NYPD: Overall crime down, but transit crime, car thefts up in June

NEW YORK - Despite a violent long holiday weekend that left many New Yorkers feeling shaken, the NYPD reports that overall crime is down in the month of June in its latest statistics. 

While overall index crime saw a decline of nearly 4 percent in the month of June compared to the previous year, there has been a concerning increase in shooting incidents during the early days of July. 

Acting Police Commissioner Edward Caban, however, emphasizes that the recent figures still show significant improvement compared to the past two years.

One of the recent shooting victims was a 5-year-old girl in the Bronx who was struck by a bullet while sitting in her car. 

The NYPD reports that the child is expected to be discharged from the hospital later today, but she may require surgery in the near future as the bullet remains lodged in her chest. Authorities are actively pursuing leads to apprehend the two suspects involved in the incident.

In terms of overall crime trends, the month of June witnessed a 16.8 percent decrease in shooting incidents compared to the previous year. 

The city also saw a 7.4 percent drop in retail theft, which had been a significant concern earlier this year. Additionally, there were decreases in murder, rape, robbery, burglary, and grand larceny.

However, transit crime experienced an uptick during the same period. Despite this increase, the overall transit crime rate for 2023 still reflects a 4.4 percent decrease compared to 2022. 

Notably, there was a substantial 22.8 percent increase in grand larceny auto, primarily attributed to the ease with which vehicles like Hyundai and Kia can be stolen within seconds. 

Alarmingly, 32 percent of all arrests are individuals under the age of eighteen, according to Chief of Crime Control Strategies Michael Lipetri.

Despite the recent surge in shootings, the NYPD highlights that there have been nearly 200 fewer shooting victims this year compared to the same period last year.