wild west

I've always been aware of crime and know that we have pretty bad stats in this country, I'm constantly vigilant, and conscious about where i park, walk, go out etc, but at the same time, its something that happens everywhere in the world, and is a constant no matter where you go, so i always tried to keep an open easy mind about it, and despite having bad experiences, never really let it get to me.. lately, however, it seems to have become so pervasive and free-for-all that its totally out of control, and is beginning to really scare me. gun slinging wild west shit, where everywhere is open territory and everyone is out to get you.
when you cant even go out to a public restaurant, without having something happen to you, things have become clearly warped. my heart broke when i heard yesterday when i heard that someone had been murdered in st tropez, a little restaurant in musgrave, by armed robbers while at his friends 30th birthday party on Saturday night. what?! i read the newspaper article on it this morning, only to discover that two other places, right down the road from me, and that i frequent, have been hit and robbed several times in the last few weeks too. what the fuck is going on in a society, that these events are becoming common place, and accepted norms? you're going to have to take a glock with you to dinner, just to have a peaceful evening out on the town?!
I've got to the stage where i don't know what to do or say about it anymore. i mean, what is the solution? stay in your strong room, locked away under ground at home? these are well lit, open places, in full view of residential and pedestrian traffic, in well established neighbourhoods etc, and yet there are people with big enough balls, egos or guns, I'm not sure which, but that they can brazenly walk into a place like that and take over?!
... I'm stumped. the news about Saturday really shattered me, i don't really know what the solution is anymore. it hurts as this place is too amazing...blue Monday as a consequence.