Bowks

Hi

I hear a lot of talk, and read a lot about the crime in Australia;
people say that crime in Aus is as bad as UK.

It must be that a lot of people who deliver this information live the
county life free from most of the crime and hassle of inner city life.

I live in Rochdale near Manchester and crime is rife,

You can't have a good car because someone wants to steal it.

You can't have nice things in your house without being burgled,

Put something in your garden and you have to screw it down, or it's
gone.
My house has got as many security lights as Las Vegas.

I drive around my town and you don't have to go far to see someone
who's up to no good.
Once a week you're guaranteed a police chase with the helicopter
around the streets.
To top it all the town is scruffy, there is litter every were you go.

I know there is crime everywhere but someone tell me if me by moving
to a suburb near Perth Australia my problems are going to continue.

I'm sure there is a lot of people who would like to know does
Australia suffer crime in the same context as UK or is it like living
in Cheshire?

Later
Bowks

Londonlife

At least you dont live in Liverpool!!!



"bowks" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Hi
    > I hear a lot of talk, and read a lot about the crime in Australia;
    > people say that crime in Aus is as bad as UK.
    > It must be that a lot of people who deliver this information live the
    > county life free from most of the crime and hassle of inner city life.
    > I live in Rochdale near Manchester and crime is rife,
    > You can't have a good car because someone wants to steal it.
    > You can't have nice things in your house without being burgled,
    > Put something in your garden and you have to screw it down, or it's
    > gone.
    > My house has got as many security lights as Las Vegas.
    > I drive around my town and you don't have to go far to see someone
    > who's up to no good.
    > Once a week you're guaranteed a police chase with the helicopter
    > around the streets.
    > To top it all the town is scruffy, there is litter every were you go.
    > I know there is crime everywhere but someone tell me if me by moving
    > to a suburb near Perth Australia my problems are going to continue.
    > I'm sure there is a lot of people who would like to know does
    > Australia suffer crime in the same context as UK or is it like living
    > in Cheshire?
    > Later
    > Bowks

Stoney

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bowks
Hi

I hear a lot of talk, and read a lot about the crime in Australia;
people say that crime in Aus is as bad as UK.



There are people on these boards who live in Perth who are going to tell you that it is worse than Rochdale.
I have been to Perth twice over the last two years and I really can't see what they are talking about.
OK I was on holiday but I did stay in the suburbs and use public transport and visit the city at various times of day.
My brother has lived there for 26 years and he has a lot of issues about crime and the like but when we compare Perth to Manchester my experiences knock his into a cocked hat,
All types of crime exist in Oz but they are on a smaller scale (in my humble opinion)
Check out the latest news for Perth here www.thewest.com.au

Margot

IMHO crime in Australia is on a much lessor scale than in Australia. When I
lived in Australia, I never worried about where to park my car, whether my
handbag was secure and my mobile out of sight. Here in London I worry about
all those and more.

I'm not saying there isn't any crime. Certain suburbs are certainly better
avoided than others. But if you're coming from Manchester, you will see a
pleasant change for the better.

Cheers,
Margot.

"bowks" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Hi
    > I hear a lot of talk, and read a lot about the crime in Australia;
    > people say that crime in Aus is as bad as UK.
    > It must be that a lot of people who deliver this information live the
    > county life free from most of the crime and hassle of inner city life.
    > I live in Rochdale near Manchester and crime is rife,
    > You can't have a good car because someone wants to steal it.
    > You can't have nice things in your house without being burgled,
    > Put something in your garden and you have to screw it down, or it's
    > gone.
    > My house has got as many security lights as Las Vegas.
    > I drive around my town and you don't have to go far to see someone
    > who's up to no good.
    > Once a week you're guaranteed a police chase with the helicopter
    > around the streets.
    > To top it all the town is scruffy, there is litter every were you go.
    > I know there is crime everywhere but someone tell me if me by moving
    > to a suburb near Perth Australia my problems are going to continue.
    > I'm sure there is a lot of people who would like to know does
    > Australia suffer crime in the same context as UK or is it like living
    > in Cheshire?
    > Later
    > Bowks

keel

I was in Perth for a couple of months last year and felt very safe wherever I went at all times of the day and night ( mind you I'm 6ft 15st with a broken nose and shaven head)

The one black spot to the trip happened one day we parked the car at city beach and walked to Scarbough beach and back. When we returned we found the car had been brocken into and several bags stolen. It was a hot day so we left the car windows open fractionally (only a half inch) apparently 2 aboriginal kids had been seen lurking around the carpark and may have had something to do with it.

