The beginning of the new year has brought unfortunate news regarding violent crime in New York City. According to the latest data from the NYPD, robberies have seen a 5% increase (960 from 913) in the first three weeks of 2024 compared to the same period last year.
The statistics further reveal that robberies have risen by 12% in Queens (174 from 155), and 9% in both the Bronx (301 from 277) and Brooklyn (258 from 237) as of January 21.
However, amidst these concerning numbers, there is some positive news. Robberies have decreased by 58% in Staten Island and 1% in Manhattan.
Furthermore, there is a silver lining in the overall crime rate, as major crime has decreased by 7% citywide. Additionally, there has been a significant drop of 41% in murders, with only 16 reported cases compared to 27 during the same period last year.
The NYPD has released an image of two individuals who are wanted in connection with a string of robberies specifically targeting newsstands.
The NYPD is currently on the lookout for four bold criminals who are part of a gang responsible for robbing sidewalk vendors on nine separate occasions since January 1st. These audacious individuals specifically target older sellers during nighttime, forcefully removing them from their newsstands and violently knocking them to the ground. They then proceed to intimidate the victims with firearms or knives, before stealing any valuable items found in their pockets or cash registers.
Joseph Giacalone, a retired NYPD sergeant and adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, expressed concern about the increasing number of robberies. He stated that if the NYPD can effectively combat grand larcenies and auto theft by 2024, it will lead to a decrease in crime rates.
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