By Bob Tannenhauser
Major crimes are on the rise on the Upper West Side this year, despite a decrease in most major crime categories across the city. The major crime categories are: Murder, Rape, Robbery, Felony Assault, Burglary, Grand Larceny, Grand Larceny Auto.
New York City
Released by the NYPD on Thursday April 6, citywide statistics for the month of March 2023 compared to March 2022 showed a decrease in four of the seven major crime categories, including: murder down 11.4% (31 v. 35), rape down 0.8% (130 v. 131), robbery down 1.4% (1,253 v. 1,271), and burglary down 12.5% (1,185 v. 1,355).
The year-to-date NYPD CompStat NYC data ending April 2, 2023 show declines in five of the major crime categories with murder and rape incidents declining by 10.7% and 8.5% respectively, and felony assaults and grand larceny auto increasing by 9% and 7% respectively. The overall major crime index for NYC in the period ending April 2nd increased by 0.19%.
“The continuing drop in shootings, homicides, and other violence in New York City is a direct result of the hard work performed each day and night by the women and men of the NYPD,” said Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell, at a press conference.
The Upper West Side
The year-to-date (April 2nd) statistics for the 20th and 24th precincts, comprising the UWS, are presented below. The total incidents of the seven major crimes increased by 23, with increases in five of the seven major crime categories. There have been three murders on the Upper West Side this year compared to none in 2022. The nine rape incidents so far this year represent an increase of three compared to last year.
| YTD 4/2/23 | YTD 4/2/22 | Difference | |
| 20th Pct | |||
| Murder | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Rape | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Robbery | 25 | 24 | 1 |
| Felony Assault | 26 | 18 | 8 |
| Burglary | 39 | 37 | 2 |
| Grand Larceny | 172 | 175 | -3 |
| Grand Larceny Auto | 21 | 14 | 7 |
| Total | 289 | 273 | 16 |
| YTD 4/2/23 | YTD 4/2/22 | Difference | |
| 24th Pct | |||
| Murder | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Rape | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| Robbery | 29 | 37 | -8 |
| Felony Assault | 36 | 32 | 4 |
| Burglary | 37 | 66 | -29 |
| Grand Larceny | 137 | 115 | 22 |
| Grand Larceny Auto | 28 | 15 | 13 |
| Total | 273 | 266 | 7 |
I’m sure the homeless shelter for 100+ people with no background checks at 83rd St. will totally help.
Pretty nasty to accuse folks who need a hand up with potential rapes and murders.
Wait till the new supportive housing opens in 108 st. I am terrified of what is coming.
You accuse people of potential crimes they have not committed? Who does that?
1 didn’t accuse anyone
2 I am terrified and you have no right to invalidate how I feel.
Statistically, the homeless are more often victims of crime than perpetrators of it.
Of course I feel for them, but that doesn’t seem like a very useful statistic. There are generally way more victims than criminals in any population. That tells you nothing about how likely that group is to commit crime.
If true, then how insensitive is it to place extremely vulnerable people into a neighborhood that is experiencing rising crime? You would think DHS would be siting shelter in safer neighborhoods?
Totally irrelevant statistics quote. We are not talking about what percentage of the homeless is victims or perpetrators. Of course most of them are not criminals. That’s where your quote will be valid. We are talking about the increase of mentally ill or formerly incarcerated regardless of what percentage of the homeless population they make. That increase will without a doubt contribute to crime in our neighborhood .
PUH-LEEZ
There was a good reason why we were read “Chicken Little” as children.
Ah, a man dismissing a woman’s concern in a very condescending manner. What else is new.
I already had a few bad experiences with the homeless, I guess because I didn’t reread Chicken Little.
As a woman, I totally agree with Eric
How could he know you’re a woman when you post anonymously?
I am bracing myself for that. My children are not at PS9 but will be passing it on the way to their school. I won’t let them walk to school anymore, only a bus. We have no money to Uber every day.
Same here. My kids will now be taking a bus.
https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-nypd-cop-shot-jamaica-queens-20230405-lm5jn7nygfdb5aixrpeulotvyi-story.html
“ It began around 3:20 p.m. when the suspected gunman and another passenger began to quarrel over a seat on an eastbound MTA bus on Jamaica Ave., according to NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig.”
