By either reckoning, murder, rape, assault, robbery, and burglary have all fallen dramatically in Center City in recent years. Still, Center City authorities acknowledge that theft is a stubborn problem. Auto theft is bad,'' said Police Lt. Bill Schmid, who commands the Center City District's police unit. The same advice applies in neighborhoods just outside downtown.
University City is the classic buffer neighborhood.
Its wide streets of restored Victorians are the frontier between Center City and narrower streets of crumbling rowhouses. And even in broad daylight, criminals commute from poorer neighborhoods, punching in car windows and robbing residents. He's been held up twice in the last four years. He says he stood out as a target because foot traffic has diminished so much in the area. He cites the security-van services operated by universities and big landlords to shuttle students around.