How safe is Columbus? (Atlanta, Macon: sales, crime, house)

[admedlin]

To start off, I have lived here for 8 years - 4 years on campus at CSU, 4 years in my house in Midland. I almost feel like maybe I have been sheltered while I have been here and haven't paid much attention to crime in the area. I recently started working with A-Com in commercial sales and am getting a whole new perspective on what I thought was a safe city. I have a 2-year-old son and baby girl due in a few weeks so I have been paying much more attention to my surroundings.

Just in the last week I have met business owners who have lost almost $30,000 in the last few weeks from vandalism and theft. Cutting fences and stealing lawn mowing equipment, popping a security gate and stealing a car, vandalizing a park, breaking into cell phone stores, etc etc. I now have a different perspective from what I thought a few years ago.

So I am asking, how safe do you feel Columbus is? Share recent stories, vulnerable areas, your experiences.

[luv2belds97]

I think it depends on WHAT PART of Columbus you are in. I've been here for almost 3 years and I always hear that GENERALLY anything north of Macon Road is "safe". South of MACON road....... Not so much :/ im not sure how accurate that is though...

[admedlin]

Apparently not very. The AT&T store on Whittlesey was broken into fairly recently, very high traffic area.

I worked at the Verizon store on Macon Rd the beginning of this year. We had someone break the glass front door 3 times within 2 months, stole 10-20 phones on two occasions.

[DWColumbus]

I've never had any major crime problems with crime other than minor vandalism (kids messing with Halloween decoractions) I think working in security system sales, you are probably exposed to a lot of stories that you would not normally hear so I think that would make any city sound scary.

That being said Columbus does statistically have an above average crime. I really think more should be done to reduce that such as attracting more higher paying jobs to the area, investing in education and youth, tough laws, and strengtheing our police force.

For safety I usually feel safe in most parts of Columbus. I do take precautions like I would in any city such as always locking doors, not leaving valuable in my car, being aware, etc.

[Columbus1984]

Never had issues like I did in other cities, namely Orlando and Atlanta.

[luv2belds97]

What does Verizon pay people these days in Columbus?

[admedlin]

Originally Posted by luv2belds97

What does Verizon pay people these days in Columbus?

Usually in the form of $1 bills as direct deposit...

Actually pretty good, considering the level of work you are doing. I would say average sales reps are around $50-70k, customer service around $30-40k, business reps $60-80k. But I just left and they were making a LOT of changes, or at least there was a lot of talk about changes. Typically financial changes happen around March-April so who knows.

I do know that while the money is good there, the schedule was horrible. "Peak season" for me last year meant I had 3 days off between Thanksgiving and January. Granted there were some shorter days and holiday days, but still. Typical normal work week could be Sunday 10-6:30, Monday 7:30 - 5:30(leave around 6:30), Tuesday 10:30-8:30(leave around 9), off Wednesday and Thursday, Friday meeting 7-9, work 10-8:30(leave at 9:30), Saturday 7:30-5:30.

[Citizen Reporter]

Originally Posted by admedlin

Apparently not very. The AT&T store on Whittlesey was broken into fairly recently, very high traffic area.

I worked at the Verizon store on Macon Rd the beginning of this year. We had someone break the glass front door 3 times within 2 months, stole 10-20 phones on two occasions.

Midtown has gotten steadily worse over the last 2 years crime wise.
I have spoken to a couple of managers I have known for a long time who cannot wait to get out of there.
Car breakins in the middle of the afternoon,shoplifting and shoppers being confronted for money etc before they even enter the stores.
I honestly see that area going dormant business wise over the next 5 years due to crime.

[luv2belds97]

Originally Posted by Citizen Reporter

Midtown has gotten steadily worse over the last 2 years crime wise.
I have spoken to a couple of managers I have known for a long time who cannot wait to get out of there.
Car breakins in the middle of the afternoon,shoplifting and shoppers being confronted for money etc before they even enter the stores.
I honestly see that area going dormant business wise over the next 5 years due to crime.

Where is midtown again?

[luv2belds97]

Originally Posted by admedlin

Usually in the form of $1 bills as direct deposit...

Actually pretty good, considering the level of work you are doing. I would say average sales reps are around $50-70k, customer service around $30-40k, business reps $60-80k. But I just left and they were making a LOT of changes, or at least there was a lot of talk about changes. Typically financial changes happen around March-April so who knows.

I do know that while the money is good there, the schedule was horrible. "Peak season" for me last year meant I had 3 days off between Thanksgiving and January. Granted there were some shorter days and holiday days, but still. Typical normal work week could be Sunday 10-6:30, Monday 7:30 - 5:30(leave around 6:30), Tuesday 10:30-8:30(leave around 9), off Wednesday and Thursday, Friday meeting 7-9, work 10-8:30(leave at 9:30), Saturday 7:30-5:30.

That's good to know. I used to work for them in CA so I wanted to compare. Why did you leave?