Nov. 7, 2023 By Ethan Marshall
Despite the decrease in murders, northern Queens has still seen a 6.4% increase this year compared to last year in major crimes — murder, rape, robbery, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny and grand larceny of automobiles — from a total of 13,248 in 2022 to 14,097 this year.
Even with the drastic drop in murders, southern Queens has only experienced a minuscule drop in major crimes so far this year compared to last year. Major crimes dropped 0.66%, from 9,370 to 9,308 in southern Queens.
QNS illustration
QNS illustration
The 28-day period across northern and southern Queens from Oct. 8 to Nov. 5 shows similar trends. In northern Queens, major crimes experienced a slight increase compared to the same 28-day period in 2022, from 1,316 to 1,328. Meanwhile, southern Queens saw a drop from 899 to 859.
Over the 28-day period, the crime with the biggest increase in northern Queens was grand larceny of automobiles, rising from 181 in 2022 to 239 this year. The 112th Precinct, which covers Forest Hills and Rego Park, experienced the largest jump in these cases, from 7 last year to 27 this year.
At the same time, grand larceny had the largest drop-off in northern Queens, from 571 cases in 2022 to 531 this year. The 111th Precinct, which covers Bayside, Douglaston, Little Neck, Auburndale, Hollis Hills and Fresh Meadows, experienced the most significant decrease, from 69 to 52.
In southern Queens, the crime with the biggest increase over the 28-day period was felony assault, which rose from 205 cases in 2022 to 234 this year. Hollis Park Gardens, Hollis, Lakewood and Jamaica, which are all within the confines of the 103rd Precinct, experienced the largest increase, from 39 to 58.
There has been a recent rise in hate crimes across the city, contributing to the increase in felony assaults. This includes an incident on a MTA shuttle bus in South Richmond Hill on Oct. 15, in which a Manhattan man attacked a 19-year-old Sikh man.
Grand larceny had the deepest drop in southern Queens over the 28-day period compared to last year, from 315 to 266 cases. In the 113th Precinct — which covers Hollis, South Jamaica, South Ozone Park and St. Albans — experienced the most significant decrease, from 44 to 17.
Northern Queens ended up experiencing a decrease in major crimes week to date, from Oct. 30 to Nov. 5, compared to 2022. The amount went down from 333 to 294, with grand larceny being the most significant drop, from 147 to 117.
Southern Queens also saw a drop in major crimes week to date, from 228 to 216. Grand larceny had the sharpest decline here as well, from 75 to 65 cases.