Robberies Up 20% in Bushwick This Year

BUSHWICK, BROOKLYN — So far this year, recorded robberies in the NYPD precinct covering Bushwick are up about 20 percent compared to the first five months of 2015, according to police records.

Robbery reports in the area hit at least a 15-year low last year — at 330 robberies, compared to nearly 600 in the year 2000.

But if the upward trend in local robberies holds for the rest of 2016, we could be looking at levels more on par with 2013 and 2014.

Despite the 20 percent uptick in robberies in Bushwick — and a small uptick in grand larcenies, aka robberies with high-value loot — auto thefts and burglaries, aka robberies involving home or business break-ins, are down almost 28 percent each.

The most recent crime statistics released by the 83rd Precinct show that through May 29:

• 2 murders were recorded, compared to 2 during the same period last year
• 10 rapes were recorded, compared to 10 last year
• 123 robberies were recorded, compared to 103 last year
• 113 felony assaults were recorded, compared to 108 last year
• 122 burglaries were recorded, compared to 169 last year
• 191 grand larcenies were recorded, compared to 183 last year

Brooklyn statistics

The NYPD's weekly crime updates track major crime categories, such as rape, grand larceny (crimes against property worth at least $1,000, or certain types of property, like credit and debit cards), burglaries and felony assaults.

Combined statistics from the police precincts covering Brooklyn North and Brooklyn South show that there were 11,198 major recorded crimes in Brooklyn through May 29, compared to 12,054 during that period in 2015 — a drop of about 7 percent.

The borough saw 40 murders through May 29, compared to 47 during the same period last year — a decrease of 15 percent.

There were also 117 recorded Brooklyn shooting incidents and 141 shooting victims in 2016, compared to 173 incidents with 199 victims in 2015.

New York City statistics

Citywide statistics show that recordings of major crimes remained about even through May 29 when compared to last year (38,920 incidents compared to 38,943 in 2015).

A total of 124 murders were committed, down from 140 through May 29 last year. (These are historically low numbers: The city recorded 2,262 murders in 1990.) Burglaries and robberies in 2016 were also down.

But rapes have increased this year to 563, compared to 519 last year. Felony assaults and grand larcenies were up as well.

Top image courtesy of Yumi Kimura/Flickr