Not even clear what point you are trying to make. In this case people are concerned about encountering mentally ill violent homeless on the street which will literally be flooded with the homeless soon. Less likely on a bus. Are you trying to say we are not safe anywhere?
Looks like there’s at least one upside to all the store closings.
Increase in violent crimes on the UWS. Many reasons. Lack of police presence, lack of cameras, endless opening of homeless and safe haven houses more than any other neighborhood in the city, poor politicians who want to defund crime and safety initiatives, bail reform, endless smoke and pot shops, and lack of now a second mayoral administration to look at Manhattan, specifically the UWS.
Bed, Bath, and Beyond is now going, going, gone. That’s another huge empty space (and more lay offs). We need city council, Mayor, and Washington reps to get some businesses going here. Which came first: the UWS business closings or the UWS crime? I’m really asking–not a wisenhammer question.
I could not agree more. People need to wake up. We can no longer afford to good vibes our way through policymaking. Times are about to be much worse.
Don’t for get these two emerg shelters for migrants.
https://nypost.com/2023/04/08/uws-residents-furious-as-city-quietly-opens-2-new-emergency-shelters/
How about the home for ex-convicts on 97 Street?
I’m not advocating for ex-convicts on 97 Street but I’m curious, Joshua, what is the right place for formerly incarcerated people to live?
Someplace w remote outside of densely populated areas with expensive real estate. Police officers and teachers cannot afford nyc but homeless and convicts can?
In the Dakotas. They have the lowest unemployment rates so clearly there are lots of jobs available. Last time I looked, all of those who devote their lives to helping these people keep saying that they all really want to return to a normal life and hold jobs. So they should go where there are jobs.
And since some portion of them have recidivist tendencies, they are less likely to do harm unto others or fall in with a bad crowd in those places. Plus they can be housed much more cheaply in those places than in one of the most expensive cities in America. I am happy to discuss if an individual has a compelling reason to stay in NYC. Many do not.
And yes, I am 100% serious. And yes, I bet this gets censored.
Not next to a primary school
On West 83 St. where a convicted murderer parolee was installed as a building staffer, and having been dismissed, returns with a fellow murderer parolee, who together proceeded to rape and murder an elderly woman? Those tenants were not even alerted to the employee’s background. But he was given ‘a second chance.’ Psychopaths are not capable of being reformed, and so they should not be blended with the general population, or civil society. Such a policy endangers innocent people.
On a street which already has 2 other shelters/SROs
Using the logic of the anti indigent crowd, if crime goes down during the quarter after the safe haven opens it’s because the residents there had a positive impact on the community.
We are not anti-poor, many of us have been poor. We are against anti-social elements that pose threats to the community: drug addicts, alcoholics, mentally ill, former convicts. Also, if you were truly looking out for the poor, you’d be against housing them in one of the most expensive zip codes in the country, since for the same amount of money, you could provide 5x the amount of housing in say Staten Island where my folks live.
I didnt say poor, I said indigent, who you’ve just blanket-labeled substance abusing crazy criminals with no evidence, only stereotypes.
The primary definition of indigent is poor.
How can progressive politicians say that the bail “reform” of several years ago has nothing to do with this? That’s you Gale Brewer, Linda Rosenthal and Brad Hoylman-Sigal.
It doesn’t matter what they say, it matters what they do. And what they do is reckless.
Show me a Gale Brewer statement or quote that says bail reform has nothing to do with crime on the UWS?
Brad Hoylman is behind the actual bail reform. No quote needed.
How can a sensible and logical gov’t prioritize ILLEGAL immigrants over their own residents who are in need of housing is beyond me. How did NY decline to this point like a third world? I have not seen so many mentally ill, homeless, illegal migrants, criminals, etc. out and about in all neighborhoods in a metropolitan city… they are not confined to a few places but all over… And people keep voting for politicians who are ok with all of that. Something is wrong with this country and its citizens, sorry.
The 50,000 recently arrived migrants in NYC entered the USA legally…..
