By Betsy Scheinbart
In almost all of the seven classifications of major crime in the two precincts covering Jamaica, Hollis, St. Albans and Rochdale Village, reported incidents were less frequent in the first half of the year compared to the same period last year, police said.
In both the 103rd and 113th precincts there were decreases in murder, rape, robbery, burglary, grand larceny and grand larceny auto. Felony assault decreased in the 113th Precinct, but rose slightly in the 103rd, according to police statistics.
There were six murders in the 103rd Precinct from Jan. 1 through June 24 compared to eight in the first six months of 2000, said Officer James Hernon, a community affairs officer for the 103rd Precinct, which covers Jamaica, Hollis, and part of St. Albans.
Fifteen rapes were reported to the 103rd Precinct so far this year, two less than last year.
In the 103rd, there was a major drop in robbery, with 220 incidents reported this year compared to 277 last year. The most significant decrease in crime in the 103rd Precinct was a decrease of 28 percent in grand larceny auto, from 293 to 210 incidents, statistics showed.
The only crime to go up in the 103rd Precinct was felony assault and it was a small increase from 193 last year to 197 this year.
Burglary and grand larceny both declined slightly in the 103rd Precinct. There were 215 reported burglaries last year and 240 this year, while grand larceny declined from 293 to 210 incidents.
Overall, the 103rd Precinct saw a drop in the seven major crimes of nearly 10 percent.
In the 113th Precinct, there was nearly a 20 percent drop in crime and no increase in any of the seven most serious categories. The 113th Precinct covers South Jamaica, Rochdale Village and part of Springfield Gardens.
There have been four murders in the 113 Precinct so far this year, compared to five in the same period of 2000.
Twenty-three rapes were reported in the 113 this year, while 27 were reported in the first half of 2001.
Like the 103rd, the 113th saw a major drop in robbery and grand larceny auto. Robbery declined from 196 incidents in the first half of last year to 145 this year, while grand larceny auto dropped from 366 last year to 240 this year.
Felony assault also declined significantly from 230 last year to 188 this year. Burglary in the 113th Precinct fell slightly from 219 to 209. Grand larceny in the 113th also declined from 507 to 438, according to department statistics.
Reach reporter Betsy Scheinbart by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300 Ext. 138.
