By Adam Kramer
The overall crime rate dropped nearly 14 percent in the 105th Precinct in the first half of the year, with four of the seven major crime categories showing a decline from incidents in 2000, Police Department statistics showed.
There have been two murders so far in 2001 compared to four in the same period last year.
The seven major crimes categories are murder, rape, robbery, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny and auto theft. The latest statistics compiled by the precinct track crime from Jan. 1, 2001 to June 24, 2001.
The 105th Precinct, with headquarters at 92-08 222nd St. in Queens Village, covers Glen Oaks, Floral Park, New Hyde Park and Bellerose to the north and Cambria Heights, Queens Village, Laurelton, Springfield Gardens and Rosedale to the south.
The biggest jump came in the number of rapes reported to the precinct. Rapes rose 28.5 percent to 18 in 2001 from 14 in 2001, even though rapes in the area had been declining in the past two years.
There was a drop in four of the seven crime categories in 2001 compared to the same period in 2001, while rape, grand larceny auto theft and grand larceny increased. Police reported an overall decrease in crime of 13.96 percent, police said.
The second largest drop was a 25.4 percent decrease in the number of robberies reported throughout the precinct. Robberies declined to 152 in 2001 from 204 reported in 2000.
Burglary fell to 240 incidents in 2001 from 292 the previous year for a drop of 17.8 percent.
Felonious assaults rose 5 percent to 168 incidents from 160 in 2000.
Grand larceny climbed 0.8 percent to 226 reported incidents in 2001 from 224 in 2000.
Grand larceny auto dropped 20.1 percent, with 427 reported incidents vs. 535 in 2000.
But murder showed a sharp decrease from 2000, dropping from four to two in 2001.
Two women who were found dead last year, but the cause of death was determined in 2001 so they are part of the 2001 statistics, police said.
Tracy Jackson, 28, a mother of four from Springfield Gardens, was found in a plastic bag by a passerby on Dec. 24, 2000 on North Conduit Avenue near 244th Street.
The second victim, Angela Worthy, also 28, was found Dec. 29, 2000 by police bound and gagged inside a plastic bag in Springfield Park just off Springfield Boulevard.
No arrests have been made in the murders and the police were still investigating.
Officer Pete Dwyer of the 105th Precinct said the reason for the drop in crime in the district is “excellent police work.”
Sheila Pecoraro, president of the 105th Precinct Community Council, a civic organization that serves as a liaison between the community and the 105th, said she was very glad that crime continued to drop and the decline in the overall numbers was very positive.
Violent crimes are murder, rape and felonious assault, which is defined by the police as inflicting severe physical injury on a victim. Just brandishing a weapon is considered menacing, a lesser charge.
“I don’t want people to get a false sense of security because there could be a time when crime goes up,” she said. “You can see the differences at the meetings. People don’t talk about drugs and murder — they talk about parking conditions.”
She said that even though she was quite pleased by the job that officers in the 105th Precinct were doing to control crime, she would still like more cops on the street. “I don’t see them like I used to,” she said.
All city precincts, including the 105th, compile and submit their crime numbers to police headquarters in Manhattan every Monday. The reports are used to compile crime statistics and are ultimately sent to the FBI.
Reach reporter Adam Kramer by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 157.
