Upset and a little scared

[Dagny 0]

I just moved to the west coast of Florida and a new apartment complex not even a month ago. I wasn't completely sold on the complex because it didn't appear to be in the best condition and I wasn't sure if it would be safe or not. It seemed quiet enough and I took a second floor apt. with a great view.

I put a small pot with miniature roses outside of my door on the landing. A few days later, they were stolen. Two packages were mailed to me, one delivered on wednesday, the other on thursday. The company left them on my doorstep. I never saw either of them. Today, I find that my jeep (and only my car) has been keyed on the passenger side to include the rear panel, and both doors. Whoever did it made it deep, too. And, as I was locking up to leave this afternoon, I noticed a scratch mark in the paint of the door near the lock. I'm starting to freak out now.

First of all, why the hell do people have to ruin and take other people's things!? I've been trying to take this in stride, but damn! I don't have a whole lot of nice things and I try really hard to take care of what I do have...and not for someone else to vandalize! Second of all, who the hell is targeting me and why?

Part of me is really scared and wants to break the lease and relocate. I mean, I haven't even lived here a month! The other part of me is just pissed off and feels like refusing to leave because of this. I mean, I do like my place and I'm not looking forward to paying for and struggling through another move.

What do I do now?

Can we aerosolize prozac to make mean, scary people stand down?

Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic.
-Salvador Dali

[KevinMcGuire 0]

When there is a doubt, there can be no doubt. If it's been this bad so soon, its going to be bad again. Bail. Do it fast and make sure the land lord knows why. Wait too long and the land lord may not let you out of the lease. Moving sucks but not nearly as bad as having all your stuff stolen when your gone or worse, when your home.

[Lindsey 0]

Dagny....that really stinks. My first thought is that junior year of medical school is *really* tough. You don't need worries like what you're talking about in this particular year of your life. Getting into a less stressful living situation might be a good idea.

But I'd probably be hesitant to leave myself (like you seem to be) because it's not really in my nature to be so easily defeated (lol....I know that leaving doesn't mean you're defeated, but I'm kinda hard-headed). You have no idea who's doing this stuff, though, and that's kind of scary.

Honestly....looking back on the necessary stresses of 3rd year, getting rid of any other stresses that you can is a REALLY good idea. My $.02 is to find another living situation.

Peace~
linz

--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

[ryoder 1,384]

When I was in college, I got a co-op job that put me in a large, strange city to work for a defense contractor on alternate semesters. On my first semester, I chose an apartment based only on price. By the end of the first week, it dawned on me that I was in a bad part of town, a really bad part of town. I decided I had to get the hell out of there regardless of what it cost. I was straight forward with the landlord, and to my pleasant surprise, he refunded my deposit and rent, (prorated for the week I lived there), and tore up the lease.

As for delivered packages, I rent a box at a nearby UPS Store, (formerly Mailboxes Etc).
- There is always an adult there to sign for it.
- The package always gets delivered on the first attempt.
- The package never sits outdoors unattended.
- They can accept packages from any delivery service.
- I can give someone a mailing address without giving my home address.
It is $120/year for a lot of peace-of-mind.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[kbordson 8]

Dagny,

How horrible to not be able to feel safe and comfortable in your home! Especially at a time when you will need an escape from the stress of work/school.

I have to agree with the others.... bail. Find someplace safer and more secure. The last thing you want to be worrying about is safety.

Karen

[genitor 0]

West coast of Florida. Does this mean Tampa? If so, I'm sorry. Tampa, IMO, is right up there with Atlanta as the city in which I'd least like to live.

I would move. Not moving because you are afraid of being defeated or whatever seems rather silly. These people do not care about defeating you. They don't know who you are. They are simply horrible people, and sticking around will not mean that you win. If there are alternatives to where you are living, I would take them. It's always a good idea to try to leave a bad situation for a better one.

I know that moving sucks. I've been involved in a number of different moves in the last couple of months. But does moving suck more than staying where you are? It sounds like a time where you have to decide what sucks less.

[fallingchip 0]

I really hate to hear this kinda thing and I hope things get better.
I would start by filing police reports then show them to the landlord as reason for moving. They shouldn't have a problem letting you out of the contract.

______________________________________________
"A radical man is a man with both feet firmly planted in the air."
-Franklin Delano Roosevelt

[sundevil777 93]

I would try putting a package outside the door, baiting someone to steal it, so you can know who is doing it and get them busted.

Then I would move.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[bigorangemd 0]

Time to go. Sorry things are going so rough.

[Acensky 0]

I would move out of there as soon as possible. If moving out is not an option at this point, take a self defense class and/or a handgun class. Here is a helpful website on handgun requirements for each state.

http://www.packing.org/

I also live alone, but I live in a small college town, which makes it nice. I did both of those and I feel a lot better about living alone.

I hope everything works out for you.

Heather

Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.

[TheAnvil 0]

I would bail. Hopefully you've notified the police.

