With Labor Day and the West Indian Day Parade around the corner, crime continues to be down along the streets of East Flatbush, according to recent crime figures from the 67th Precinct.
Thus far this year, crime is down a little more than three percent in major felony categories, including murder, rape, robbery, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny and auto theft, as compared to this same time period in 2007.
Leading the decline is auto theft, which is down over 34 percent for the year with 169 incidents thus far in 2008 as compared to 257 at this time in 2006.
Murders have fallen more than 21 percent with 11 reported homicides thus far in 2008 as compared to 14 at this time last year.
Burglaries have fallen nearly 20 percent with 246 reported incidents this year as compared to 307 at this time in 2007.
On the other end, rape, robbery and grand larceny are all up in double figures for the year.
Rape is up a little over 38 percent with 18 incidents reported thus far in 2008 as compared to 13 at this time last year.
Robbery is up 16.4 percent for the year with 305 reported incidents this year as compared to 262 at this time in 2007.
Grand larceny is up 13.6 percent for the year with 417 incidents reported thus far in 2008 as compared to 367 at this time last year.
Felony assaults are up a negligible 2.7 percent with 259 reported incidents so far this year compared to 252 at this time in 2007.
The dog days of summer, however, have not been as kind to the area in regard to crime within the confines of the 67th Precinct.
Statistics indicate that crime is up a whopping 25 percent in the 28-day period between July 17 and August 17 this year as compared to this same time period last year.
Grand larceny is up nearly 122 percent in this summer month with 51 incidents reported as compared to 23 during this same 28-day period in 2007.
Robbery is up almost 43 percent for the year in this hot summer month compared to the same period in 2007.
Police in the precinct have said throughout the year at community council precinct meetings that much of the grand larceny involves youth on youth crime, usually involving the theft of small digital equipment.
There have also been two murders reported in this 28-day period 2008 as compared to no murders during this period last year.
