While reading the Tribune this morning, I noticed a feature about how homicides impact everyone in Oakland.  Even if we don’t live in neighborhoods with any murders, we are supposedly living with extra stress nearby.

If you are cowering in the Oakland Hills, then it’s most likely related to home burglaries or robberies.  One Rockridge resident declared that we’re known as the local ATMs!

Though our area primarily experiences thefts of all stripes and colors, that’s not completely connected to living in Oakland.  Take a look at any place with a little wealth or high property values, and you will see the ATM phenomenon play out.

In fact, our perpetrators don’t consistently come from Oakland; they venture from Contra Costa and other places too.  We often are targeted right alongside the Berkeley Hills and Lamorinda.

Here’s another data point to refute local crime fears.  Whenever we post crime statistics at Today in Montclair, the traffic to our site noticeably drops off.  We don’t know why you aren’t interested in stats, and whether it’s due to boredom, disgust or the desire to otherwise disengage from reality.

However, you perk up when new and more creative crimes appear.  Let’s hear about the guys casing open-houses and stealing staged furniture, the solicitors who come back later for electronics gear, or even those restaurant robbers hitting on patrons.  Now that’s the juicy stuff we like!

Seriously, we can be careful and vigilant but I don’t really buy the living-in-fear hypothesis.  When the four cops were killed, I admit to short-lived fear about my route to the airport.  I don’t believe Montclarions usually feel like they exist around a war zone and exhibit undue stress.  What do you think?