San Diego + BRZ asking for theft?

[Sev]

Hey San Diegans. I'll be moving down to the area in a few months starting a job in Poway. I haven't been able to find any place to rent with a garage for under $1,800/mo and areas that seem car safe are suburb areas around Poway/Scripps/PQ.

I've seen lots of people on various websites recommend newcomers look in areas closer to the city such as North Park, South Park, Normal Heights, and Hillcrest being good areas with pubs and stuff to do within walking distance.

Seems to me like unless you own a house (forget renting at $2,000+), you're pretty much just parking on the street outside your apartment/condo/cottage. I'm worried that moving down there with a BRZ is just asking for it to be broken into or stolen within the first few months.

This further drove my concern, a look at car theft and break-ins since January: http://www.crimemapping.com/map.aspx...4&de=3/28/2014


What do you all think? Do I need to make the choice between keeping my BRZ and renting out of a more expensive apartment complex in the suburbs vs selling the BRZ for a cheap car and living cheaply closer to the city?

Do any of you have experience owning nice-looking cars that aren't garaged?

I appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance.

[SuperDave]

live in a nicer area with peace of mind, perhaps la mesa or san carlos would be a good compromise. also rancho bernardo perhaps?

[continuecrushing]

Just a friendly tip, don't move to hillcrest haha, not because of crime, but because they'll be too nice to you-the men in particular

[continuecrushing]

But, if you're getting a job in Poway, there are a lot of places near there that are safe, and should have a garage or at least gated/covered garages

[Vincenttam]

6mt, well you already have car security in check haha.

[snoflewis]

unless you're looking for a place that has a private garage, it's all the same in my opinion. even those big apartment complexes w/ gated parking often have thefts. my friend got his car stolen in la jolla.

[Gt86_nick]

Originally Posted by Shutter

Just a friendly tip, don't move to hillcrest haha, not because of crime, but because they'll be too nice to you-the men in particular

[suaveflooder]

I live in a one bedroom condo with attached garage. They are out there….just gotta search.

[Sev]

Originally Posted by SuperDave

live in a nicer area with peace of mind, perhaps la mesa or san carlos would be a good compromise. also rancho bernardo perhaps?

San Carlos is a little too far north for me. I'd go as far north as Rancho Bernardo but I called about several apartments there and found out they were low income apartments so now I have this notion in my mind that Rancho Bernardo = lots of low income housing? Probably not the case, just my experience from searching online.

La Mesa seems like it's a little bit too far inland? I've read as a general rule of thumb you want to live west of the 15. My girlfriend will be looking for a job around UCSD / Torrey Pines so I'm keeping her commute in mind.

Originally Posted by snoflewis

unless you're looking for a place that has a private garage, it's all the same in my opinion. even those big apartment complexes w/ gated parking often have thefts. my friend got his car stolen in la jolla.

I've read that cars inside gated underground parking are MORE likely to get stolen. Is that because there's more people that don't lock their cars or because the gated underground parking is more secluded for a theif to do his work?


I've gotten some reassurance from people on other forums in that our cars aren't very likely targets for theft in that:

1. They aren't "nice" cars compared to all the BMWs and luxury SUVs there are.
2. People don't bother with most sports cars because they have stronger security and the market for parts is small.
3. Auto theft is rarer the farther away from the border you get, and a BRZ is far less likely to be stolen than a "cheap" Civic or a Corolla.

Originally Posted by suaveflooder

I live in a one bedroom condo with attached garage. They are out there….just gotta search.

Yeah, I've found a couple but when I called about them they were already gone. They get nabbed up quickly.

[executivekoala]

Ramona, I work in Poway and Ramona is 20 mins away

[Autocon]

Had my car stolen out of our private (not gated) apt complex parking lot back in college in Mission Valley. A nice area as well, and the car was under an overhang that had lights and was in the middle of the complex.

If someone wants to take your car they will, they could steal it in broad day light and the worst thing is that most pedestrians would do nothing. They just think someone else will call the cops.

When talking with the police they told me that the most common thefts are actually of the most common cars such as civics as there is a huge market for any parts. Civics and mini vans as being close to the boarder those are great drug/people runner cars. They also blend in completely with everyone else on the road and are harder to spot when driving to the chop shop.

[swpbrz]

Live far away and enjoy your drive

[CSG David]

LOL. Poway and Scripps Poway Pkwy are pretty nice. Where are you going to be starting work at?

[wrxneffect]

Originally Posted by Autocon

Had my car stolen out of our private (not gated) apt complex parking lot back in college in Mission Valley. A nice area as well, and the car was under an overhang that had lights and was in the middle of the complex.

If someone wants to take your car they will, they could steal it in broad day light and the worst thing is that most pedestrians would do nothing. They just think someone else will call the cops.

When talking with the police they told me that the most common thefts are actually of the most common cars such as civics as there is a huge market for any parts. Civics and mini vans as being close to the boarder those are great drug/people runner cars. They also blend in completely with everyone else on the road and are harder to spot when driving to the chop shop.

+1

Someone tried to steal my beater 1998 accord LX last year. The car looks horrible with peeling paint and mismatched body paint. I had it parked between a 535i and a g37 yet they still tried to get my car. Most likely because they wanted the parts since there is a huge market for them.
Either the thieves were put off by the manual or they finally noticed that the gas was on empty.

I'd be more concerned with vandalism, but that's what insurance is for.