Police: Consider Safety While House Hunting

Carrboro police Capt. John Butler said Chapel Hill and Carrboro apartments, like UNC's residence halls, are comparatively safe.

"You have an opportunity to run into crime no matter where you go, but for the most part (students) are pretty safe," he said.

But Butler said students needed to be aware of some safety concerns.

"We just had a major case, a guy who was doing a lot of break-ins and a couple sexual assaults," Butler said. "Most students become victims when they do things like leave doors unlocked while they go out or are sleeping.

"That's an invitation for bad things to happen."

Chapel Hill police crime prevention officer Chris Blue said the most important points for students to remember are keeping doors locked and valuables out of plain sight.

"Criminals look for easy opportunities," he said. "If you have a door or window standing open, it's worth the risk for them to look inside and see if there's anything they can grab."

He said parking lots can also be dangerous.

"Apartment complexes are particularly vulnerable to car break-ins, so (students should) park in well-lit areas and not leave valuables in their cars."

UNC senior history major Lorrie Bradley, who lives in University Apartments on Hillsborough Street, said safety had not been a priority for her.

"I would say that was something we considered, but our top priority was the cost and convenience," she said.

But UNC sophomore Ryan Ong, who now lives in Spencer Residence Hall, said he is considering moving into an apartment next fall and said safety was a priority for him.

"In general, I feel safe (in the dorm)," he said. "Safety would definitely be a concern in finding an apartment."

Katie Norman, a junior journalism and mass communications major, said she feels safe living in the Warehouse Apartments on Rosemary Street.

"I chose it based on location, but my parents thought a lot about safety," she said. "We have a security guard on duty every night and keypad entry, so I feel really safe here. That made my parents happy."

Warehouse owner Larry Short said he believed students should feel safe at Warehouse Apartments.

"Warehouse Apartments is the safest building off campus in Chapel Hill," he said.

"I think (students) do try (to practice safe behavior)."

Officials said students were comparatively safe for the most part, but should still remember safety concerns when deciding where to live.

"It's not the way people think, unfortunately," Blue said. "There are certainly some, but I think most students are thinking about convenience and price."