When I lived in ghetto part of Oakland (Alcatraz ave between Telegraph & Shattuck) I had a couple of close calls and burglaries. Never been robbed though.
- all the bikes from my house have been stolen. People parked them on the first floor by the stairs chaining by the front wheel. I always carried mine on the thrid floor where I lived and chained by the frame. It was a pain in the ass to carry the bike (cheap heavy steel!) up the narrow staircase, but I always did. Well, one morning I walk down the stairs, and there are only front wheels left.
- 2 apartments have been burglarized in my house. Two apts under me and one across me. Took laptops, clothes and smth else. I was spared because I always used deadbolt. People in those apts didn't. Just the regular slip-lock (or whatever it's called)
- Someone took a $60 stereo plate from my piece of crap car. Luckily, they didn't break the window. A 5-year old could open that car (Dodge Colt 89). They couldn't extract the stereo itself though.
- My last semester in UCB, someone took the rear wheel from my piece of crap bike and the LED taillight. I couldn't help but laugh: I walk out of the lab at 3 AM, and my bike is missing a rear wheel. Cheap, steel rear wheel. Can't imagine why would anyone go through the trouble of messing with dirty oily lugs and carry a wrench just to get that stupid wheel. Walking home the length of Telegraph was not that much fun though. I was pissed.