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Subscribe to RSSNEW YORK - New York City crime dropped by a third in the days after superstorm Sandy, but there was a slight increase in burglaries after at least 15 people were charged with looting empty businesses and homes blacked out since the disaster.
Between Monday - when the storm hit, killing 41 people in the city - and Friday, murder dropped by 86 percent, rape fell 44 percent, robbery decreased by 30 percent, assault by 31 percent, larceny by 48 percent and car thefts by 24 percent. Burglaries rose by 3 percent.
Experts say flooding in the Big Apple can be prevented in the future by building seawalls, levees or gigantic surge barriers. NBC's Richard Engel reports.
During that period, overall crime declined in New York City by 32 percent from the same week the year before.
"Overall, there were 1,061 crimes over the last five days compared to 1,541 last year," New York police spokesman Paul Browne said in a statement. "Police continued to be deployed to storm-affected areas by the thousands on extended tours of duty to provide security and recovery assistance."
Read more Sandy coverage on NBCNews.com
The drop in crime comes as New York police have been stretched to respond to one of the worst natural disasters to hit the region, sparking dangerous rescue efforts and concerns about crime in storm-darkened neighborhoods.
Browne said that earlier on Saturday, a man wearing a Red Cross jacket was arrested for burglary on Staten Island after police saw him checking the front doors of unoccupied houses.
With collapsed roads and destroyed homes along the New York area shore, the changes have altered the coastline and accelerated beach erosion. NBC's Kerry Sanders reports.
Police presence at gas stations was increased on Saturday, said Browne, after at least 10 people were arrested on Friday for various disputes over line jumping. Drivers have been lining up for hours and tempers have been fraying as gas became scarce.
Five other people were arrested for disorderly conduct at gas stations on Saturday, he said.
In Queens, more than 15 people have been charged with looting and a man was charged with threatening another driver with a gun after trying to cut in on a line of cars waiting for gas, District Attorney Richard Brown said earlier this week.
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- Deadliest zone: Staten Island reels from devastation
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Without the NYC cops creating hysterical crime reports to justify their jobs and pay raises, NYC actual crime rate decreases by one-third. Not to worry, the NYPD labor union will step in with propaganda to brainwash citizens that the courageous NY police is all about "To Protect and To Serve," rather than a bunch of corrupt government workers serving themselves first and citizens, last.
You are deluded. I am on Long Island and the looters are everywhere, even rowing up to empty homes to loot. We need the Army to protect citizens. people are afraid to go to ATM's.....crime down, yeah sure. That's because cops are so busywith traffic, gas stations and gas lines, they aren't protecting the citizens. Can't report any crime...your post is offensive. Criminialis are running rampant. The politicians don't want people to know what a problem it is.
When your house is laying in your neighbor's yard, it tends to cut down on the "The guy next door is slapping his wife around" calls.
WallsStFAtCAt,Unfortunately this is the wave of all police departments in this country.Most law enforcement are too busy protecting their over bloated pensions.In California our number one industry is the prison system.It wouldn't be that way if they stopped arresting potheads.
Besides, New York City was actually a pretty exciting place before Giulliani put more cops on the streets than there were Coalition Troops in Iraq at the height of the surge...
...now its just like a densely populated version of Disney Land. I don't know what the yuppie fascination is with that city right now - oh yeah, it's boring just like the rest of the country - everyone hop in the minivan so we can go to New York for the weekend and pretend like we actually experienced something!
"NYC crime falls by one third in wake of superstorm Sandy"
Maybe New york City should have more of these storms...whadya think folks?
Probably the only reason the crime rate has reportedly dropped is that the individuals in charge of completing the Uniform Crime Report hasn't had the time to complete the paperwork used to submit those stats to UCR. Not every crime is reported anyway to UCR when they do have the time. Its not a law that they must report crime and some places refuse to report at all. I know our small town picks and choses what they report.
Wait. You won't get the truth on the looting. It's happening as I write this.
Lets see now....crime rate statistics come from the arrests made.
Without the cops making arrests, then there is no crime to report.
They must think we are a bunch of idiots! And shame on the media for reporting this load of crap.
Bands of young adults are terrorizing the neighborhoods. The nickname given to them is "wolf packs". Mass looting, personal robbery and rape is just of few of their fortes.
Very odd how there is so little being reported on this. If a Bush was president I can be absolutely sure this would be all over the news.
Perhaps the press doesn't want the current administration to look bad. Bad for votes.
