OT: One More Reason, Not to live in L.A. Options

[drew365]

My 94 year old father in law was home alone yesterday when someone broke in a rear window while he was taking a nap. They started to ransack the house, after seeing him in a bed they woke him, wanted to know where he kept his money, and roughed him up before leaving. As best we can tell they didn't take anything, They really don't have much worth stealing anyway. He's a great guy and has been sharp as a tack until the last few months he's gotten much frailer. It's scary to think how easily this episode could have had been much more serious. I was at the house all afternoon with the LAPD and they did a fantastic job, they really took it serious and did a full forensics to get fingerprints, DNA from a blood sample, etc. It's scary to think that after 94 years of a peacefull life a guys not safe in his own bed. Life in the big city sucks.
Here's a link to a news story with a video. You may have to click on "Blind Man 94, beaten in his Van Nuys home."

http://cbs2.com/video/?cid=71#

[TonyAKAVW]

Lets see, in the 4 years we've lived where we do, there have been a few incidents. Once when my inlaws were visiting, I looked out the window and there was a cop walking down the street with what looked a LOT like an M-16 or AR-15. Apparently there was a drug bust or something going on.

Then there was the chase that ended halfway down the block, where they blocked off the street, had guns drawn, etc.

Night before last I turn on the scanner and there's a hostage situation going on several blocks away. Ended peacefully, etc.

Its not just LA though. I grew up in San Diego and we had our share of events too. I can count maybe 4 or 5 high speed chases that ended near our house, the DEA chasing someone through my grandmother's yard, etc.

Where I live now and where I lived in San Diego are definitely nicer parts of town. If you live in California take a look sometime at the Megan's Law website, and that will give you a basic idea of where crime is concentrated. Generally speaking, as the average home price exceeds a bit over $1,000,000 the crime drops off quite a bit.

Probably the safest place I lived was Goleta, a 'suburb' of Santa Barbara. I could leave tools outside and not worry about them. Of course they would rust overnite, but thats what you get for living near the beach.

-Tony