Crime and Safety (West: home, live, safe)

[CelesteDF]

Dear visitor: Please note that many people have posted very broad questions on this board... some in an effort to merely stir up hostile discussion, while others simply just aren't very specific and can't be bothered using this forum's search function. As a casual observer who is very happy to respond to legitimate questions about San Antonio, I would be pleased to give you specific information that may be helpful to you in your search for information. However, your posts give the impression that you are merely looking to solicit broad-brush opinions that serve no purpose except to generate pointless arguments based on stereotypes. Those types of posts are not looked upon kindly in this forum.

If you could be more specific about the kind of information you're seeking, such as what constitutes a "good neighborhood" for your purposes, we could be more helpful. Many of us on this board are very happy in neighborhoods that others look upon as undesirable or perhaps just not meeting their own personal needs. In my case, I prefer to live in an urban neighborhood, near downtown, am not concerned with local public school quality or proximity to major shopping centers. Others on this board would shudder at that idea, and prefer to live in a suburban area with great schools near lots of new shopping centers. What is valuable to one person may not be to another.

If you are more specific in explaining what you're looking for (proximity to your workplace, school preferences, diversity of household type, etc.), you will be far more likely to get helpful responses. A little friendliness and politeness also goes a long way when you're asking others for help.

You should also try using the search function in this forum, as these topics have been discussed ad nauseum and you may find what you're looking for in a previous thread. Welcome to San Antonio!

[Visitor2007]

ClesteDF, thanks for your response. I am just looking for areas to avoid where break-ins, robbery, etc. are more common that most other areas. For example, in Houston, that would be the southwest area right outside the city line.

[mojokitty]

Originally Posted by Visitor2007

ClesteDF, thanks for your response. I am just looking for areas to avoid where break-ins, robbery, etc. are more common that most other areas. For example, in Houston, that would be the southwest area and the east area, generally speaking.

I actually just read some crime rates saying that the southside of SA had the least crime. That's just one thing I read. I think you are going to see that type of stuff EVERYWHERE. People are going to come on here and tell you that the safest side is the North Central side of town. FALSE! There is crime EVERYWHERE. i just thought I'd throw that out there. I agree with the pp though, it would be helpful to help you out if we knew specifically what you were looking for. No need to get hostile, just give us info so we can help you out. Getting all bent out of shape on this board, especially, will get you no where as many people don't care for that much. Also, you might want to consider where you work on where you want to move since, like I said...crime...everywhere.

[GraceWAS]

I am also concerned about the safety of visiting San Antonio, Texas. The new media has reported over and over about the Drug Lord wars going on, the innocent people being killed, and not walking the streets at night. San Antonio is only approx. 150 miles from the Mexican Bordor. How safe is it to visit San Antonio. I need a true answer.

[majormadmax]

Please! This is one of most visited cities in the country, with over 26 million visitors a year! NBC's Today Show ranked San Antonio as one of the five friendliest cities in the US! The city was judged on safety, diversity, the amount of parks and public spaces, civic celebrations (can you say fiesta?) and personal stories of friendliness.

Also, Southern Living Readers’ Choice Award, San Antonio among top ten southern cities. Expedia named San Antonio as the nation's third fastest-growing leisure destination according to a new report released by Expedia Travel Trendwatch in 2008. Travel + Leisure magazine has named San Antonio as one of America’s favorite cities for the second year in a row. There are a myriad of other awards that the city has won, which can be found here (which is also the source for the above information).

Do you really think with all this going on that there is some huge crime problem here?

Cheers! M2

[CelesteDF]

Originally Posted by GraceWAS

I am also concerned about the safety of visiting San Antonio, Texas. The new media has reported over and over about the Drug Lord wars going on, the innocent people being killed, and not walking the streets at night. San Antonio is only approx. 150 miles from the Mexican Bordor. How safe is it to visit San Antonio. I need a true answer.

Yet another example of how the news media blows sensationalist stories out of proportion to sell ad space. San Antonio is THREE HOURS away from Laredo and SIX HOURS away from Brownsville. Get real. This is one of the top tourist destinations in the country. Just like any large city in the US, there is occasionally crime here. But San Antonio is not a border town.

[Bo]

Originally Posted by GraceWAS

I am also concerned about the safety of visiting San Antonio, Texas. The new media has reported over and over about the Drug Lord wars going on, the innocent people being killed, and not walking the streets at night. San Antonio is only approx. 150 miles from the Mexican Bordor. How safe is it to visit San Antonio. I need a true answer.

Even in Texas cities on the border, like Laredo, Brownsville and El Paso, it's rare that the violence you describe spills over into the US. The concerns you list about the border are irrelevant in San Antonio.

[Studious Grandma]

What I would like to know is where I have to move so no one will break my mailbox in such a way that the post office will refuse to put mail in it for several weeks. I have never had this problem any place but San Antonio. I had to move to San Antonio to get a job. I don't want to have to move 80 miles away any time soon again.

[Bo]

Originally Posted by Studious Grandma

What I would like to know is where I have to move so no one will break my mailbox in such a way that the post office will refuse to put mail in it for several weeks. I have never had this problem any place but San Antonio. I had to move to San Antonio to get a job. I don't want to have to move 80 miles away any time soon again.

I see you're in North Central SA. I am too. I've never had a problem with my mailbox.

My neighborhood has cluster mailboxes supplied by the post office. Those things are built like a tank. If you were in a neighborhood or apartment complex with a cluster mailbox, you probably wouldn't have this problem.

[majormadmax]

Have you called the post office and registered a complaint? We had that problem for a very short time, and they took care of it. It is something they take seriously (http://www.usps.com/strategicplanning/cs04/chp2_016.html - broken link), in 2008 Postal Inspectors arrested more than 9,000 suspects for crimes involving the mail or against the Postal Service. More than half of the arrests were related to mail theft and identity crimes (source (http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/postalfacts.htm - broken link)). Maybe a little sign that it is a Federal offense to break into a post office mailbox will make them think twice about it.

But just a note, if you have a mail drop-off box in with your mailboxes, don't mail bills there! Take them to the post office or drop them off where you know they will be safe (I drop ours on base). Many times mailbox theft are identity thieves looking for signed checks to duplicate. The chances are small (only 2% according to the post office (http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2008/pr08_014.htm - broken link)); but either way, don’t give them the chance!