So, if you honestly believe that all is calm and peaceful on the east coast, then you've been Obamazized.
exactly, when he was pres gas went over three bucks for what? 6 months? and they were screaming off with his head, now its been over 3 bucks for damn near 4 years, but wheres the outcry?... non existent...because NOW, as we all know,... its due to "greed" or those pesky "speculators" neither of which existed before ...right libs?.....
Why aren't the media reporting on all the looting and robbing that is going on????? It's CHAOS!
why aren't you?
The people haven't returned to what is left of their homes yet. When they get back and find their stuff gone there will be a "sudden increase" in crime. But that will be Nov 7 or 8.
Who's to say what was stolen by thieves and what was stolen by Sandy, unless there is physical evidence of a break in, if the door is off the hinges, what was stolen and what was washed away, that's what insurance is for.
right anti...it was probably King Poseidon and his mermen who took it........and have you ever heard of the "act of god or act of nature" (depending on policy terminology) clause? what makes you think they will pay one red cent when they KNOW from experience they can just shove it off onto the govt...AKA...US.
Looting should start any minute now.
Looting has been very under reported.
I was curious, so I looked up the Galveston 1900 Storm. A city of ~40,000, and ~125 looters were summarily executed by law enforcement and citizens---the looting stopped quickly.
before everyone excepts this as great news, think about it....it was compiled by the number of arrests....don't ya think the cops have been a bit busy elsewhere? like the gas station's trying to quell near riot situations.....as in...
Fraying?....sure ...
If by "tempers fraying" you mean "people are pulling weapons on each other" then I agree.
Well then let's hope they get hit by a storm like this everday if they want to make a big deal out of this worthless statistic.
that's what they are trying to quell, any potential storm that could occur ....on say ....Tuesday......
What part of Reality does Mayor bloomeboy live in? The clown's the Laffin stock of the rest of the Country...Except califas...
Bayez,Bloomberg lives in his Ivory tower looking down his nose at all the soda sipping average hard working Americans.He's up there right now conjuring up another silly tax to fill the cities coffers.
How many people still have phone service to report a crime? How can criminals get around the city when the people can't? How many murdered bodies will be found as the clean up begins? This is a stupid article written by an imbecile. There are so many confounding issues that no statistician or intelligent person would make any claim. Fortunately, most intelligent people now totally ignore news reports, especially those from networks know for biased and incompetence - the ones whose ratings are falling.
kinda answered your own questions with that.
as long as they dont lose Racheal Ray....the perfect woman....cooks great, super hot, and rich.
I think RR has a syndicated show - aired by the highest bidder in each market, with no network affiliation.
Nice...
Try......
Underreporting crime stats. Don't worry, its just a lull in the storm. Some big shot will get mugged or raped and all hell will break loose. Too bad it wouldn't be Mayor Bloomdik on the mugging end.
This is a testament to how many blacks (a.) have been displaced in NYC since the 1970's to other areas and (b.) use the subways and buses to get to their crime victims. As soon as the subways start rolling again we will get back to the NYV that we love and hate!
I hate to break it to you, Reuters, but police reports are not a reliable way to track crime right now, since the police are overwhelmed by the immensity of the situation. A lot of other people have made valid criticisms in these comments--#'s 1.2, 2, 3, 4, 6.1, 7, 10.
Lisa C-5522681,Your assessment of this situation is spot on.The media needs a reality check instead of lazy space filling reporting.
I believe the only reason the crime rate dropped was because there wasn't anything to steal. People were also told to evacuate, which meant not as many people to do crimes. Just a hypothesis.
drive more = fewer drive-bys
Thus, leading to the assertion that if there are enough drive-bys, there will be no more violence. Though questions remains. Either there will be no people left from the amount of murders or storm casualties or both. Or there will be people left committing no crimes because of storms. I think these are questions best left for xkcd to answer.
blacks are running rampant in packs looting and raping but the PC media turns a blind eye
Is crime really down by a third or is it that people have no way to communicate to the police? If California ever gets the big earthquake this state will be a war zone with all of the looting and assortment of crimes.I am sure that New York has had their share of looting.
They're having the looting, but it's being kept quiet for political reasons. We can't let the people know just how bad reality is for them... I mean FEMA and the Federal Government are all over helping people, right? (ok sarcasm off now)
Whatever happened to executing looters?
I miss the good old days, when looters were shot on sight.
With no public transportation its hard to make a quick getaway. (Its hard to run with your pants halfway off your a$$.) :-P