The immigrants, many of which are here innegally need housing, pushing out those already living in lower-end housing those people then go looking for adequate housing. And so it goes, like a row of dominoes, all while the landlords’ meters keep running, and the city keeps wringing its hands.
No, they didn’t. They entered illegally and got a TEMPORARY legal status while their asylum application is pending. Asylum can be granted only on cases of political persecution and life endangerment, not economic hardship.
You’re wrong. They are here legally. Just straight up incorrect what you’re saying.. Fake news. Even if the asylum application is denied they are here legally in the meantime. WSRag why do you allow this?
Did you just call my comment fake news? Why stop at this, calm it disinformation. That’s how the ultra left are trying to shut up people who don’t agree with then.
No they did not. The government facilitated their illegal entry. The border states have been dealing with these incursions for years, and now NYC is. The cost in housing them will be drawn from services paid by the tax payer.
The government let them in legally. You may disagree with immigration policy but you don’t get to make up what the law is based on your opinion of it.
There is no border enforcement. That is not allowing them in legally. It is abdicating responsibility for defending a country’s borders. No one is vetted. We do not know who is entering. There is a lucrative business with human and drug trafficking as a result.
In earlier decades, people needed to prove they were healthy—physically ( disease free ) and mentally, and could provide for themselves, as opposed to living off American citizens. If they did not meet those standards, they were deported.
You don’t get to make up immigration policy.
Try crossing the border of Mexico illegally. You’ll find yourself in prison.
That about sums it up.
Let’s have some perspective? The increases in the 20th precinct are all single digits for the raw number of incidents. You’re going from an EXTREMELY safe neighborhood to one that is slightly less safe. A rate of 26 felony assaults and 25 robberies for a neighborhood of 100k (let’s assume half the 200k of the UWS live in the 2-0) is LOW.
Even in the 2-4 – felony assaults up 4. Rapes up 3. Murder is up 2. Robbery DOWN eight. Major increase in the neighborhoods are grand larceny/car thefts. Those are property crimes.
By and large, this neighborhood is safe. Look at similar numbers in Crown Heights, East Harlem, Jackson Heights, the Lower East Side, right up the road in Harlem….Get some perspective and to the WSR writers, learn to put crime in per capita context for public safety reporting. It’s what law enforcement themself do when looking at “problem neighborhoods.”
I choose not to normalize the rise in crime NYC is experiencing, and it frankly offends me when people do so. People should not have to live this way. I don’t recall women being randomly punched, slapped, heads banged against a tree, before 2020. Whether or not these scenarios are reflected in the numbers is immaterial to me, as long as this is what it is possible to encounter day to day.
Your “increase” is incremental. Look at the 10/20 year trends. We are well within that range. Anecdotal recall is a classic mcguffin used to create perception.
You know what else you can encounter on the day to day? Absolutely none of this. And that’s what stats show most west siders experience. There are real issues out there for public safety, i.e. VEHICLE TRAFFIC, which injures dozens more people on the West Side every year compared to actual felony or misdemeanor assaults. Maybe address the pressing public safety issues rather than vague fears?
to an increase:
everyone in my family has been hit by bicyclists . our doctor in rehab for weeks after a Citibike hit. incredible so many bicyclists go the wrong way,/go through red lights/ignore bike lanes.
increase in biking is a hazard for pedestrians
It’s plain selfish to put the supposed needs of the upper classes over those of the homeless.
It’s actually
Practical since the taxes of these people
Are footing the bill of these ex convicts and addicts who made poor life choices and are a burden to society. At least make them pick up the trash they leave around.
What needs, specifically?
Apparently the need of children walking to and from school safely. It is now a privilege.
Why? If upper classes leave NYC tomorrow, the city will have no money for police, fire, garbage, schools etc! Who do you think pay the taxes? The homeless? They take $3bn from the city budget a year!
I know everything is made political nowadays, but this truly is political . . .
we are reaping the rewards of the last election.
I doubt most locals are willing to think about it. They would be attacking police, etc. even though some of them were very anti-police when the wind was blowing that way.
It’s these young punks , who live at home, committing most of these crime. Their parent is afraid of them and they just run wild. The police need to crack down !
I can’t believe your wife let you publish this article lol
Do you think Gale Brewer will respond and sound any concern? Think again.