Sorry your move isn't going so well.

Things will get better, hopefully.

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

[kenz 0]

not only would i move out of there and break your lease, but i would also call the cops and report everything, and then take pictures of all the damage as well and shove them up your landlords ass... thats too sktechball.. just be careful.. and i would also suggest carrying with you a small thing of mace you can put on your keys just in case... good luck with everything...

~kenz

"life does throw curveballs sometimes but it doesn't mean we shouldn't still swing for the homerun" ~ me

[RkyMtnHigh 0]

Come to West Palm Beach on the East Coast...you'll love it here I'm sure...I have plenty of room if you need space.

_________________________________________

[skydiver1717 0]

Safety first...cut away.

The air up there in the clouds is very pure and fine, bracing and delicious. And why shouldn't it be? It is the same the angels breathe. — Mark Twain,

[hookitt 0]

Quote

When there is a doubt, there can be no doubt. If it's been this bad so soon, its going to be bad again. Bail. Do it fast and make sure the land lord knows why. Wait too long and the land lord may not let you out of the lease. Moving sucks but not nearly as bad as having all your stuff stolen when your gone or worse, when your home.

What Kevin said. I had a neighbor in the same 4 plex as me have a lot of stuff stolen. I'm guessing a guest of theirs set it up. A Uhaul pulled up, the people broke in (I don't remember how) and took the TV, the stereo, and anything else that seemed expensive.

The crummy part, is one of the other neighbors actually moved his car out of the way to make room for the thieves.

sundevil777 has a good Idea too. Set up a video camera somehow and get it on tape.

Dagny, this truly sucks. It's something you don't need to deal with. I agree with everyone to get out. start putting your stuff in some sort of storage and leave as soon as possible.

If you live alone, get someone to stay there with you.

Good luck.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[hookitt 0]

One more thing, I recommend this for everyone especially women.

I didn't find a link for florida but look here first to get an Idea what I'm talking about.

Model Mugging

PM Tonto. Chances are he can point you in the right direction.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[Muenkel 0]

Dagney,

I agree with everyone else. I would get out. You don't need this extra stress and there are entirely too many wackos out there...most of them post here.

_________________________________________
Chris

[VanillaSkyGirl 6]

Please be careful, Dagny. Call the police, document everything that is happening, talk to the landlords and move as soon as you can.

This person or persons may even resort to hurting you, which is the absolute worse case scenario. Who knows what is going through the other person(s) head. For your own safety, please move.

[jenfly00 0]

I would bail.

jen

-----------------------
"O brave new world that has such people in it".

[freeflir29 0]

Yeah...........I'd feel better if you bailed. Tampa can be a rough place.......especially in certain parts of town. One really good thing to do is stop by the local police station, a sub station if they have it, and ask about certain areas. The cops keep records of how many and what type calls they answer in a given area. Should help you make informed decisions on picking a new place. Invest in some self defense. Whatever type you are comfortable with be it just pepper spray, they make some REALLY great tazers these days, or my personal choice.....a nice H&K USP .40. Video cameras are a great idea but who wants to live somewhere that they have to spend all their time worrying about who is out to get them? I do that now in Iraq but I get paid for it.

[bisqit999 0]

try the bait thing.....maybe you just got a real asshole for a neighbor. Leave a package out for a day and maybe setup a camera to watch it. If you recognize the person as a neighbor you can tell your landlord and the police that he's been harassing you. If it turns out to just be some random jerk off the street......then just get outta there. If thats the type of area you gotta deal with then I would leave.

Good luck!

[Dagny 0]

Thank you all for your suggestions and concern. I'm going to take some steps to document everything and get that on file with the apartment complex and, until I can find another place, I'll be taking some steps to insure my personal safety especially since I get home after dark at times. I really do appreciate you all for caring. Thank you.

Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic.
-Salvador Dali

[ACMESkydiver 0]

Hey Dagny,

Don't worry about it. The weather will wipe out Florida soon enough anyhoo.

-Ok stupid attempt at humor, but yeah, you better beat it. Good idea to log everything and go with the police reports, as it looks like you're going to do. I would see if you could research real estate law and see if this would constitute some type of breach of contract (I truly have no idea) or some way to legally break the lease and recoupe your money if the manager wants to be an keep your deposit...

Good luck.

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[edjackson 0]

The USF area in Tampa is a bad location. South Tampa is alot safer and more fun. It's not too far of a drive and it's closer to Tampa General where you might be doing rotations. I did my residency at USF and still live there. I've never had a problem with crime in 5 years.

[jtval 0]

dagny,
Before you move into your NEXT place you should call the local precinct.(NOT 911) the usually have a program that you can get info for the local crime scences.

of course they are only crimes that HAVE been reported but if the yearly history is Crazy high then you know not to move into that place.


hope this helps on your next move, sorry to hear about your vandalisation

My photos

My Videos