Cape Coma or Cape Crime? (Cape Coral, Fort Myers: sex offenders, crime rate, houses)

[Hemidancer]

I'm getting very mixed messages about Cape Coral from this forum. Many refer to it as 'Cape Coma', saying that its full of retirees and boring and dull, and others say that it's full of crime. Which is it? Are old people holding up 7-11s and beating eachother with their canes? Sorry, don't mean to be sarcastic, but I'm moving to Cape Coral in a month and want to know what I'm getting myself into. I'm currently focusing on the SE/SW area. What can I expect when I get there - crime, coma, or a mixture of both?

[stahltkd]

Originally Posted by Hemidancer

I'm getting very mixed messages about Cape Coral from this forum. Many refer to it as 'Cape Coma', saying that its full of retirees and boring and dull, and others say that it's full of crime. Which is it? Are old people holding up 7-11s and beating eachother with their canes? Sorry, don't mean to be sarcastic, but I'm moving to Cape Coral in a month and want to know what I'm getting myself into. I'm currently focusing on the SE/SW area. What can I expect when I get there - crime, coma, or a mixture of both?

It depends on where you are coming from, your interests, etc. Most of the crime is burglary / theft. Most of the crimes tend to be from other neighboring towns coming over to the Cape.

I live in the SE Cape - there as been many times where I've left the patio door wide open all night; one time I didn't close the front door enough and came home to a wide open door - nothing was taken. We live on a quiet street. A neighborly kind of street.

If you come from a very active nightlife / high culture area - then you may be a bit bored. While there is opportunity to go to the theater (not movie), museums, and the like, they are not as celebrated here than "up north". There's plenty of outside activities all year round.

[equalrightsforeveryone]

Many refer to it as Cape Coma because of the cities leadership. This place is a perfect example of stagnation. They are not intelligent enough to turn this place in to a viable city, and they constantly screw things up rather then solving the problems.
This has gone on since the cities inception. 40 years plus.
Crime I don't know if it is any worse then other places where to downturn has hit hard.
Lot of petty stuff going on, mostly drug related and then some stuff that has to do with all the empty homes, people breaking in, vandalism, stealing Air-conditioners and what ever else they find.
One thing I would check before you move is (if you have kids) the Sexual predators list and where they live. There are quite a few in some areas.
And there are the neighborhood informants to consider, the one's that are constantly on the phone to code enforcement because you violated one of their stupid little rules that they have tons of.
Best thing to do is check it out real close before you make a decision.

[Hemidancer]

Awesome - thanks folks - this is good stuff, and exactly the kind of real-life info I need. I've been researching Cape Coral for months, but you're not going to get the nitty-gritty on a area from the touristy, promotional web sites. I'm looking for a relatively safe, quiet community in close proximity to boating and other outdoor activities, and for the most part, Cape Coral seems to fit the bill.

Good suggestion, Equal, about the sex offenders - I don't have small children, but I'm a single woman who will be living by herself, so it's probably a good idea to take a look at that list in the areas that I'm considering moving to - thanks.

I guess with moving day just a few weeks away now, I'm starting to get a case of the jitters - thanks for helping to calm my nerves.

[Billythepokerkid]

First, you will probably get some flack for starting 2 new threads that could easily have been put into one, so I will just give you that flack now and get it out of the way! Please post all questions in one thread, there, done with that. As the others have said most of the crime is petty, they busted a grow house the other day, other stuff is theft, burglary, most of time it is unforced entry so either the houses are open or they know the people, another biggie is drug paraphernalia, you will read about it daily, or someone carrying around a small amount of pot. Most of the violent crimes and by most I mean 95%+ is domestic violence, so people aren't robbing people walking down the street or stabbing a person in a bar over a pool game. It is a very safe city. I too have left my doors open by accident without worry, my windows never close in the winter time, whether I am home or not. I have automatic lights, it's a dead end street and the neighbors are pretty vigilant of the neighborhood. As far as things to do, it is called Cape Coma by only one person on this board, Equal, you have to take what he says with a grain of salt. He's a miserable, unemployed construction worker who paid way to much for his house and is now trapped, refuses to go out and enjoy the area, so he sits home all day and does his best to bash the city, its residents, its officials, and basically everything to do with Cape Coral. There is plenty to do. Today for example there is the weekly farmers market, there's a jazz festival later in the day, if that isn't your speed they also have the Collier County Fair going on, as well as fishing everyday of the year, swimming, biking, kayaking, boating, there are many parks, tons of restaurants and bars, shopping isn't far away, and some of the worlds best beaches. If you do not like the outdoors, beaches, water, or sun you may have made a huge mistake deciding to move here.

[nhkev]

crime. it is a population of 150,000 plus. and it is very spread out. of course there is some level of crime everywhere. how cape coral stacks up in it's size vs crime than crime is very low. most of the violent crimes are committed against people who know each other, boyfriend stabbs girlfriend, father kills wife, grandmother shoots grandson type of stuff. I can't imagine not feeling safe in the SW section.

AS far as cape coma? once again equal takes his own twisted agenda and tries to spin it. It was refered to cape coma because when it was first developed they built houses and nothing else. If you wanted or needed anything you had to cross the bridge. it was full of retirees and couples just getting married and was said to be the place of the" newlywed and nearly dead." With that said it does not have anything like a riverwalk, fanuel hall, landsdowne street, times square etc. most of the time by 10pm the city rolls up it's sidewalks.

There is a certain types that seems to get drawn to the area. I love boating and fishing. I like bike riding. I like to take my atv mudding and trailriding, I would like to take up kayaking. My kids love the beaches there is also lots of golfing and tennis opportunities. For those that say there is nothing to do, it might mean they don't like these things and the things they like to do aren't readily available. Pretty stupid actually , If i was really into skiing I probably wouldn't pick sw florida. I like the phrase "If you're bored , your boring".

