As the heat continues to rise, so does the rate of crime in New York City.
According to NYPD statistics, crime in New York City increased by 30.5%, with 11,619 crimes in July 2022 compared to 8,906 in July 2021. Almost every category of crime increased last month, with the exception of rape, which decreased from 149 last year to 142 in July 2022 — a 4.7% decrease. The NYPD acknowledges that rape continues to be underreported.
Last month, the number of murders increased year-over-over from 35 in July 2021 to 47 in July 2022, a 34.3% change.
The number of grand larcenies saw a huge 40.6% spike from 3,262 crimes in July 2021 to 4,588 crimes in July 2022, and burglaries rose 25.6% from 1,055 in July 2021 to 1,325 in July 2022. Robberies saw a 37.2% increase compared to July 2021 (1,730 last month compared to 1,261 in 2021).
Auto theft incidents increased from 995 in July 2021 to 1,256 in July 2022, a 26.2% increase, while felony assaults increased from 2,149 crimes in July 2021 to 2,531 in July 2022, a 17.8% spike.
Hate crimes also saw a 50% increase year-over-year, with 54 crimes reported in July 2022 compared to 34 in July 2021. Hate crimes against the Jewish community saw the biggest spike, rising from 7 crimes reported in July 2021 to 15 in July 2022, a 114% increase.
“We know that any crime increase in our city is wholly unacceptable,” said Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell. “Everyone who lives, works, and visits here deserves to be safe, and the members of the NYPD will tolerate nothing less – but we cannot do it alone. When violent criminals are willing to carry illegal guns on our streets and brazenly shoot at innocent people, they must face real consequences. And when rampant, revolving-door recidivism erodes the public’s trust in the criminal justice system, we must make efforts to refocus that system on what matters most: the victims. All of us need to be pulling in the same direction, so that we can best deliver on the public-safety promise we make to every New Yorker, every day.”
Despite the rise in crime this month, the NYPD states that there has been an 8.7% decrease in the number of shootings year-to-date, with 63 fewer shooting victims throughout the first seven months of 2022 compared to the same period last year. The department also notes that murders year to date are down 4.2% through the end of July 2022.
