By Adam Kramer
In the first half of 2002, murders in the 105th Precinct have doubled compared to the previous year even though the overall crime rate dropped by 12.36 percent, Police Department statistics showed.
Three of the seven major crime categories showed a decline from the rate in the first six months last year, three crime categories rose and one remained unchanged.
But murders jumped from three in 2001 to six in 2002, police statistics revealed. Last year, murders increased significantly in the second half of the year, jumping from three in the first half to 18 at year-end.
The seven categories of major crimes are murder, rape, robbery, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny and auto theft.
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 precinct encompasses 12.67 miles and covers 354 miles of roadways, making it the largest precinct in Queens.
Police reported an overall decrease in crime of 12.36 percent.
Of the seven crime categories, rape remained unchanged at 18 in 2002 and the prior year.
In the other five categories:
• Robberies rose 8 percent from 160 to 173, which bucks the trend over the past two years.
• Burglary jumped 3.6 percent from 250 in 2001 to 259 in 2002, which is a reversal of 2001’s 4.8 percent decrease.
• Grand theft auto dropped 26.6 percent with 319 incidents this year, down from 435 in 2001.
• Felony assault dipped 17.6 percent this year. It fell from 177 in 2001 to 146 this year.
• Grand larceny slipped 15.3 percent to 199 reported incidents in 2002 from 235 in 2001.
Some of the murders in the first half of the year that led to the increase were:
On Jan. 20, a 31-year-old man was shot at the Queen Bee Restaurant at 223-24 South Conduit Ave. at 1 a.m. There have been no arrests.
A man was shot in the head on Feb. 1 in a drive-by shooting, police said, after leaving a liquor store at the corner of 222nd Street and 135th Avenue at 10 p.m.
The Police Department said Jagat Soogrim, a 43-year-old Guyanese immigrant, at 88-51 Hollis Court Blvd. in Queens Village was charged with stabbing his wife Feb. 7.
In February, Roman Adams, 25, was shot to death in a Laurelton deli at 220-26 Merrick Blvd. where he worked and James Burke, 26, was charged, police said.
The Police Department said a 41-year-old man was shot in the head at 4:40 p.m. during an apparent robbery March 26 at the Laurelton LIRR station at 225th Street and Edgewood Avenue.
A 20-year-old man was shot numerous times in the head while walking along Hillside Avenue and 227th Street at 7:45 p.m. March 26. Police said the assailant snuck up upon the victim from behind and shot him.
“As far as the stats being up, they will fluctuate one way or the other, but crime is down,” said Sheila Pecoraro, president of the 105th Community Precinct Council. “But we still need more officers on the street.”
She said the precinct received officers from the last class to graduate from the Police Academy, but overall staffing at the precinct is down from six years ago. In addition, she said, officers are being pulled away for different events throughout the city.
“There are very few officers on the beat,” Pecoraro said. “They need the manpower to cover the area.”
Reach reporter Adam Kramer by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 157.
