparable or better unit, go with it. Keep in mind air flow, which direction the windows open etc.