Crime and being seniors (Portland, Eugene: for sale, crime rate, homes)

[The Lyin' King]

I trained in San Diego and on "The Hill" at Mare Island.

Home ported out of San Diego I lived every where the Navy sent me during my six years of service and deployments at sea. I served at the pleasure of the Admiral of the 7th fleet on the Flag Ship, USS Chicago CG11, the most powerful guided missile cruiser in the world at the time.

As a civilian contractor I lived where ever my employers sent me that fit my Naval training, top secret security clearance and skill set. Lawrence Livermore Lab was one such place in CA.

[dottie55]

I lived in Santa Cruz, CA. In some ways similar to Eugene. Big university in town. Very liberal politics, lots of homeless. But the crime element I don't see in Eugene metro area is the gang violence. There is some in Eugene-Springfield but not much compared to Santa Cruz.

[ssumner]

Small town, Ojai. Is very low in any crime.

[soarswitheagles]

We live in Eugene. There has been a significant uptick in crime. This summer there was a home invasion in a house on my street where my elderly neighbor lives. She wasn't injured because she escaped but is terrified. They have made zero progress on catching the person. We live in Gilham. One of the nicest areas and until the last couple of years relatively crime-free except some minor property crime. There was also recently a violent home invasion rape about five minutes from here. There is rampant property crime. Locked houses, garages and cars are regularly broken into too. We don't have enough law enforcement or jail space. We had a situation with a vagrant last year and called the police for multiple days before they showed up. He was menacing and dangerous. They are so overwhelmed that they can't get to all of the calls. We've had neighborhood meetings with the police and they are begging for help. It's slow to come. The local school district just passed an almost $350 million bond fund but money for safety is slow to come.

Do I feel safe? Definitely not as much as I used to feel. I am originally from a large east coast city. I think I felt safer there because if I stayed out of dicey areas I was pretty safe and I knew that if I called 911 the police would be at my doorstep pretty quick. That is definitely not the case here now.

[The Lyin' King]

Originally Posted by soarswitheagles

We live in Eugene. There has been a significant uptick in crime. This summer there was a home invasion in a house on my street where my elderly neighbor lives. She wasn't injured because she escaped but is terrified. They have made zero progress on catching the person. We live in Gilham. One of the nicest areas and until the last couple of years relatively crime-free except some minor property crime. There was also recently a violent home invasion rape about five minutes from here. There is rampant property crime. Locked houses, garages and cars are regularly broken into too. We don't have enough law enforcement or jail space. We had a situation with a vagrant last year and called the police for multiple days before they showed up. He was menacing and dangerous. They are so overwhelmed that they can't get to all of the calls. We've had neighborhood meetings with the police and they are begging for help. It's slow to come. The local school district just passed an almost $350 million bond fund but money for safety is slow to come.

Do I feel safe? Definitely not as much as I used to feel. I am originally from a large east coast city. I think I felt safer there because if I stayed out of dicey areas I was pretty safe and I knew that if I called 911 the police would be at my doorstep pretty quick. That is definitely not the case here now.

I am REALLY so very sorry to hear this but you have validated what I have been trying to get across to these folks, crime there is rampant and according to Law Enforcement the majority of them ARE crimes of addiction not opportunity.

An example of opportunistic crime would be snagging a purse off the front seat of somebody's car while they stopped to take a quick photo while standing ten feet from the car with their back to it.

You are describing very disturbing seriously violent crime, the kind of crime born of addiction. According to your local Law Enforcement it's primarily driven by Meth and secondarily Opiods, these two types of drugs are not the same flavor as those that folks my age grew up around.

The Meth is in the form of "ICE", a highly potent and addictive form that causes extremely violent behavior, especially when smoked. The Opiods are of all varieties, everything from Oxycontin and Black Tar Heroin to synthetics like Fentanyl.

Additionally there are DMT labs in the area, they produce a synthetic form of hallucinogen that produces effects going far and above the old laughing, smiling sore jaw the next morning Mushroom trip . . . READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by The Lyin' King

I am REALLY so very sorry to hear this but you have validated what I have been trying to get across to these folks, crime there is rampant and according to Law Enforcement the majority of them ARE crimes of addiction not opportunity.

An example of opportunistic crime would be snagging a purse off the front seat of somebody's car while they stopped to take a quick photo while standing ten feet from the car with their back to it.

Nobody said that drug use isn't driving the crime, but nonetheless, the druggies generally go for what's easiest and fastest. You don't really have to "get anything across" to us.

The bolded is actually the type of scenario that's most common in Eugene and surrounding areas.

[The Lyin' King]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Nobody said that drug use isn't driving the crime, but nonetheless, the druggies go for what's easiest and fastest. You don't really have to "get anything across" to us.

The bolded is actually the type of scenario that's common in Eugene and surrounding areas.

My comments were not made to "get anything across" to you who live the life there, obviously you have some level of awareness what it's all about.

My comments were made in an attempt to "get anything across" I could to those who are blindly considering moving there, especially fixed income Seniors considering it a final move retirement location.

Another resident of the area, "Soarswitheagles" in the thread "Crime and being seniors" has an entirely differing experience from that which you relate and it fits the picture Law Enforcement Officials paint of the area better IMHO.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by The Lyin' King

Another resident of the area, "Soarswitheagles" in the thread "Crime and being seniors" has an entirely differing experience from that which you relate and it fits the picture Law Enforcement Officials paint of the area better IMHO.

The unfortunate scenarios described by "soarswitheagles" are far less likely to occur than a garden variety purse snatching or vehicle break in.

[The Lyin' King]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

The unfortunate scenarios described by "soarswitheagles" are far less likely to occur than a garden variety purse snatching or vehicle break in.

Where I spent nearly half my life either of those garden variety acts would land one at the bottom of an abandoned well or mine shaft . . . if caught.

I know you've said you still have friends in the area but I'm wondering how long it's been since you left?

None of my business of course but I have experienced how quickly things can change in once familiar places.

[Metlakatla]

All I said was that people in Eugene are more likely to have their purse snatched if they go around unaware of their surroundings than they are to be a victim of a violent crime in their homes. You seem to want to dispute that for some reason. If you have stats that say otherwise, please post them. ETA I'm not going to get too personal on City-Data, but I'm within easy driving distance of Eugene and go there on a regular basis as well as watch the city's nightly newscast.