Considering South Whidbey Island - Questions (Seattle, Bellevue: home, purchase, tornado)

[AADAD]

Originally Posted by pikabike

Also, residents themselves might add to the problem by not calling LE when they notice suspicious activity. There is a culture of "neighbors don't call police on neighbors", yet if the criminals are locals themselves, they are, in fact, some residents' neighbors or associates thereof.

I think people fear retribution, because in a small town someone can more easily narrow down who might have called. Leaving crime control heavily up to citizen vigilence doesn't go far when people turn their eyes away for fear of seeing something.

These neighbors sound pretty pissed off to me. These burglaries happen according to Mainlander when there is no one around.

[elkotronics]

Which is "normal", if any kind of burglary is "normal." I would welcome the real estate lady's comment on this situation plus anyone else's opinion on it. Facts would be helpful regarding the comments, yes. Could it be just blown up and out of proportion? I'm not saying it is I'm just asking the question.

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by AADAD

These neighbors sound pretty pissed off to me. These burglaries happen according to Mainlander when there is no one around.

"No one is around" can be nothing more than an hour, or at night when most are sleeping.

In areas with lots of retirees, people travel a lot, stay indoors at night, have poor hearing or eyesight. In areas with lots of tourists, you can't be suspicious of every stranger driving slowly down the street. There is a lot of real estate looky-looing, and yes, they sometimes stare a long time not only at what is for sale but also what is nearby.

We got some snarky comments for locking and deadbolt locking our doors, having an alarm system, adding several motion detector units, but I greatly prefer being tsk-tsked than being burglarized. Always will. And yeah, other deterrents such as big dogs or guns are helpful, as long as the owner can handle them.

[AADAD]

Criminals look at a property in terms of risk e.g. can I get away with it. Big dogs, gates, cameras clearly visible up high posted on the property while the owner is away will shy most of these pests away.

[CarawayDJ]

Originally Posted by Mainlander

We recently moved to South Whidbey. DON"T DO IT. The island has a culture of dishonesty, and the islanders prey on the new arrivals, or as they call them "mainlanders". I have never met so many shady people in one place in my life.

Furthermore, the drug problem is an epidemic and so is property crime. We've already had several break ins and have barely had a chance to unpack. The people who live there won't tell you this, they'll sell you on this false small town utopia and then try to get over on you like a bunch of vultures. Thankfully we don't have children but I definitely wouldn't want to raise one on this island of degenerates. We're leaving as soon as we can sell our house, the sooner the better!

Google "Whidbey Island burglaries" and you'll see that the drug and property crime problem has been going on for a looong time with no resolution. Relocating here was the WORST mistake ever.

As someone who just left Whidbey...

As someone who was not a long time Islander but a transplant...

I find your depiction of South Whidbey to be a total crock. This is right up there with the people who swear Seattle only has 6 weeks of summer. Just more evidence that the Internet connects people from different realities lol.

Are there burglaries on South Whidbey? Of course. Do you know a place with none? Ditto for drugs. Compared to most of the greater Seattle area those problems are minuscule. Not having lived on South Whidbey all my life I used to joke with one of my neighbors that not only wouldn't lock his door when he left, but often wouldn't even close it in the summer.

[CarawayDJ]

Originally Posted by elkotronics

I would call this a successful city-data thread. Someone posting about a place they live saying honest things about a place and warning people about a place. Then finding the information to be true - that is a good application of how useful city-data can be.

Granted, my wife and I are way over in Kansas, but I was born in Seattle and I'm still interested in my homeland and what goes on there. If I was interested in relocating to the southern part of Whidbey Island, I'd read this thread, seriously ponder the information, find out all the information I could on my own or with someone else's help, and most likely stay away from renting or buying a house on the southern part of Whidbey Island. This has been a real eye-opener.

No, this is an example of why you can't take anything here too seriously. It needs to be just one of many sources of information. I find mainlander's perspective to be a total crock. It differs 180 degrees from my own experiences on South Whidbey. Such over-the-top posts can be found throughout CD. I sometimes wonder if it's just people trying to scare newcomers away from their little corner of the world. The pattern is often the same. A new account appears overnight just to bash a place. Not buying it, and neither should you. South Whidbey is not perfect. See my first post in this thread. It's pretty darned good though. It's special. I'd move back in an instant.

