Tuesday, January 18th, 2011

DNAinfo reports that a wrap-up of last year’s crime statistics in the 20th precinct shows both good news and bad news about Upper West Side thefts.  While crime appears to have dropped in the area from 2009 to 2010, with a 7% drop in property thefts and an 8% drop in overall crime, there are still certain locations that thieves often target, according to police.  Throughout last year in the 20th precinct, which spans the Hudson River to Central Park and 60th to 86th, three dozen property thefts were reported at local gyms and Starbucks locations in 2010, with an additional 25 reported at the AMC Loews Lincoln Square movie theater (Broadway and 68th).  These hot spots for property theft often occur when movie-goers put their bag on the seat next to them, coffee drinkers head to the bathroom while leaving belongings at a table, or gym users leave valuables in lockers, leaving items vulnerable to being stolen.  After police at the precinct noticed these common locations for theft, they began monitoring them more closely, assigning undercover officers to pose as patrons of the gym, coffee shop, or movie theater in order to catch thieves in the act.  The increase in police monitoring of the locations has successfully lowered the theft rate, with a drop from 27 to 15 Starbucks thefts, 53 to 21 gym thefts, and 30 to 25 AMC Loews thefts from 2009 to 2010.  While property theft has decreased, police still warn the public to remain aware, keeping your belongings with you at all times and leaving valuables at home when going to the gym.

Filed under: News, Upper West Side, Upper West Side Blog No Comments »
Tags: 20th Precinct, AMC Loews, Crime Statistics, Fitness Center, Property Theft, Starbucks, Statistics