Living in a house on the first floor in Davis

[knertified.livejournal.com]

I signed a lease for an apartment in the heart of davis square and it's on the first floor. I'm a little worried about security because of being on the first floor with the windows being accessible and all. Should I even be worried about this?

Comments

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

It can't hurt to make sure that all the windows lock securely, and to buy dowels to put in the frames too.

[knertified.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was definitely planning on doing that. Thanks for reminding me :)

[kjc.livejournal.com]

I'd recommend those locks you can put on windows that keep them from opening more than a few inches so you can allow for air flow.

I'd be concerned, but not freaked out. Don't leave doors & windows unlocked. Get curtains/blinds. Don't leave anything expensive in plain view. Get to know your neighbors so they recognize you & you them.

[opn.livejournal.com]

We live on a first floor and use handy little window wedges (http://www.windowwedge.com/) that let us "lock" a window partway open and double-secure the windows when shut and locked.

And I second the recommendation to not leave windows or doors unlocked or cracked open when you are not home.

[exsplusohs.livejournal.com]

Can I ask where you found those?

[opn.livejournal.com]

Sure; I linked to them above! :)

[opn.livejournal.com]

Sorry, moved too fast; there is a list of places to buy them on their site. I just searched for window wedges until I found them to buy. :)

[satyrgrl.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't worry about it. The general area is pretty safe, and stranger crimes are comfortingly rare. Everyone else has given good advice, and you probably shouldn't set your laptop on the windowsill like a pie waiting to be stolen, but you should feel safe with basic city-dweller security habits like locking the door when you leave.

I wouldn't say rare

[duffless2323.livejournal.com]

Apartment break-ins are surprisingly common. My apartment and those of several of my friends have been broken into over the years in Somerville. Never, ever leave windows open when you are not at home, and if you have an AC in your window make sure you have it secured in such a way that it can't just be kicked in.

Yes, Davis is generally safe but this stuff happens all day long when everyone is at work.

Re: I wouldn't say rare

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Seriously, check out the most recent list of break-ins on the police blog (http://syndicated.livejournal.com/sville_police/142188.html). Almost all of them are quite close to Davis. I would imagine the thieves just follow the money and thus target richer neighborhoods.

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

i'd definitely get renter's insurance, but otherwise it's not a much bigger worry than living on an upper floor and probably better than living anywhere else in somerville :)

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

There's a house near me where the upper floor was broken into (repeatedly) - burglars climbed up the fire escape and went in through a window :\ So, yeah. Any window accessible to the outside needs to be lockable/wedgeable. (OTOH failure to do this in one place I lived came in handy when I locked myself out.)

[grapefruiteater.livejournal.com]

You should have renter's insurance regardless.

[smammy]

I've been living in a first floor apartment 0.3 miles from Davis for a month now. Here are my findings:

1. Keep your doors locked all the time. Sucks, but a first floor apartment is low-hanging fruit.
2. People will go through your mail. Get a locking mailbox or a mail slot.
3. Always turn on your porch/entryway lights at night. Otherwise, people will "hang out" near your door or at least throw their trash there.

what they said

[winterhill.livejournal.com]

I don't live in the Square, but just outside it in a VERY quiet nabe and I'm also on the first floor. I've been broken into once, and offer the following advice:

- always lock windows / doors when you go out. It sucks when you want that cool breeze, but you have to.
- get a light timer for when you go out of town ... makes it look like you're there
-get good outside lights. As a renter, I realize this is tricky, but at least ask your landlord about motion sensored lights in the parking areas, back porches, etc.
- let your neighbors who you trust know when you'll be away. Just having a few eyes on the place will help.

[zymurgist70.livejournal.com]

I'm in the same situation. I keep my front porch light on all night and my windows locked at all times when I'm not home. Blinds are drawn in any room where there are valuables. I have to live like a fucking hermit to be on the safe side. ;)

The entrance to my basement has been tried a number of times to see if there is easy access and coming home last week to a drunk homeless guy sleeping on my stoop wasn't exactly comforting.

That said, I still feel fairly safe in Davis. There's crime everywhere. You just have to take some precautions to limit your exposure to it. Good luck.