Sebastian / Vero Beach ? Relocation

[nurse shelly]

I lived in the Vero area from 1997-2004. We lost our home to Hurricane Frances. We had been looking to relocate to East Tn., so this just pushed us to go sooner! We were so over the snowbirds, the illegals and the HUMIDTY. I did enjoy living there, but I am sooo glad we moved.
I realize to some the comments about sex offenders may seem way off base; but let me assure you it is so very true. Florida is such a transient state. Many homeless persons migrate to the warm climate for winter. Many of these transients are persons with a criminal record and when "new" crimes are committed they are often sentenced to stay in the area after the sentence is served and they are then on probation or parole. Because of the high population in south Florida there probably just seems to be a higher pop of sex offenders, since they are everywhere in the US.
The last home we purchased was on a rural road (2 miles) of upscale homes 4 miles from the beach. I started looking up address on the internet when the state of Fl. began listing and was blown away by the number of sex offenders on our road!
One was a couple we had become very friendly with. The man had just finished a 10 year sentence for rape. Needless to say that friendship went by the wayside. Another was a man who was living in a apt. on the main grounds of a home. His family gave hime a place to live after he got out of prison.

The drug problem is prob just the same as elsewhere. Where we live now there is a terrible Meth problem. In Fl. it was cocaine. You see a little of everything on the beach-very visable area. The further south, the higher the pop, the more crime etc. It just stands to reason. Hutchinson Island is nice. South Hutch seems to attract more vagrants etc. And don't even get me started on the St. Lucie Co. Sherrifs dept.!!!

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by nurse shelly

I
I realize to some the comments about sex offenders may seem way off base; but let me assure you it is so very true. Florida is such a transient state. Many homeless persons migrate to the warm climate for winter. Many of these transients are persons with a criminal record and when "new" crimes are committed they are often sentenced to stay in the area after the sentence is served and they are then on probation or parole. Because of the high population in south Florida there probably just seems to be a higher pop of sex offenders, since they are everywhere in the US.

I'm so sorry about you losing your home in the hurricane, I've read how terrible things where here afterwards.

About the population...actually on City data you can see the percentages and the ratio of offenders to each citizen. Vero actually has one of the highest I've seen. Without looking it up I want to say about 130 or 148 to one. offender. MUCH higher than the metro areas you'd expect. It may be the sentencing like you said, there has to be a reason they pick here. Other than it's quiet and easy to blend in.

I'm in shock about the couple that you found out about I can't imagine you're reaction!

People love to make excuses for them for some reason like it was a statutory rape deal or something but they aren't believe ME I've read all their fliers and done the math... and you even see it on TV they have a 24/7 scroll that is on public access for the county which I didn't know about till I was clicking through the stations manually and saw my little Home Depot parking lot vagrant right on my TV. It's very unpleasant having to be on guard, luckily I only don't want to get skieved out, I have no young kids.

[Phoenix lady]

Originally Posted by nurse shelly

I lived in the Vero area from 1997-2004. We lost our home to Hurricane Frances. We had been looking to relocate to East Tn., so this just pushed us to go sooner! We were so over the snowbirds, the illegals and the HUMIDTY. I did enjoy living there, but I am sooo glad we moved.
I realize to some the comments about sex offenders may seem way off base; but let me assure you it is so very true. Florida is such a transient state. Many homeless persons migrate to the warm climate for winter. Many of these transients are persons with a criminal record and when "new" crimes are committed they are often sentenced to stay in the area after the sentence is served and they are then on probation or parole. Because of the high population in south Florida there probably just seems to be a higher pop of sex offenders, since they are everywhere in the US.
The last home we purchased was on a rural road (2 miles) of upscale homes 4 miles from the beach. I started looking up address on the internet when the state of Fl. began listing and was blown away by the number of sex offenders on our road!
One was a couple we had become very friendly with. The man had just finished a 10 year sentence for rape. Needless to say that friendship went by the wayside. Another was a man who was living in a apt. on the main grounds of a home. His family gave hime a place to live after he got out of prison.

The drug problem is prob just the same as elsewhere. Where we live now there is a terrible Meth problem. In Fl. it was cocaine. You see a little of everything on the beach-very visable area. The further south, the higher the pop, the more crime etc. It just stands to reason. Hutchinson Island is nice. South Hutch seems to attract more vagrants etc. And don't even get me started on the St. Lucie Co. Sherrifs dept.!!!

When I lived in Florida, I seemed to hear on the news alot about sexual offenders. And, lots of drug crimes. Here, you hear it but it's less even though there are millions of people. I guess being near the water, Florida is an easy way to smuggle drugs in.

[runswithscissors]

I hate to make this thread about beautiful Vero Beach all sex offender stuff but look what I just read:

8/25/08
TC PALM

VERO BEACH — A man found in the ceiling of the women's restroom at a local restaurant was charged with disorderly conduct by police Saturday.
Patrons and staff at Mulligan's Bar and Restaurant, 1025 Beachland Blvd., Vero Beach, said they saw David Michael Cantwell, 27, of the 9400 block of Seagrape Drive, Vero Beach, hiding in the ceiling above the women's toilets, with some of the ceiling tiles removed, the arrest affidavit said.
Staff at the bar determined Cantwell had gone into a storage room and climbed through the ceiling there to reach the women's restroom.

Cantwell posted $500 bail Sunday.

[floridasandy]

here is a positive for indian river county:
A national study that measures the economic status of U.S. states and metro areas is reporting that Indian River County is the only region in Florida experiencing an expansion.

[verobeach]

Jeez, I dunno but if you choose to see negative then negative it is! If a man hiding in the ceiling of a woman's bathroom is the worse crime of the day then I'd say it's a pretty safe place. We don't have drive-by shootings, no crack-head murders every night, no gangs... just a perv or two. We have tremendously beautiful beaches, great restaurants, nice people, and my property taxes just came down $1,000 from last year thanks to Governor Crist.

[floridasandy]

i agree verobeach! i would not want to live anywhere else in florida except maybe ponte vedra beach but i can't afford that! i have lived in several areas of florida and feel 100% safe in indian river county. that peeping tom story made news because it was so unusual, although that might be an unusual story anywhere. i wonder how long he was in the ceiling before they found him.