One point to note unlike the UK fully comprehensive insurance in Australia does not cover theft from the car

Mark

Eileen Ong

Hi Bowks,

I lived in Perth for 5 years and it's not as bad as in Manchester or London.

The higher (than Singapore, where I'm from) crime rate in Perth is the
reason I took so long to apply for PR, though I wanted so much to be there
for the beautiful beaches, hills, vineyards, etc.

I was living in a Cul de Sac, and the last week I was there, 5 out of 11
houses were broken into or had attempted break-ins. It was really stressful
for all of us on that street. We didn't know if we were next. Worse still,
it was the same bunch of crooks (neighbours saw, but kept forgetting to note
down the car number!).

Most of the crimes I've encountered were petty crimes. It's due to the
increasing drug problem in Perth metropolitan area. These druggies are in
need of money for their next "high" and normally commit petty crimes for
quick cash. Even if you have car or home alarm, some will still try to
break-in.

Many home owners link their home alarm to private security companies who
will patrol the streets of drive to the home to investigate once they are
informed that the alarm has been triggered. Sad to say, the police take a
longer time to arrive. They try their best, but are under staff.

I hope I'm not scaring you, but it's not that bad in Perth. I don't see
shaddy characters lurking around all the time (maybe I'm blind).

I've friends who have not had any problem with home burglary. Actually, it
varies from suburb to suburb. Even within the suburbs, from street to
street. At one of the places which I used to stay, I could hear police
sirens every night; while at another, the only noise I heard was from my TV.

To have a peace of mind, you might like to go to the following link for
crime statistics in Western Australia:

http://www.police.wa.gov.au/AboutUs/...actsandFigures

Cheers
Eileen

--

"bowks" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Hi
    > I hear a lot of talk, and read a lot about the crime in Australia;
    > people say that crime in Aus is as bad as UK.
    > It must be that a lot of people who deliver this information live the
    > county life free from most of the crime and hassle of inner city life.
    > I live in Rochdale near Manchester and crime is rife,
    > You can't have a good car because someone wants to steal it.
    > You can't have nice things in your house without being burgled,
    > Put something in your garden and you have to screw it down, or it's
    > gone.
    > My house has got as many security lights as Las Vegas.
    > I drive around my town and you don't have to go far to see someone
    > who's up to no good.
    > Once a week you're guaranteed a police chase with the helicopter
    > around the streets.
    > To top it all the town is scruffy, there is litter every were you go.
    > I know there is crime everywhere but someone tell me if me by moving
    > to a suburb near Perth Australia my problems are going to continue.
    > I'm sure there is a lot of people who would like to know does
    > Australia suffer crime in the same context as UK or is it like living
    > in Cheshire?
    > Later
    > Bowks

Malcolmsutton

Hi there,

Well we moved out to Perth just over a year ago, and people said the same to
us about crime, but honestly, well touch wood, we've had no problems at all.
Like someones mentioned there is some suburbs that are worth staying away
from, but to be honest they still don't look all that bad. Don't be put off
though, it certainly is a better life out here then in the U.K.

Goodluck Karen x

"bowks" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Hi
    > I hear a lot of talk, and read a lot about the crime in Australia;
    > people say that crime in Aus is as bad as UK.
    > It must be that a lot of people who deliver this information live the
    > county life free from most of the crime and hassle of inner city life.
    > I live in Rochdale near Manchester and crime is rife,
    > You can't have a good car because someone wants to steal it.
    > You can't have nice things in your house without being burgled,
    > Put something in your garden and you have to screw it down, or it's
    > gone.
    > My house has got as many security lights as Las Vegas.
    > I drive around my town and you don't have to go far to see someone
    > who's up to no good.
    > Once a week you're guaranteed a police chase with the helicopter
    > around the streets.
    > To top it all the town is scruffy, there is litter every were you go.
    > I know there is crime everywhere but someone tell me if me by moving
    > to a suburb near Perth Australia my problems are going to continue.
    > I'm sure there is a lot of people who would like to know does
    > Australia suffer crime in the same context as UK or is it like living
    > in Cheshire?
    > Later
    > Bowks

