[xz2y]

I love the Traverse City area with all its charm, and even the snow. It's one of the best cities in Michigan. I've been reading the online newspaper more often (Record Eagle), as TC might be a retirement option for me down the road. I've been somewhat surprised by the amount of crime for such a small city (armed robberies, burglaries, vandalism, murder, etc). The overall number of crimes is low, but so is the population. I'm wondering if the crime rate has increased lately, and if the recession is a factor, though northern Michigan has been fortunate to survive downturns in the past with the tourism, etc. If anyone who lives there can comment on the crime, and what has changed, that would be great. Thanks in advance.

[michmoldman]

I did read about the murder there recently...very disturbing for sure, but I think on the whole its very safe. I dont think you would have any problems living there. Just remember....most of the people in Flint have never been robbed, vandalized or murdered.

[xz2y]

Originally Posted by michmoldman

I did read about the murder there recently...very disturbing for sure, but I think on the whole its very safe. I dont think you would have any problems living there. Just remember....most of the people in Flint have never been robbed, vandalized or murdered.

Thanks. I also read about the serious vandalism at the Boyne Resort ($50,000 in damage). Very distressing. I just don't remember this level of crime in the TC area, or northwest MI in general. Boyne resort vandalized; reward offered » Region » Traverse City Record-Eagle

Another recent and scary incident of vandalism where someone fabricated metal spikes and put them near a horse trail.

"Spikes with 'malicious intent' found near horseback trail"

Spikes with "malicious intent" found near horseback trail : News : UpNorthLive.com

At any rate, I appreciate the reassurances, and it's not likely most people experience crime who live there, but the incidences of crime do seem to be increasing in that area of the state, unfortunately.

[tecpatl]

The Grand Traverse area is a wonderful place, but there is no lack of nitwits, same as anywhere else.
Very recently there was a disappearance of a young woman, who has just turned up murdered. A horrible thing to be sure, but not a random crime of violence. The accused perp. lived in the victims house, though not much else is known about the crime.
Mindless vandalism occurs everywhere, even here in paradise, as the Boyne people have discovered. My guess is local kids "celebrating" a graduation or, more likely, a non-graduation.
Though I live in a town outside TC, I am never, ever concerned about crime affecting me, either during my frequent visits to TC or here in my small town 20 minutes away.
I haven't locked my car in months, years actually, and have never had a theft from it. I did have a broken window a year or so ago, as did a few other people in Leelanau Cty, courtesy of two young bozos with a pellet gun. They were caught quickly and are suffering the consequences of their stupidity.
There is crime, but unlike a big city most crime is solved and the perpetrators punished. Kinda keeps even the nitwits in line, most of the time.

[JGatti]

I was on a field trip with my sons school and I mentioned that I would love to convince my wife to move up to TC. This other mother started on about how the crime is out of control in TC and her parents live in Cheboygen and there is nothing but bad news about TC on TV and there have been so many home invasions and things are spinning OUT OF CONTROL! I have never heard this. In 2009 there were 5 burglaries according to city data. Has it increased that much in 3 years that people would start saying it's out of control? I highly doubt it. No matter what some people might think I'd be willing to bet things are better there than down in many areas' down here. I still love TC and hope to one day live there.

[xz2y]

I appreciate the responses. I have been following the Record-Eagle and other websites that report crime in northern MI, and have been a bit dismayed by what appears to be the increasing crime in that area. Granted, it's less than other areas of the state, for sure, but I'm wondering what's going on up there that is causing the change, especially recently.

Kids have always had too much time on their hands and kids everywhere do stupid things. But the number of home invasions and more serious crimes (vandalism at Boyne, for example, and armed robberies) seems to be increasing. Is there an influx of people in the TC area? If so, who are they? I doubt too many retirees are committing crimes in TC, and I doubt that many people are moving there for jobs, which are few and far between. Is there more drug use and less parental supervision? I don't know what is contributing to the crime increase, but it is disturbing in this kind of low population area. I love the TC area and find it sad to see crimes associated with big cities finding their way up north.

On another website that compares crimes between cities (Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed), I looked a comparison between Ann Arbor and Traverse City, since both are considered low crime areas of the state.
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

Using 2006 data, the website lists the following number of crimes for Traverse City:

Population: 14,477
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 12
Robbery: 2
Aggravated Assault: 32
Burglary: 69
Larceny Theft: 389
Vehicle Theft: 22

It would be interesting to compare the number of crimes in TC over the last 10 years to see if there is an upward trend.

[xz2y]

There are a number of registered sex offenders living in TC: 187
by zip code:
49684=34
49685=55
49686=84
49696=14
Total=187

[Luzette]

Well, Traverse City isn't small anymore. It's getting to be a mid-size city so unfortunately along with that comes the increase in crime. The worst thing on the news regarding crime "up north" was the armed break in over by Mt Pleasant where three men stuck guns at the heads of sleeping residents. The intruders were caught and turned out to be downstate people. That was big city type crime coming up north. Traverse just had a horrible murder of a young girl, Carly Lewis, which has sickened everyone up here. This was done by a teen who knew her and a kid others had determined to be troubled. In spite of what we all see on the news I think Traverse is still a safe place to visit, and I wouldn't hesitate to live there. I use common sense wherever I am so that's about all anyone can do.

[TaylorRothschild]

I believe TC will come out of this recent trend strongly. It's mostly a mindset change that's needed, as Luzette touched on. Perhaps an increase in patrols and some neighborhood organizing alone can keep things under control. Compared to Benton Harbor (pop 10k), TC is still a paradise of safety. Part of me thinks the best thing that could happen to BH is a proper deluge that washes her into Lake Michigan.

[tecpatl]

Originally Posted by JGatti

I was on a field trip with my sons school and I mentioned that I would love to convince my wife to move up to TC. This other mother started on about how the crime is out of control in TC and her parents live in Cheboygen and there is nothing but bad news about TC on TV and there have been so many home invasions and things are spinning OUT OF CONTROL! I have never heard this. In 2009 there were 5 burglaries according to city data. Has it increased that much in 3 years that people would start saying it's out of control? I highly doubt it. No matter what some people might think I'd be willing to bet things are better there than down in many areas' down here. I still love TC and hope to one day live there.

It sounds like "her parents" are the kind of people who read headlines only, listen to the pre-newscast tease and not the broadcast, read the supermarket tabloids cover-to-cover, and think they're informed.
"spinning out of control" would make me laugh if it wasn't a serious subject, but it's an uninformed (possibly ignorant) statement of what goes on in TC. It was told to you third hand, thus the doubt (correctly) you have about it's accuracy.
You are correct, sir!