You Can't Escape Crime (Memphis, Germantown: apartment complex, insurance, violent crime)

[strumpeace]

I came home to my Cordova apartment on Christmas night and noticed that police cars and a channel 5 news van were in the parking lot. As it turns out, a person was carjacked at my apartment complex.

So for anyone who visits this forum and thinks that moving just a little further east will get him/her away from the crime -- Think again.

[tigergal]

Originally Posted by strumpeace

I came home to my Cordova apartment on Christmas night and noticed that police cars and a channel 5 news van were in the parking lot. As it turns out, a person was carjacked at my apartment complex.

So for anyone who visits this forum and thinks that moving just a little further east will get him/her away from the crime -- Think again.

It's unnerving, isn't it? The armed robbers that robbed the woman and her four kids at gunpoint at the Baptist rehab in Germantown, wound up going through my parents' neighborhood in Cordova, then fleeing through my neighborhood before being caught. It doesn't leave you with a feeling of security, for sure. The police were at the house three doors down from us on a drug raid a few weeks ago. I hate that I'm anxious walking in and out of my house when my kid's with me. Add to that that within the past month there were two attempted kidnappings (one of a 6 year old and one of a 15 year old girl) very near my house and it doesn't give me the warm fuzzies.

I'm longing to get out of an urban environment. We have found a place we'd love to live out West - a place where the major news story for the past month has been whether the road north out of town should be two lanes or four.

[strumpeace]

I have a job interview in a nice rural place in another state tomorrow. The irony -- being a city planner in a tiny town.

I have those same feelings of anxiety. Last night, as I was getting out of my car to go inside my apartment, a man in a hooded sweatshirt approached me. (Keep in mind this is one night after the carjacking.) I told my wife and son to go on inside. My wife was scared. It was dark and rainy and here's a stranger with his head covered walking up to us. Turns out his car battery was dead. I have never once hesitated to help someone in that kind of situation, but last night for a moment, I thought that I should run like hell. I didn't, and all was well. But I don't like living with unease.

[tigergal]

Originally Posted by strumpeace

I have a job interview in a nice rural place in another state tomorrow. The irony -- being a city planner in a tiny town.

I have those same feelings of anxiety. Last night, as I was getting out of my car to go inside my apartment, a man in a hooded sweatshirt approached me. (Keep in mind this is one night after the carjacking.) I told my wife and son to go on inside. My wife was scared. It was dark and rainy and here's a stranger with his head covered walking up to us. Turns out his car battery was dead. I have never once hesitated to help someone in that kind of situation, but last night for a moment, I thought that I should run like hell. I didn't, and all was well. But I don't like living with unease.

Good luck! DH is supposed to be flying out for interviews in NE Montana in a couple of weeks.

I think what's going on disproves the adage that if you stay away from the worst areas of town, you don't have to worry about crime.

[Pearlbob]

Not to start anything, but I've never understood the reasoning in moving to the burbs to get away from crime. I mean...I understand the reasoning I guess, but....criminals have cars too And if a criminal really wants to make some money, they aren't going to rob someone in their own poor neighborhood, they are going to find some middle or upper class people to rob, which means branching out into other areas.

Obviously the further away you live, the less crime you'll have. But I've known a lot of people in Cordova who have had their cars broken into at their apt buildings or when they are in restaurants or bars. Whenever you live around a lot of people, you'll have some crime, no matter if it's a predominantly upscale area or not.

Now...moving to Montana, that's another story Cattle can't rob you. Just kidding.

[tigergal]

Originally Posted by Pearlbob

Not to start anything, but I've never understood the reasoning in moving to the burbs to get away from crime. I mean...I understand the reasoning I guess, but....criminals have cars too And if a criminal really wants to make some money, they aren't going to rob someone in their own poor neighborhood, they are going to find some middle or upper class people to rob, which means branching out into other areas.

