The 104th Precinct has experienced a 30% increase in reported major crimes this year to date, according to recent crime stats released by the NYPD.
The precinct covers the neighborhoods of Ridgewood, Glendale, Middle Village, and Maspeth.
According to the data, property crimes are posing the biggest problem in the community, driven by an 83% rise in robberies, a 26% rise in auto thefts, and a 15% rise in burglaries.
Petit and grand larceny also continue to be an issue, with these categories increasing by a combined 42%, according to the data.
Council Member Robert Holden, whose district covers Ridgewood, Glendale, Middle Village, and Maspeth, believes that bail reform is a major factor in the hike of crime levels in New York.
“Most of the property crimes have exploded, and that’s why I think many of us are frustrated with bail reform,” Holden said. “The individuals, if they are caught, and most of them are not, nothing happens to them other than they have to do a court appearance, but they’re out the same day.”
The conversation around bail reform has reignited in recent days as Mayor Eric Adams described New York’s justice system as “insane” at a press conference on Aug. 3.
Gary Giordano, the district manager of Queens Community Board 5, also believes that bail reform sent the wrong message to criminals.
“It sent a signal to the criminal element that they were going to be able to get away with more,” Giordano said.
Gun-related crimes saw an exponential rise in the community with eight shooting incidents so far this year, while there were zero in the same period in 2021.
An NYPD spokesperson told QNS that “the number of overall shooting incidents increased in New York City compared with July 2021, highlighting the continuing need to eradicate gun violence and end the perception among criminals that there are no consequences for violent crimes.”
Holden believes that shooting incidents are a new trend in the community.
“We have had shootings in different areas; it used to always happen in Ridgewood, now we’re seeing more gun-related crime around the district,” Holden said.
Though the report only reveals data from the precinct as a whole, Giordano claimed that crime levels are more concentrated in certain areas of the 104.
“I believe a fairly significant percentage of the crimes that are being committed are taking place pretty close to the Brooklyn border,” Giordano said.
Transit crimes increased by 57% across New York in July and the areas in mid-Queens are no different. There was a whopping 350% rise in transit crimes compared to the same period of 2021.
Giordano believes that the greater conversation needs to be focused on rehabilitation for those with criminal convictions once they leave the prison system.
“One of the big problems in New York and in the country is when they do lock people up, they do next to nothing for rehabilitation,” Giordano said. “Then people get out of the jail and have nothing to look forward to. If you have no prospects for a job and no income, what’re the chances you’re going to be a good citizen?”