[nhkev]

Originally Posted by Billythepokerkid

First, you will probably get some flack for starting 2 new threads that could easily have been put into one, so I will just give you that flack now and get it out of the way! Please post all questions in one thread, there, done with that. As the others have said most of the crime is petty, they busted a grow house the other day, other stuff is theft, burglary, most of time it is unforced entry so either the houses are open or they know the people, another biggie is drug paraphernalia, you will read about it daily, or someone carrying around a small amount of pot. Most of the violent crimes and by most I mean 95%+ is domestic violence, so people aren't robbing people walking down the street or stabbing a person in a bar over a pool game. It is a very safe city. I too have left my doors open by accident without worry, my windows never close in the winter time, whether I am home or not. I have automatic lights, it's a dead end street and the neighbors are pretty vigilant of the neighborhood. As far as things to do, it is called Cape Coma by only one person on this board, Equal, you have to take what he says with a grain of salt. He's a miserable, unemployed construction worker who paid way to much for his house and is now trapped, refuses to go out and enjoy the area, so he sits home all day and does his best to bash the city, its residents, its officials, and basically everything to do with Cape Coral. There is plenty to do. Today for example there is the weekly farmers market, there's a jazz festival later in the day, if that isn't your speed they also have the Collier County Fair going on, as well as fishing everyday of the year, swimming, biking, kayaking, boating, there are many parks, tons of restaurants and bars, shopping isn't far away, and some of the worlds best beaches. If you do not like the outdoors, beaches, water, or sun you may have made a huge mistake deciding to move here.

actually equal is a painter and only paid $50k for his house , he's just mad because he wanted to keep his trailer full of ladders and tarps and paint brushes in his driveway and his neighbors called code enforcement on him. I like how he villainizes the neighbors when it was him breaking the rules.

[Billythepokerkid]

Originally Posted by Hemidancer

Awesome - thanks folks - this is good stuff, and exactly the kind of real-life info I need. I've been researching Cape Coral for months, but you're not going to get the nitty-gritty on a area from the touristy, promotional web sites. I'm looking for a relatively safe, quiet community in close proximity to boating and other outdoor activities, and for the most part, Cape Coral seems to fit the bill.

Good suggestion, Equal, about the sex offenders - I don't have small children, but I'm a single woman who will be living by herself, so it's probably a good idea to take a look at that list in the areas that I'm considering moving to - thanks.

I guess with moving day just a few weeks away now, I'm starting to get a case of the jitters - thanks for helping to calm my nerves.

The sex offenders thing is being blown WAAAAAY out of proportion. Just because you have a sex offender living next door doesn't mean he will immediately break into your home and assault you. A lot of the people on those lists may have done something stupid 50 years ago, may have done nothing at all, or may have done something not even of a sexual nature, but as part of their release have to register as a sex offender. i.e. A friend of mine was 22 years old and was dating an 18 year old, well the parents found out they started dating when the 18 year old was only 17, they didn't really care for the guy their daughter was dating, so they called the cops and pressed charges, it was completely irrelevant that their daughter told him she was 18 when they began dating, This kid ended up getting arrested and charged with statutory rape. The charges were later dropped by the state, but as part of the charges being dropped he had to attend classes, see a psychologist, and has to register as a sex offender until he is 35. This kid wouldn't hurt a fly, yet he is considered a sexual predator. I am not saying this happened to all the people on those lists, but do a little more research if you are looking at a home near a sexual offender, before your write it completely off.

[Hemidancer]

Originally Posted by Billythepokerkid

First, you will probably get some flack for starting 2 new threads that could easily have been put into one, so I will just give you that flack now and get it out of the way! Please post all questions in one thread, there, done with that.

Today for example there is the weekly farmers market, there's a jazz festival later in the day, if that isn't your speed they also have the Collier County Fair going on, as well as fishing everyday of the year, swimming, biking, kayaking, boating, there are many parks, tons of restaurants and bars, shopping isn't far away, and some of the worlds best beaches. If you do not like the outdoors, beaches, water, or sun you may have made a huge mistake deciding to move here.

My apologies, Billy - didn't mean to disrupt the fung shui of the forum. It won't happen again. Honestly, they both were completely different concerns that came to me at completely different times, just within the same 24-hour period.

Actually, jazz festivals, biking, boating, kayaking - these are all exactly my speed, and I live, eat, sleep and breathe the outdoors, water, beaches and sun - that's why I picked the Sunshine State to move to!

I think I will enjoy life on the The Cape. It sounds a little funny saying that, because where I grew up (Massachusetts), 'The Cape' meant one thing - Cape Cod, where instead of the 'dead of summer' (another phrase I see often on this forum), there's the dead of winter. For the first time ever, I look forward to looking forward to winter!

Thanks again everyone - I really appreciate everyone's candor and the benefit of your experience.

[hiknapster]

Are you sure you read the crime situation correctly? There is lots of talk on here about Lehigh Acres. That is NOT in Cape Coral. It's in East Lee County. Fort Myers also has quite a bit of crime. That's a perspective thing but it's crime rate is higher than Boston. It's not Memphis and Detroit but that's not saying much.

But there are endless posts on here about Cape Coral having the second best crime rate in the state of Florida. If you read something else it was from a troll but my guess is you are reading about other areas and assuming it was Cape Coral.

By the way, I'm from Mass., too, and lived in Florida for almost 10 years. You are correct that a lot of things in Southwest Florida are the polar opposite of Mass., such as weather.