Helena

"bowks" wrote
    > I hear a lot of talk, and read a lot about the crime in Australia;
    > people say that crime in Aus is as bad as UK.
    > It must be that a lot of people who deliver this information live the
    > county life free from most of the crime and hassle of inner city life.

I'm sure that if you come from a sleepy little village, crime in Australian
cities
or any country's cities must seem horrendous. It depends on what you're used
to.
Also, different places have different types of crime, and at different
rates. W.A. is the property-theft capital of Australia, so this might seem
shocking to some. I moved back to Perth from Vancouver, which is the
property-theft capital of Canada, so it didn't shock me at all. We got used
to things like alarms, good locks on windows and doors, motion detector
lights, timers turning inside lights on and off, keeping shrubbery trimmed
so
it doesn't camouflage the house, etc., and just put up with that here too. I
talked to a policeman at a Neighbourhood Watch meeting and in his opinion he
feels most house burglaries happen to people who are naive and careless,
people who think that Perth is still a big country town in the 1960's.
People with no locks on their windows, poor quality door locks, shrubbery
hiding much of the house from street view, etc. Doing the right thing won't
guarantee you won't get broken into but it will cut the chances.

    > You can't have a good car because someone wants to steal it.

W.A. used to be the car theft capital of Oz too but mandatory immobilizers
cut the rate by a lot. Still, some car thieves who really want your car will
break into your house to steal the keys. Many car thefts are "by order",
where they'll specifically go after certain cars so it helps to keep your
car locked away in a proper garage, versus an open carport or in the
driveway.

    > Put something in your garden and you have to screw it down, or it's gone.

Are you talking about plants? or accessories like pots and garden gnomes? I
would say you could end up having little removable things stolen from your
front garden here too. I've had a metre-long wooden stake stolen right out
of the ground. I replaced it because Perth is quite windy and I needed it to
keep the wind from snapping a little tree I planted, and the replacement was
stolen too! I'd like to take that stake and shove it up the little (bleep)
if I find out who it is. We've had our mailbox pushed over too.

    > My house has got as many security lights as Las Vegas.

We've just got a motion-detector light in the front, and another in the
back.

    > I drive around my town and you don't have to go far to see someone
    > who's up to no good.
    > Once a week you're guaranteed a police chase with the helicopter
    > around the streets.
    > To top it all the town is scruffy, there is litter every were you go.

Not so much of the first two goes on around here, but it would depend on
where you live. Perth's definitely not scruffy and not too much litter, not
as much as many cities but we're not litter-free. Most people's impression
of Perth is that it's just so clean and pristine. It is, except for some
very small pockets. There are no abject slums, or really bad "no-go" areas.

    > I know there is crime everywhere but someone tell me if me by moving
    > to a suburb near Perth Australia my problems are going to continue.
    > I'm sure there is a lot of people who would like to know does
    > Australia suffer crime in the same context as UK or is it like living
    > in Cheshire?

I don't know what it's like living in Cheshire but we do have our problems.
Talking to other newcomers I'd say the biggest dismay they experience is
from the hoons tearing through quiet neighbourhood streets and "burning
rubber" in intersections. It's so obnoxious that even if you only experience
that happening outside your house once or twice a year, it really irks you.
Many of the wider suburban streets end up getting "traffic calming measures"
installed.

What dismays me is the graffiti, not just the paint versions but the type
that is etched onto our bus and train windows. I think our transit system is
great, especially the train so it's very frustrating to see the damage. I
also hate it when plexiglass bus shelters are smashed by idiots. I've seen
that at least five times in the last two months around here. I really hate
that.

