Crime Statistics in Pendik: Is it Getting Safer?
okay, so i moved to pendik about six months ago and everyone kept asking me if i was "brave" or "crazy" for picking this part of istanbul. the reputation was... let's say, not the best. but i'm a freelance photographer, so i'm used to chasing light in sketchy corners and trusting my gut over google reviews. and honestly? the data surprised me.
first off, pendik's crime rate has actually dropped by about 12% over the last two years, according to the istanbul security report 2023. that's not nothing. sure, you still see the occasional street hustle near the marina, but i've walked home at 2am from a shoot and felt safer than i did in my old neighborhood in kadıköy. maybe it's the wide streets, maybe it's the constant police presence near the ferry terminal, or maybe it's just that people here look out for each other.
rent here is still a steal compared to the european side. i pay about 6,500 TL for a two-bedroom with a balcony that faces the sea. yeah, the building's a bit older, and the elevator sounds like it's about to retire, but i'll take that over paying double for a shoebox anywhere else in the city. plus, the food scene? insane. there's this tiny lokanta near the pendik marina where the owner still hand-rolls his own mantı. no website, no instagram, just word of mouth and a line out the door at lunch.
weather here is that classic istanbul mix-humid, windy, and unpredictable. one minute you're shooting golden hour by the docks, the next you're sprinting for cover under a fish market awning. but that's part of the charm. and if you need a quick escape, kartal and maltepe are just a 15-minute ferry ride away, both with their own quirks and cheaper rents if pendik starts feeling too busy.
i asked a local tea seller near the train station what he thought about safety here. he just laughed and said, "the only crime in pendik is charging too much for a simit." i've heard similar sentiments from neighbors-people who've lived here for decades and say the biggest change isn't crime, it's gentrification creeping in. new cafes, higher prices, and more foreigners like me wandering around with cameras and half-baked turkish.
if you're thinking about visiting or moving here, my "drunk advice" is: don't believe everything you hear. pendik isn't perfect, but it's evolving. the numbers back it up, and so does my slightly bruised but still-intact camera gear. for more on local safety trends, check out the istanbul security dashboard or browse the pendik subreddit for real-time chatter.
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