[elkotronics]

CarawayDJ - I tend to understand what you're saying. I have been holding back my real feelings about this while the thread has moved along. To tell you how I'd really feel, I would not hesitate ta move to any part of Whidbey Island. I love Whidbey Island and Anacortes, too, and Fidalgo Island. I also like Burlington, but that place, along with Mt. Vernon is just plain plugging up with too many people.


You won't have that problem on Whidbey Island. I'm in agreement with you, CarawayDJ.

[AADAD]

Originally Posted by CarawayDJ

No, this is an example of why you can't take anything here too seriously. It needs to be just one of many sources of information. I find mainlander's perspective to be a total crock. It differs 180 degrees from my own experiences on South Whidbey. Such over-the-top posts can be found throughout CD. I sometimes wonder if it's just people trying to scare newcomers away from their little corner of the world. The pattern is often the same. A new account appears overnight just to bash a place. Not buying it, and neither should you. South Whidbey is not perfect. See my first post in this thread. It's pretty darned good though. It's special. I'd move back in an instant.

What about the link to the communities demanding relief from the burglaries. That is a fact. Again a map of these crimes is essential to understanding this issue.

[Mainlander]

Wow. Lots of comments since I last visited. A few things..

1) Our realtor (who has also lived on the island for a long time) sold us on the "everyone leaves their door unlocked" mantra. I don't know if this is because they actually believe it or if it's to sell houses. I do know I'd take what realtors say with a grain of salt because they absolutely benefit from glossing over the problem whether or not they truly believe it, or to say it another way, they have a vested interest in NOT believing it. Our first break in was not a forced entry due to the fact that our house was not locked at the time so I honestly think it's a huge dis-service to keep repeating this myth.

2) Yes, most of the time burglars break in when nobody is home, though there have been a few home invasions on the island in recent years as well.

Here is a link to one of the home invasions.

Clinton burglary, home-invasion suspect charged - South Whidbey Record

There was also one where the crooks paralyzed the homeowner. Those thugs were arrested but are now loose on the island and up to the same old thing. I do think in that instance there was marijuana involved? It's there if you look ,I'm not here to be a research assistant, I remember reading about it when I was doing my own digging but I don't have the link saved. Anyone can find the info though, it's online.

3)Drug addicts are not always predictable when they need a fix and the drug problem is completely out of control. Combine that with large properties where neighbors can’t really see what’s going on and a Sheriff’s office that doesn’t have any money for drug detectives (fewest number of officers per resident in the state) and it’s a recipe for disaster.

Public safety emergency declared due to Whidbey Island crime wave | KIRO-TV

As AADAD said, having large dogs and guns are probably helpful, though to us it's a peace of mind issue. We don't want to live somewhere where we have to be armed guards just to protect our home from being broken into. Once it happens to you you’ll see it’s not just the belongings it’s a sense that you are not safe in your own home.

4) CarawayDJ: Glad you had a good experience on the island but to call my posts, based on personal experience a “crock” is not only antagonistic it’s out of sync with the facts. You say:

"Are there burglaries on South Whidbey? Of course. Do you know a place with none? Ditto for drugs. Compared to most of the greater Seattle area those problems are minuscule."

I searched a lot and accurate and up to date records are hard to come by for the Island but I found one website that does have crime data for rural Whidbey and shows Clinton, WA having a burglary risk of 163 (100 being the national average) with Seattle’s being 128 so Seattle actually has a far lower property crime rate than Whidbey Island based on the information that I could find.

Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site

Your rosy utopian view of the island is the one that is out of touch with reality. Of course there will always be people that get lucky and do not fall victim to crime no matter how bad an area is. Good for you. Please don’t think that means it’s not a HUGE problem on the island. Repeating a myth without bothering to do any research is only contributing to the problem.

I know nobody wants to believe the island is as bad as it actually is. It’s hard to believe. Its shocking. But don’t shoot the messenger. I feel like maybe it was a mistake to post here at all. I’m not looking to be be the source of strife, I just wish somebody had warned us about these problems BEFORE we bought a house on the island. Who knows how long it’ll take to sell and I have no wish to make enemies of people on the island by posting this, its been hard enough without that, I just wanted to give other outsiders a heads up so they get another side to the story before they make their decision.

[AADAD]

Appreciated. Waiting for my realtor to get back to me.