How is crime in San Diego (Chula Vista, Vista: low crime, home, neighborhoods)

[johnny79]

I am thinking of relocating to San Diego, from a small town, where crime is minimal. I was wondering, if San Diego is the kinda place which would be safe enough to walk around at night?

[Just1Lion]

Originally Posted by johnny79

I am thinking of relocating to San Diego, from a small town, where crime is minimal. I was wondering, if San Diego is the kinda place which would be safe enough to walk around at night?

depends on what part your talking about. san diego the whole county? or san deigo the city itself?

[rickers]

I grew up In San Diego (InsainDiego !). When I was growing up it was great I moved to Montana 12 years ago after I was burglarized three times in one year in OB. I was assaulted by two jailbird types with no provocation whatsoever and lost a tooth. A neighbor of mine was walking along the sidewalk from the store and walked past three gang-bangers, (he should have crossed the street), he looked at one of them as he past them and the guy turned and went after him stabbing him seven times. There was one time when I was walking downtown back to my car after going to "The Street Scene", a big downtown concert event. I had to walk around a homeless couple having sex under a blanket right on the sidewalk. I am sooooo glad to be out of that dung hole and living in peace in Mayberry Montana. In our town I have never seen a homeless person or a panhandler at all. San Diego is jam packed with bums, fleas and cockroaches, I don't miss the fleas and roaches either.

[Sassberto]

San Diego is a low-crime city and county, but there is big-city crime and high crime areas. Although the most serious crime tends to be concentrated into a few areas, like much of Southern CA crime tends to be 'everywhere', i.e. things like break-ins, commercial robberies, vehicle-related crime happen every day in every city, even in the nicest areas. People are going to quote crime statistics, but if you are the victim of a crime, statistics become irrelevant. I have never been in a violent crime situation but have had numerous property crimes including home break-ins, car break ins, petty thefts, etc, mostly in the beach cities.

Is it safe to walk around at night? I would say in most of San Diego, yes, just don't linger too late and watch out for the main drags. In the residential neighborhoods, you're probably fine even in some of the worst areas. The beach cities and certain areas of the city itself definitely have risks late in the night but are for the most part ok.

However realistically, I don't know that I would be comfortable walking around at night anywhere but a more rural, or deeply suburban area far away from even the smaller suburban cities. The only reason being that even in the middle of the city, much San Diego is completely dead at night - no one walking around except the tweaker zombies.

[sav858]

OVERALL it's a very low crime city but still has crime. Violent crime is usually concentrated in a few neighborhoods.

I live in one of the highest crime neighborhoods, Pacific Beach, but have never really been a victim of a crime there. It's mainly petty crime that is a problem where I live not violent crime. I've accidentally left my car unlocked many times and yesterday left by passenger window down through the night, which I've done before, and nothing was stolen or has been in the past. I did have a friend that had his car stereo stolen a few years ago though.

Most of SD outside the high crime areas are fine to walk around at night as long as you use common sense and are not doing anything stupid. Coming from a small town there will be more crime but compared to most large cities it's pretty safe.

[iskray917]

San Diego by and large is a safe city. Although just as in any other city crime does happen in some areas. Just as in any other city, use common sense and I'm sure you will be safe.

[SD Observer]

There are only a few really dangerous crime areas in SD city.
On this forum do a "search" with these names :

City Heights, Encanto, Linclon Park, Chollas, Oak Park, Barrio Logan, Oceanview, Skyline.

Otherwise most of SD city and SD County are not bad.

[Encinitan]

On the news tonight, the headlines were that crime is way down in SD, so much so that the police chief and mayor are complaining about losing federal crime-fighting funding to cities where the crime rate is worse or on the rise.

[jksouthbay88]

Originally Posted by Encinitan

On the news tonight, the headlines were that crime is way down in SD, so much so that the police chief and mayor are complaining about losing federal crime-fighting funding to cities where the crime rate is worse or on the rise.

Not to foul this but it might be BS.They are always saying crime is down but there are crimes and even stats that City Police do not report.Down here in CV crime is up for the 1st half of 09 compared to either half of 08.Still somewhat safe and unsafe here in Chula Vista,but I still watch my back down here.

San Diego is kind of known as one of the worst cities/areas in the Nation for robberies and auto theft.Look it up.

[SEAandATL]

San Diego is safe for a large American city, but that's not saying much. San Diego is still an American city, so it still has its problems with crime and gangs. It's nothing like Tokyo, the most populated metro in the world which hardly has any crime. Overall though, as long as you take the same precautions as you would in any other city, you shouldn't have any problems. There are just the occasional but rare victims of random acts of violence.