This Forum Almost Had Me Scared About AZ (Phoenix, Mesa: violent crime, houses) - Arizona - City-Data Forum

relocate07 · 05-20-2007, 09:31 AM

While trying to make the decision about moving to AZ or not I came upon this forum to get some info about it. What I read terrified me about crime, gangs, immigration ect. Some of the people on this forum really have a negative view and that is fine, however when I started to think about my own state
Virginia it sounds very similar to AZ as far as the crime and imigration goes. Not the weather of course. I live about 15 miles outside of Richmond Va. At one time we were the murder capital. I am sure some of you have heard about the murders that have happened here. You don't go to downtown Richmond without being very careful because of shootings ect. In my neighborhood alone 2 streets over we have had murders, theft, you name it. Not to mention pedophiles. Illegals is an entire other discussion. they are here as well. They are all over my neighborhood, however they will also do work that others think is beneath them. When I get home I lock and deadbolt my door every time, but I am use to this. I still go outside, I still talk to my neighbors. My point is this. Crime is everwhere nowadays. Wether you are in AZ or Kalamazoo! You just have to be careful no matter where you live. Still love AZ and can't wait to get there. And if a year or two later I end up hating it, I will move!

Ponderosa · 05-20-2007, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by relocate07

While trying to make the decision about moving to AZ or not I came upon this forum to get some info about it. What I read terrified me about crime, gangs, immigration ect. Some of the people on this forum really have a negative view and that is fine, however when I started to think about my own state
Virginia it sounds very similar to AZ as far as the crime and imigration goes. Not the weather of course. I live about 15 miles outside of Richmond Va. At one time we were the murder capital. I am sure some of you have heard about the murders that have happened here. You don't go to downtown Richmond without being very careful because of shootings ect. In my neighborhood alone 2 streets over we have had murders, theft, you name it. Not to mention pedophiles. Illegals is an entire other discussion. they are here as well. They are all over my neighborhood, however they will also do work that others think is beneath them. When I get home I lock and deadbolt my door every time, but I am use to this. I still go outside, I still talk to my neighbors. My point is this. Crime is everwhere nowadays. Wether you are in AZ or Kalamazoo! You just have to be careful no matter where you live. Still love AZ and can't wait to get there. And if a year or two later I end up hating it, I will move!

That sounds nothing like the Arizona I live in. I have no fear of going downtown - other than the solitude

, I don't know anyone who has been murdered or robbed in my neighborhood or anywhere else, I lock my doors but don't worry too much if I forget about it, and there are spoiled teens in my neighborhood but that is the worst of it. I see bad stuff on the news but have never experienced any of it first hand.

relocate07 · 05-20-2007, 10:00 AM

What area do you live in?

MotleyCrew · 05-20-2007, 10:57 AM

We don't even lock our doors and keep our windows open at night when the weather permits. Not that I would recommend to folks to do that, we just feel very safe here. I also have two English Mastiffs. Every state we explore has something negative about it. In N.Ca in our sleepy mountain town we had an explosion of meth addicts and labs in the pines. We love going to Scottsdale in spite of the traffic and do not mind going to downtown Phoenix. Use precaution when visiting big cities everywhere. We love Arizona!

sablebaby · 05-20-2007, 11:36 AM

It's very rare that I feel unsafe where I live and wherever I go in phx. I do always lock my doors to my house and most especially in my car, just a precaution. The only crime I have had against me is two cars broken into and one stolen. My bf, two bikes and one motorcycle stolen. That's it! Oh, and a few possibly random incidents to our home. One, before we moved in, our front door lock was broken, once our power was turned off at the circuit breaker (I'm sure that was retaliation from an immature girl that we sold a car to), a can of dr. pepper sprayed on our car and garage door, stuff like that. I *think* it's because we are on a corner, or the kids in the neighborhood hate us. My bf once lectured and scared a boy that was next to our house throwing our rocks at passing cars. The kid has older brothers, so that MAY be the issue, but who knows? All the stuff to our house has been since we bought it last year. Never had so many little things happen before. Called the police once (when our power was turned off).

Take the opinions from some people with a grain of salt. Sure there's probably some truth to it, but you how people like to exaggerate.

ejk · 05-20-2007, 01:03 PM

I feel safe here. Pretty much the most I've seen so far has been stupid stuff which I've chalked up to vandalism by teens with too much time on their hands.

I have known a couple of people whose cars were stolen; they both lived in extremely nice neighborhoods and that's probably what made them victims. I'd rather deal with something like that than see somebody get hurt. Property crime is the least of my worries.

63ragtop · 05-20-2007, 01:56 PM

I haven't heard of any home break-ins from anyone I know of in AZ. I have heard of cars being stolen or things stolen out of people's driveways overnight. Most of this is in Tempe or Mesa.

I haven't heard of any personal crime, just property crime.

We had a bunch of misc. vandalism the first few years we bought our house. Garage door egged, someone did a burnout on our lawn, immature kid stuff. We found out later that the people who lived here and their kids were NOT liked by others. I think it took a few years for the idiots to figure out someone else lived here now.

I'm more concerned with people running the 4-way stop up the street and the kids who throw trash on my lawn on their way home from school.

I can't see anyone robbing my house when there are houses up the street that cost 2-3x as much. I am sure they have better stuff.

Cyanna · 05-20-2007, 02:34 PM

I lived in Higley, central Mesa and east Mesa and never had any problems with theft, vandalism, break-ins, violence, etc... The only problem I had was my tire being slashed at work late one night, most likely thanks to an ex-boyfriend who had a restraining order against him. That is the only incident I can recall in the 9 years I lived in Arizona. I had more damage done to my property in just my first year of living in the UK than I ever had my entire life of living in the United States.

TucsonDesertRat · 05-23-2007, 06:24 AM

Only almost? I guess we will have to try harder.

There are already too many folks here in our desert.

Go somewhere else :-)

Artliquide · 05-23-2007, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by relocate07

Crime is everwhere nowadays. Wether you are in AZ or Kalamazoo! You just have to be careful no matter where you live. Still love AZ and can't wait to get there. And if a year or two later I end up hating it, I will move!

Honestly, unless you're looking for some drug deals, want to join a gang, or purposefully place yourself in the most dangerous area in Phoenix, you have nothing to worry about. Phoenix is no worse than anywhere else, and there are much much worse places to be. Do be careful about car and identity theft. I've had my car stolen twice, and I make sure I always get my mail out of the mailbox so that no one steals it. We have very high rates for both of those crimes. Oh, and please drive safely on the freeway. We have too many accidents every day, and I come close to jumping out of my car to yell at someone who almost sideswiped me with my 6 month son in the car. But random violent crime? Not as much as it might seem, and it's very much dependent on location.