Alright so I am moving into a bachelor's apartment for the school year and I am starting to become fearful.

Have any of you rented an apartment and brought your desktop computers with you? I am starting to rethink this decision and opt to leave it at home. I am going to be away every other weekend so it would mean leaving the computer unsupervised.

At first it seemed like such a great idea to bring it with me. I was going to bring my PS2 as well but then my uncle reminded me about the security. Any experiences and/or opinions would be helpful =D

Oh right I'm renting from Hamilton Housing on Main Street West. That probably doesn't matter though...

Around where are you living on Main St? I heard the Emerson area (but that's houses and not apartments) is kind of sketchy at night, but I'm not sure about the frequency of robberies and such.

As for the computer, I would recommend a (relatively light) laptop instead of a desktop. That way, you can bring it around with you everywhere (including those weekends when you go home). Not only does it make you feel a little more secure, it's also convenient, since you will have any files on your computer saved and available for access anywhere.

On the other hand, it is more difficult to steal a desktop vs. a laptop since the desktop has more larger and heavier pieces...

While it's good to be cautious, it's not like crime is so rampant in Hamilton that anything not bolted down will be gone if you leave it for a weekend. Honestly, I wouldn't worry about it that much. Just make sure your apartment is secure and chances are you'll be fine. You could always buy a locking kit for it if you're a little nervous (like the kind that tie down the computers in libraries), but again, I don't think it's that big a concern.

Thanks for the replies. I think I was just a bit paranoid when the issue came up. I never thought about it before so it just seemed unsafe.