Northbridge at night isn't that safe. Northbridge is one of the popular
nightspots in Perth. It's unfortunate that it has such a reputation but it
does. They're thinking of putting in a curfew there because the main problem
is juveniles hanging around the area and causing problems. Most people would
prefer more police presence but our state government doesn't seem to want to
accept that message. Governments are the same everywhere, going off on weird
tangents versus just dealing with the main issues. Our state govt is more
concerned with really useful issues like allowing us to grow our own pot
than anything else.

Anyway, not meaning to run down Perth but just a bit of reality. We're a
fairly big city with many of the typical problems of similar sized cities. I
think you just follow commonsense principles like anywhere and you should be
quite safe.

Good luck,

Helena

Chris000

How is Rochedale, not been since rollercity was THE place to be!!

Chris

Costabeera

Which are the areas best avoided? All city/town info welcome.



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Springbok

I lived In Sydney for a year in the mid 90's. I would say, In my
experience, that crime was higher there than in the UK. There was
definitely a lot more violent crime, for instance:

someone was going round killing taxi drivers, 3 whilst I was there.
I knew 3 people who were mugged.
Graffitti was as bad as in the UK, especially on the trains. Some
teenagers were killed whilst they were hanging off a train
spraypainting it when it went under a bridge.

I can only speak for Sydney, I didn't spend any great length of time
in other cities. There has been a lot of attacks & killings in the
outback, as we all know (not all make international headlines). A
friend of mine lives an a remote part of Northern Queensland & he says
that it can be very dangerous.

Bowks

Hi
    >Eileen

I find your information interesting and feel that as you say about
Perth, most cities in the world, drugs are the common reason for crime
it's just part of the culture!

I just wanted to get my point across that in England most want to go
to Aus to escape the high crime rate as well as the crap weather.
And people, who think there is a comparison, don't really know what
it's like in suburban UK.

thanks for you opinion!
Bowks

Bowks

Hi
Helena
thankyou for the info!

Its a reality view I was after and your account hit the nail on the
head!
thanks
Bowks

Bowks

Hi Chris

    >How is Rochdale?

Comperd to?



not been since rollercity was THE place to be!!
Rollercity's still there but nothing else is!

Are you a Rochdalian?
or are you in Aus or just hoping you soon will be like me?
later Bowks!

etlniwd

I used to live in Brighton and now live in an inner Brisbane suburb.

It's hard to say which has the most crime. One thing I've noticed though is that the pattern of crime and unsocial behaviour is very different between the two places.

In Brighton if you are going to be attacked (very rare) it will almost certainly be at night and quite often be drug related (usually alcohol). In Brisbane most of the nutters seem to be out in the daylight hours or shortly after dusk.

In the UK I felt I could predict where and when crime was likely to occur. That's partly because I'd grown used to it and partly because it does seem to follow a predictable pattern. In Australia it is much more difficult to know. There are some real psychos here.

Drunken behaviour is much worse in the UK (because of the 11pm pub closing) even though it's relatively harmless. You don't see that here.

Domestics seem to be big in Brisbane too. You can hear one kicking off every couple of days. Maybe it's because everyone has all their windows and doors open that you tend to hear it more.

I feel safer leaving my car on the street at night in Brisbane (not that I ever have to though). In Brighton my car suffered a criminal act (theft, damage etc) about every two years on average which is annoyingly high and one of the reasons I left.

I've also been victim to a most unusual crime in Brisbane. Last week I had my mobile phone and wallet stolen from my lounge while I was in there watching TV ! I just happened to have my head facing the other way. The thief got through the garden gate, walked across a lit patio and straight into the house. The police seemed to think it was quite normal.

As someone else said above, the wheel spinning thing is so annoying. Everybody does it here - young, old, rich, poor. It seems that it's considered clever to leave a trail of rubber everytime you pull away. If someone did that in the UK they would be considered a bit of a prat who can't control their car properly. Even the young in the UK would think it rather uncool.

Litter - In Brisbane there's none, in Brighton it is everywhere.

Graffitti - In Brisbane you hardly see any, in Brighton it is everywhere.

The standard of driving is much worse in Brisbane. If you happen to be in the wrong lane and need to quickly move over then you can guarantee that some idiot will try to stop you on purpose.