Crime, Canberra

I moved to Canberra from Tasmania and I have been here for 3 years. I have never seen so many druggies in a small area in any other Australian city.
I would advise don't get involved in conversations with suspect-looking individuals. They always want money or smokes. They come up with all these weird stories that don't make sense about why they need you to give them money.

There is major drug problems in public housing areas, but do not be fooled, drug dealers and adicts live in the rich apartments/houses too.

Theft is a big problem too. I've had my bag stolen twice and my car stolen.

Provided you exercise no more than normal common sense in crowded areas, pubs or clubs, especially late at night, you are unlikely to have any problems in Canberra. It is one of Australia's safest cities.

Canberra is often touted as a quiet city. True, it does not have as much traffic, residents or commerce as, say, Melbourne or Sydney, but it does have its own dangers in public areas. I agree with the other writers on Canberra here. Drug addicts pose the most serious problem in Canberra. There are way too many junkies here. You see them everywhere, on the street, on the bus. All public housing apartments in Canberra are drug distribution areas, and these days the major players are moving into private housing complexes to avoid detection.

Watch out for junkies while driving. They drive and cross roads really dangerously. If you have an expensive looking bag, do not leave it unattended. If you have lots of money, do not let it be seen even in respectable places. If you smoke, do not display your pack of cigarettes. They're very fond of asking for cigarettes and spare change. Smokers on average get asked for cigarettes 3 times a day by junkies.

It's hard to say, but again syringes. The use of hard drugs in Canberra is the same as in most other Capital cities. Only difference, Canberra is getting drugs paradise. Dealers and users do what they want because the police are afraid to arrest someone. A cab driver told me the police was afraid to pick up kids from dignitaries as politician, ambassadors etc, etc. I noticed Canberra had clean public toilets last year (they were new!!!) now it is a mess. Be careful in public toilets and parks (Canberra has no beaches as it is a inland Capital) that you don't get in touch with syringes. Amazing that this spoiled youth only think about their kicks and not even use the syringes-containers (see picture) that's hanging in all public toilets, even in the casino. Yes, you read well, in the casino. I hear you thinking, which junkie has money (not even think about their dressing) to go to the casino? The dignitaries themselves? Sigh… Postscript... I hear police have introduced cameras in 15 spots around the busy area of Civic as part of their policing activity so maybe this will help.