The 24th police precinct, which covers 86th street to 110th from the park to the river, has seen a spike in the number of assaults and robberies as compared to one year ago, according to NYPD stats. In the past few months, a mugger has been preying on young men and women as they enter their buildings, and there were two knifepoint robberies of cell phones on West 95th street and Columbus Avenue earlier this month. Cops have stepped up patrols around 95th in the wake of the robberies.
Police on the Upper West Side have consistently cited thefts of cell phones as the most persistent problem in the area, and urged residents to keep their phones out of reach. But the recent crimes appear to be more than just phone-snatching. Police stats show 54 robberies have been recorded this year, an 18.2% increase over the 44 that were recorded over the same time period last year. Felony assaults are up 12.5%. Overall major crime is down 9.7%, mostly because of a falloff in grand larcenies (which are still higher on a two-year basis).
Grand larcenies (stealing something worth more than $1,000) have been up in the past couple of years — in 2012, they rose 27%. So far this year, grand larcenies are down slightly, but they are up 16% over a two-year period. The precinct once had a grand larceny unit, but it has been disbanded due to budget cuts.
Crime is still way down from the bad old days in the neighborhood — in the past 20 years, major crime is down 78.9%.
Aaron Biller of the group Neighborhood in the Nineties told us that building captains (who organize and communicate with other building residents) from 90th-97th streets recently discussed restarting a block watch program that they had given up in 2000 because crime had gone down so much.
“The consensus is that the city and community, thanks to Bloomberg and the policies of our elected officials have made things less safe, that we’ve taken a step back, and we need to secure the safety and quality of life in the neighborhood going forward,” Biller claims.
The most recent 24th precinct crime stats are below (click to enlarge).
Same old; same old. Crime down. Police officers removed from precinct. Crime increases (possibly) because of this, so more cops brought back to the 2-4.
this new increase in crime wouldnt have to do with the new homeless shelters on 95th st….just wondering
Who would have thought a 400-person shelter, and 100-person NY-NY111 facility, all within 1 block, would have an effect on local crime? Hurray for us the ever-tolerant UWS.
Homeless people, as a whole, create no more, and I would argue less crime than those in “affordable housing”. Help the homeless by showing some compassion and assistance with some food, clothing and tips on how or where to find work. Help the “affordable housing” residents by showing them that it is not “normal” to live there for generation anger generation after generation. Instead, these units are there for transitional living, or for recent “homeless” people to begin their journeys back in to the mainstream. The abuse of these “affordable housing” units is ridiculous – clamp-down and get rid of these clogs in the wheel of progress, better known as “affordable housing” residents that think they own the property, and are definitely there to stay, as if they are a chosen group of people that get their rent, utilities, food (stamps), education, medical, dental etc., etc., etc provided to them by hard-working New Yorkers and previously “homeless” people that use the system for what it is there for; a stopping ground to get themselves back up on their feet and a return to being a productive citizen that then provides for others to do the same. No, Bill, look at the “affordable housing” “resident-owners” that will live, fight, create havoc amongst all NY-er’s and die living on the public dole, and taking from others what isn’t freely given to them by the Government (All hard-working people everywhere) because all they know is that it is owed to them. If you can’t “afford” NYC, move out!
Well said Bill! Wish there 100,000 more of you living on the UWS! So tired of these “permanent” underclass with their sense of entitlement. I work 60+ hours a week and budget very carefully to live here…it kills me that my excessive taxes are funding these people.
Thank you Bill.
Have you confronted any our elected officials of the Upper West Side with your smart opinions?
They are all of the opinion that we are all an open check book and expect to hand over more and more and take more and from the permanent underclass. Just look at the report on WS Rag from the candidates for Mayor at Goddard.
Can someone tell them enough is enough? Also tell Linda and Gale.
thank you!