University of Birmingham - Students be careful where you choose to live

[GingerPunch]

Very disturbing story in the paper today, 8 students robbed at knifepoint in their student rented house close to the University, shocking.
www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/university-birmingham-students-robbed-knife-point-6755298

I can't see the second story in the local press or on the BBC local news. Can you provide another link please OP? The Tab seems to be some student newspaper and I don't know its credentials.

birmingham.tab.co.uk/2014/03/18/selly-crime/

no idea if it has been published elsewhere senua

Just search student mugging on Google News and it brings up hits for stories from all round the country. Yes these are awful crimes in Birmingham, but as UpThrChimney said, this does have a whiff of scaremongering about it.

no idea if it has been published elsewhere

Are you saying that you are spreading stories without checking your sources properly?

Look, no-one's saying there isn't crime in student areas. We are ALWAYS warning students to be careful. I work in a building which needs swipe card entry via student/staff ID (actual human porter made redundant several years ago) and students are always tailgating me in. I sometimes get a bit stern and tell them that it's for their own security but they roll their eyes.

But this thread is scare-mongering in a really odd way.

Why are you focussing negative messages on Birmingham University? The same is true for most other Universities.
Even where most live in College (Oxbridge), which is pretty secure they can be attacked on the streets, and a few cases happen every year.

Are you saying the West Midlands police are not taking adequate steps to combat such crime? That would be of interest.

BTW when I lived in the US, my Campus had emergency aid buttons about every 50 yards across Campus. You pressed one and the Campus police would rush to that spot. It had seriously high crime, was in a dangerous area (or close to one anyway). But on the whole I felt pretty safe.

My local University in a very safe/leafy place has had rapes and at least two suspicious deaths so far this academic year. It is also far less buzzy than Birmingham University was, when I was there. however I have felt no need to come on here to terrify parents of students in my town.

my town too! seconding what mummytime said so well

Apparently the police have arrested 5 people on suspicion of robbery in Selly Oak. Of course we don't know if they are the ones who were involved, but the police are onto it. I haven't heard of a rape round there so would appreciate any details Gingerpunch. I remember when Selly Oak was an area with families, etc but it has been completely taken over by the buy to let brigade with to let signs on almost every house. It was never a lovely area, but it used to be much better than it is now. I can't believe how filthy and scruffy it has got recently but I am sure it is the same in other towns with a large university.