A safe area for an owner of expensive electronics...? (Chicago: apartment, renters)

[balps]

Hey guys, I'm trying to convince a couple of potential roommates (two dear friends of mine) that Chicago is the place to be when it comes to finding a new home after leaving the care and comfort of parents.

We're from the Detroit suburb of Clinton Township.

I'm 19 and they're both 20.

I'm trying to figure out a safe area to reside near Chicago for an owner of a Mac Pro, a large flat-screen Dell monitor, and a M-Audio Keystation Pro 88 Keyboard. My equipment is EXTREMELY valuable to me.

Rent can go as high as $1,200 (though $1,500 I can deal with). Hell, I'd go so far as to say rent is second to the safety of our valuables.

ANY help with this is much appreciated. Chicago is a GREAT city and I'm excited about the possibility of being a part of it!

Thanks.

[aragx6]

You're looking for a 3 bedroom then?

Honestly, just have good renters insurance -- break ins can happen anywhere. They are a lot more rare in high rises with doormen, but those are very expensive - you could easily spend $1200-$1500 a month on a 1 or 2 bedroom in one of those.

[i blame history]

I know others are far more informed than I, but I can at least speak for myself and say that I'm not sure I'd feel 100% carefree in any area, either inside or outside of Chicago. Some areas would be much worse than others, but there's always a risk.

My soon to be husband and I will be moving to the city with his guitars, his iMac, and my MacBook. Renter's insurance is required in Ohio, but apparently it's not required in Illinois. I was surprised to see that it's just "strongly recommended" in our lease, because in Ohio, you have to provide proof of insurance. Regardless, we're definitely getting the insurance, with a specific add on for his guitars. Our computers will be covered by the policy up to $10,000 I think it is, and you're able to pay extra to have them insured at a higher amount (I'm no insurance professional, so you'd have to look into all this; he's going to pay a little extra for the guitars to be "professionally" insured, as well).

Even in suburban Dayton, I worry about our stuff. Aside from the insurance, which is a must for you, it would probably be smart to avoid a garden/first floor apartment. I've read (around this forum) that garden units are usually less desirable due to bugs, flooding, and theft, and they are usually priced lower than higher units. Since cost of rent is second to your valuables, this shouldn't be an issue for you.

I'm not sure how much of a help this will be for comparison, but our insurance will probably be around $200-250 a year for our one bedroom in Edgewater. It definitely won't break the bank, especially when split between 3 people, and it is essentially priceless in the event that you need to replace your things.

[Lookout Kid]

Seems like a strange criteria in choosing a place to live. Burglaries happen everywhere, and you should just get good insurance. But if you want to choose a place soley based on fear of burglaries, just look at the statistics for every suburb and compare that way. It can easily be done on City-Data by searching each town.

[karlsch]

Originally Posted by balps

I'm trying to figure out a safe area to reside near Chicago for an owner of a Mac Pro, a large flat-screen Dell monitor, and a M-Audio Keystation Pro 88 Keyboard. My equipment is EXTREMELY valuable to me.

You aren't going to be targeted because you own these items. I know they are valuable to you, but there are probably at least a million people in the
Chicago area who own electronics that are worth far more.

[Chicago60614]

compared the violent crime, the theft of property is much more evenly spread around the city. Just find an area you like, and make sure it's secure.

I lived in a very nice area of the city on the 2nd floor in a building with 45 units. My place was broken into and I was robbed seemingly at random. It can happen anywhere. My doorknob was slightly loose, so I'm assuming that's all it took to target me.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by karlsch

You aren't going to be targeted because you own these items. I know they are valuable to you, but there are probably at least a million people in the
Chicago area who own electronics that are worth far more.

Seriously. How many kids out there have a nice computer and a keyboard? I'd say 90% of the people I know in the city have nicer stuff than this. It seems like a silly thing to worry about. Just get renter's insurance and stay off the ground floor.

[long101]

yea there are people that live in the "ghetto" that has the same stuff as you. I live in a pretty ****ty area and have a mac book, lcd tv, and a bunch of stuff and I also have renters insurance. I think its like 25 bucks a month for my area.

[eevee]

best way to protect your items is to not scream out to your new neighbors, "HEY THERE, I'VE GOT EXPENSIVE CRAP IN THIS APARTMENT!!!" the items you have are fairly small so can be easily snuck in (it's not like you have a 60" flat screen to smuggle in). put the computer in a regular box, ditto the flat screen, and just wrap something around the keyboard. it won't keep you 100% safe (really, nothing can), but you're more likely to be robbed if the crooks know there's something valuble there (it's the same reason it's advised to not leave boxes from expensive electronics hanging around outside after XMas. crooks see you got a new Playstation 3 and TV from the boxes left outsidein the alley and just zero in on you).

the only time I've had property stolen, it was an inside job (former bitter roommate, LL didn't change locks as promised). be choosy in who you bring over, don't just let any random stranger in your house b/c they decide to scout it out and come back later to steal stuff.

everything else is just basic common sense stuff. try avoiding living on the 1st floor, check for sturdy door and window locks, ask the LL if the locks has been/will be changed between tenants, don't hide keys under doormats and potted plants (don't laugh, I know people that live in major cities that STILL do this), etc. get renter's insurance, lock doors, and make back up copies of important files and store them somewhere else. all that should cover you

if you're really paranoid, invest in a small, well trained watchdog. doesn't need to be huge, just well trained (this is important, you only want the dog to bark when there are intruders, not everytime a car honks) and loud. and if you're super paranoid, invest in a German bred, Schutzhund trained Belgian sheepdog

[Attrill]

As others are saying it is more important to look at the security of the building you're moving to than the neighborhood. Some other important things to check are:
- Alley access. Is access to the alley secured by a good fence/gate/metal door?
- Front yard access. Same as above. A good gate that locks to get into the front yard as well as another for the side walkway is important.
- Good doors and locks. Don't just check the doors themselves, but also the door jambs. Make sure they're solid. Make sure the deadbolts travel fully into the locks, you can have a massive unbreakable lock, but if the deadbolt only goes 1/2" into the jamb it can be popped pretty easily. Be wary of any place that has obvious crowbar marks by the locks on the door jamb.

Regardless of what stuff is worth, it always sucks to lose it. Renters insurance does help to soften the blow tho'. Someone broke into my garage a few years ago and took most of my tools (about $4,000 worth). I had documented everything that was stolen and the insurance adjuster was fair. With the insurance money I was able to get better tools in some cases, and within a year I had a much better set up than before the break in.