Apartment Crime. How to protect myself? (1 Viewer)

[CameronS]

This past Saturday night, 5 or more cars were vandalized here at my apartment complex. Most had their windows busted out and car stereos stolen. My roommate had a tape deck stolen out of one of his cars.
The worst part came today when I was talking to one guy who had property stolen. During the conversation, another guy walks up and says something like, "You guys got your stuff stolen, but I got the shit beat out of me!" He had a gash on his head and went on to tell us how he was robbed at gunpoint and then beat to hell by two guys. He said it happened around 2:30 am. The only thing I don't understand is how they got away with stealing all they did by breaking car windows (I saw 3 myself later that day), and then beating up a guy outside his own apartment building without anyone seeing or hearing anything. Also, most people who live here are college kids, who ,of course, aren't the best for getting to sleep on time.
About a year ago, when my roomate and I first moved in, we heard about a guy getting robbed at one of the apartments. It made us a little uneasy at the time, but it eventually wore off as time went by. Now, it's a year later and something else happens.
I'm thinking about getting pepper spray or a baseball bat to have with me for nights I may have to come home from work late and am alone. I've even thought about getting a gun to keep in the apartment just in case.
What should a guy do to protect himself nowadays?
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[Bill Catherall]

Move.
Edit: I just noticed that the message icon defaults to a smiley. Do we have to have these things? (Changing smiley.)
Edit2: It didn't change! Heading to forum feedback.
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Bill

[Edited last by Bill Catherall on September 10, 2001 at 11:17 PM]
[Edited last by Bill Catherall on September 10, 2001 at 11:18 PM]

 

[CameronS]

Yeah I could move, but would that solve the problem? I know other apartments around my university that are about the same price range as my current residence, but even they aren't immune to acts of crime. Plus, I've still got a few months on my lease.

 

[Philip_G]

man that sucks. I've never really had a problem in any of my apartment complexes I've lived in.. I mean, the occasional break in that mgmt. tells ya about but never a full on robbery at gun point or mugging.
have you got a garage? can you rent one for your car if you're concerned about it? I guess stick with the pepper spray and keep things locked up for the time being and move to a better neighborhood when you can afford it

 

[Ben Motley]

Pepper spray is fine, but lemme tell ya, it sure is reassuring having a nice Louisville Slugger handy. I don't know how to explain it so it'll come across right, but the simple fact that it's there keeps you from freakin'. If you hear something that goes bump in the night, it'll keep you from feeling defenseless. Okay, so the pacifists at this point say "just call the police, it's their job", but there is a reaction time to police calls, and you don't want to call the cops for every cat that runs through your garbage cans. Anyway, it's in this reaction time, when you're waiting for the cops to show, that you're freakin' and could really use something just to hold onto.
I'm not even gonna discuss guns. Everybody has to make up their own minds on that. Me, I never thought I could trust myself with one. Back when I used to drink a lot, the idea really freaked me out. Drunks with guns just ain't right.

Sorry, guess I did discuss it a little. So shoot me!

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[Philip_G]

but lemme tell ya, it sure is reassuring having a nice Louisville Slugger handy. I don't know how to explain it so it'll come across right, but the simple fact that it's there keeps you from freakin'.

that's why I have a .45 ACP near my bed. No worries

 

[CRyan]

As for the car situation - get a visible blinking LED light for the dash and get a detacheable-face stereo. Of course remember to remove the face each night. A simple blinking light will help make a theif pass your car for another. If you are worried about your car being stolen, have a kill-switch installed.
In Memphis, in the apartment complex next to mine, two friends of mine had their cars jacked so to say. One had his $2000 rims stolen and the other had the FACE of his detacheable-face stereo stolen. They came back in a week to steal the rest of the stereo!
As for your personal protection - I don't know. If you want firearm protection while walking on apartment property, don't forget that you must have a "right-to-concele" license. If you were to actually use it to shoot someone out in the parking lot witout a license, you would be screwed.
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[Edited last by CRyan on September 11, 2001 at 01:04 AM]

 

[Brent Cantrell]

Gun: 38 special, you don't want it to penetrate the walls of your apartment, BIG liability issue if you're trying to shoot an intruder but take out the neighbors too.
Ammo: Glaser safety slugs, these use a frangible bullet (basically it shatters into a million shards on impact) that won't penetrate walls, but do a good job of stopping folks.
If you get one of the motorized air freshener things, (like in restrooms) and set it up so that it goes off if your alarm does, put a can of capsacian in it, voila', instant deterrent, I don't know if this will work, but I've got my jeep hooked up this way, and I figure the cleaning bill will be worth it if it will work.
Seriously tho', I recommend a gun, with proper training and practice and make sure you comply with local law.
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[PaulG]

I don't condone violence, but if you choose to carry a baseball bat, carry a glove and a ball also. Now the bat is just some sporting gear, not a weapon.
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[Steve Tannehill]

1) Insure your property for losses
2) Move
- Steve

 

[Bill Catherall]

Yeah I could move, but would that solve the problem? I know other apartments around my university that are about the same price range as my current residence, but even they aren't immune to acts of crime. Plus, I've still got a few months on my lease.

You can leave the university and go to school somewhere else that has a lower crime rate. Regarding your lease, just tell the land lord that you fear for your life and property and that you'd like to get out of your lease. Tell him you'll give him the 30 days needed to find another tenant then you'll be gone. If he insists on holding the lease against you then you'll only owe a couple months rent anyway. But I've found that if the landlords can find a tenant to move in when you move out then they are willing to let the lease go. Hopefully he'll be understanding about the danger.
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Bill