Though there was a slight increase in crime last month, several crime categories saw major decreases in New York City in May.
According to the NYPD, overall crime stayed flat in May 2023 compared to the same period a year ago, increasing only by 0.1%. The slight increase was led by grand larceny auto crimes, which rose 32.5% in the month of May.
On the flip side, New York City saw a 26.5% decrease in shooting incidents compared to May 2022, falling from 117 incidents to 86 in total. The department noted that shootings as a whole saw a 25.8% decrease overall through the first five months of 2023 compared to the same period last year, with 379 in 2023 compared to 511 in 2022. Homicides also saw a 33.3% decrease this May, dropping from 48 incidents in May 2022 to 32 last month.
“The women and men of the NYPD start each day with a clear mission: to work for and with the people of this city in our shared investment in public safety,” said Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell. “Over the past seventeen months, I have seen their tireless work and their critical contributions to the vibrancy returning to our sidewalks and subways, stores and restaurants, and business districts. Our work remains unfinished, but we will never waver in our public safety mission to deliver safe streets and enhance strong bonds between the police and the people we serve.”
Robbery overall fell 11.1% in May 2023, with robberies in the subway system decreasing by 30.9% overall. Burglaries in residences and commercial establishments also saw an 11.8% decrease last month, and shoplifting also fell by 6.4%.
Rape crimes decreased from 21% in May with 124 reported incidents compared to 157 in May 2022, however, the NYPD acknowledges that rape continues to be underreported. The number of grand larcenies saw a 1.8% increase last month, while felony assault fell 1.4%.
Last month, the NYPD continued to reach historic numbers of gun arrests, with 349 arrests resulting in 284 firearms seized in May 2023. A total of 2,802 guns have been seized from the streets of New York City, with officers making 1,802 gun arrests through the first five months of 2023.
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