Felony Assaults Up 20% in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens and South Crown Heights This Year

PROSPECT-LEFFERTS GARDENS, BROOKLYN — So far this year, reports of rape, robbery and burglary are down in the NYPD precinct covering Prospect-Lefferts Gardens and South Crown Heights, compared to the first half of 2015.

However, the precinct saw a significant uptick in felony assaults, defined as serious and unjustified physical attacks — from 118 last year to 142 this year.

The most recent crime statistics released by the 71st Precinct show that through May 29:

• 1 murder was recorded, compared to 1 during the same period last year
• 5 rapes were recorded, compared to 8 last year
• 78 robberies were recorded, compared to 121 last year
• 142 felony assaults were recorded, compared to 118 last year
• 60 burglaries were recorded, compared to 82 last year
• 161 grand larcenies were recorded, compared to 185 last year
• 24 auto thefts were recorded, compared to 20 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 took place, down from 140 through May 29 last year. (These are historically low numbers, as 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