June 9, 2011 By Christian Murray
The number of reported crimes continues to decline throughout Sunnyside/Woodside and LIC, according to police.
Captain Donald Powers said at the Police Precinct 108 meeting on May 31 that crime throughout the wider district had dropped 6% year-to-date, compared to the same time period one year ago.
While the number of major crimes that were reported in May was flat, the police made a number of significant arrests.
The police arrested the alleged perpetrator of a series of muggings of Sunnyside/Woodside women. The man, Paul Winston, would follow and rob women near the 52nd Street/Lincoln Ave. subway station during the hours of 10:00pm and 3:00am.
Cop of the month: Jason Hernandez
Meanwhile, the police believe they have apprehended two suspects who have been breaking into a number of stores/pharmacies on Queens Blvd. Powers said two men were arrested for breaking into a pharmacy in a neighboring precinct and they had exactly the same modus operandi.
The precinct presented the cop of the month award to Police Officer Jason Hernandez, who helped arrest a group of men that had robbed a grocery store at 61-25 Roosevelt Ave on May 20. According to Powers, about 7 men walked into the store around 10pm and stole beer and cash. As they left, one of the perpetrators slashed a store clerk above the eye. The wound required four stitches. Two hours later, after talking to witnesses, the men were apprehended and the witnesses identified them.
According to police records, there have been 481 crimes reported over the past year through Sunday, May 29, compared to 512 for the same period in 2010. (These figures are based on reported crimes that fall under the 7 major serious crimes: murder, rape, robbery, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny and grand larceny auto)
To date, there have been no murders, compared to two murders for the same period one year ago.
In other crime categories, there have been:
- Four rapes this year, compared to seven last year
- 60 robberies, compared to 73
- 38 felony assaults, compared to 53
- 95 burglaries, compared to 103
- 199 grand larcenies, compared to 179
- 85 grand larceny autos, compared to 95 for the same period one year ago
The police noted that grand larcenies were up. One of the reasons is that cell phones and other digital devices are being snatched from people who are not paying attention.