Obviously the further away you live, the less crime you'll have. But I've known a lot of people in Cordova who have had their cars broken into at their apt buildings or when they are in restaurants or bars. Whenever you live around a lot of people, you'll have some crime, no matter if it's a predominantly upscale area or not.

Now...moving to Montana, that's another story Cattle can't rob you. Just kidding.

We stayed out in this area because I've lived in Cordova all of my life. Ten years ago, the crime scene was non-existent. Maybe a few cars stolen and the like, but the kind of crime where you won't walk out to your car in your own driveway at night? No way. Cars being broken into isn't the big issue for me - that's why I have insurance. Cops having to go in with large guns to the house 3 down from me and fools running around with guns robbing people in their driveways? That bothers me. The crime problem wasn't as prevalent when the Sherriff's dept was in jurisdiction as opposed MPD. They even used to come when you called them. On July 4th, we called the police because some idiot was shooting a gun repeatedly to "celebrate". As of yet, the police have not shown up.


And no need to kid - cattle can't rob you. We were talking to some folks out there a week or so ago and they were talking about how they never lock their doors. When we asked if they at least locked up when they went out of town, their response was "But what if the neighbors need something out of your house?" They weren't kidding. Like they say, -40 degree weather keeps out the riff-raff.

[Pearlbob]

Oh, understandable about the violent crime. But seems to be pretty few and far between in most nicer areas of Memphis and the burbs. Bad things can happen anywhere, but I wouldn't move just because of one bad event. You can live in a million dollar home in Southwind and still get robbed at gunpoint.

I'm sure you have plenty of reasons to move, I don't mean to pinpoint you in particular. Just saying, overall....if you try running from crime, you better have some good leg muscles because you'll be running for a while!

And I agree, where I lived a few years ago, we left our door unlocked often. At least, we didn't purposely and OCD-ly lock it at night and double check it. Looking back, I guess it was nice, but it's not like "being safe" causes me a lot of concern now here in Memphis. It's just a smart way to live. I just can't bring myself to worry about "what ifs" right now.

[tigergal]

Originally Posted by Pearlbob

Oh, understandable about the violent crime. But seems to be pretty few and far between in most nicer areas of Memphis and the burbs. Bad things can happen anywhere, but I wouldn't move just because of one bad event. You can live in a million dollar home in Southwind and still get robbed at gunpoint.

I'm sure you have plenty of reasons to move, I don't mean to pinpoint you in particular. Just saying, overall....if you try running from crime, you better have some good leg muscles because you'll be running for a while!

And I agree, where I lived a few years ago, we left our door unlocked often. At least, we didn't purposely and OCD-ly lock it at night and double check it. Looking back, I guess it was nice, but it's not like "being safe" causes me a lot of concern now here in Memphis. It's just a smart way to live. I just can't bring myself to worry about "what ifs" right now.

I was a lot easier living in a city and felt comfortable with taking precautions until I had a small person depending on me to keep them safe.

I'm not running from crime - I'll be walking away happily from the hustle and bustle of the urban landscape. I like fresh air, lots of space and scenery - none of which are in great abundance here (or any city, really)!

[Pearlbob]

Well exactly, there are tons of reasons to want to move into a more rural area. For people who want to have the conveniences of a big city, tons of restaurants, cultures, companies, etc....crime is unfortunately just a way of life.

And I just caught on to the weather comment....yes, -40 below and 10 feet of snow will keep most criminals away

Originally Posted by tigergal

I was a lot easier living in a city and felt comfortable with taking precautions until I had a small person depending on me to keep them safe.

I'm not running from crime - I'll be walking away happily from the hustle and bustle of the urban landscape. I like fresh air, lots of space and scenery - none of which are in great abundance here (or any city, really)!

[UofMGrad92]

This map shows the criminal homicides in Memphis this year (non-justifiable homicides are at 132, with 28 justifiable homicides). As you can see, the only one in Cordova is the woman and the thug from Nutbush who killed her ex-boyfriend at the Woodchase apartments. Not that Cordova is crime free, but it clearly is safer (at least from getting killed) than the rest of Memphis.