Capt. Donald Powers (Photo: NYPD)
June 28, 2012 By Christian Murray
The crime rate took a significant nose dive in June throughout Police Precinct 108, which covers Woodside, Sunnyside and Long Island City.
Captain Donald Powers, the precinct’s commanding officer, said that the number of reported crimes for the 28 day period ending Sunday, June 24, had dropped 31% — from 96 incidents to 66–compared to the same period a year ago. This was the biggest decline of all 76 commands in New York City– and was the catalyst for the precinct’s crime rate being down 3.8% for the year to date.
The most notable decline was in the number of reported burglaries, dropping from 27 incidents for the 28 day period in 2011–to 12 for this period. “Burglaries are starting to go in the right direction,” Powers said, who was speaking at the monthly precinct meeting at the Sunnyside Community Center on Tuesday. “We put a lot of [burglary] crews out of circulation in May and it is beginning to show [up in the numbers].”
In May, the police arrested Herman Oliazola who was wanted for three burglaries in the 108 precinct, including one in Sunnyside Gardens. Furthermore, the police arrested two men who broke into a Woodside house, and another crew–Jefferson Villarama and Michael Natindim– who tried to get into a house with a blowtorch on the border of Woodside and Maspeth.
Despite these recent successes, the number of reported burglaries is still up 7% for the year.
Robberies, however, remain a persistent problem, despite the number of reported incidents being flat in the most recent 28 day period. The number of robberies is up 24% for the year through June 24, from 68 to 84 incidents. While Powers said these numbers were too high, he said there wasn’t an easy explanation as to what was behind the surge.
Powers said that there have not been any reported incidents of tire & rim thefts or gropings in the past 28 days.
Community Person of the Year
Meanwhile, the 108 Police Precinct Community Council presented its annual Community Person of the Year award to Joseph Conley, chairman of Community Board 2, for his volunteer work.
“He is a fighter for Queens…and for over two decades, has been elected term after term to the volunteer office of Chair of Community Board 2, which is, in our view, the best-managed and most fair board in New York City,” his award read.
Poster Commemorating Honoree Joseph Conley
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27 Comments
If this city will give more jobs we will not have robbers !
Sunnyside/ Woodside ( love this places)
I lived in Sunnyside in the late 80’s and Woodside (51st) in the 90’s.
Moved to NYC mid 90’s. I still love my old places. Last weekend I went for a walk on 51st and 39th ave where I lived. I was a little disappointed. The area didn’t look as cleaned as when I lived there, and the demographics has changed too. I still liked. I was looking for homes for sale. Did not see many available (or at least not many with a sale sign) on it. My concern is crime. I read that is down. I hope it is. Is such a nice area and so close to the city.
Maybe needs more involvement from the community to pressure the cops presence. I walked around for over 4 hours from 39 pl and 50th ave to 61 st and back to 39 ave and 44th street and I did not see a single patrol unit.
This would never happen in Britain!
Crime down? Don’t believe it!
@Angray: That sounds like a fearful statement to me. Ha!
@Blarney – Please don’t even begin to assume what I fear. I was in the Marines Infantry for 6 years with service overseas.
However, I do fear ignorant people (including you) arming themselves that lack the discipline to handle situations wisely.
You all have knives in your home? Why aren’t you stabbing people? Knives are much worse than guns because of the incredible ease to hide a blade and the amount of damage it can do.
hahah your views on defense is probably are on a fear bases of what other people will do rather than a practical one.
@Angray: Current laws put most people at a disadvantage. Everyone plays by the rules but one person whos toting. That one person toting now has the unfair advantage and the unintended consequences of the law happens.
Hahah your fear of “thugs” is quite amusing especially when a town is populated with a significant majority of people that want to keep the neighborhood safe.
Boogie man is out to get you.
just a tid bid of information for everyone that lives in sunnyside and woodside — on june 30, 2012 at approximately 3:54 am. on 41st street and queens boulevard there was a shooting and stabbing — i thought that the pct. said that crime was down i don’t think so
SuperWittySmitty,
Some believe that if they hold a gun, they won’t become a target.
I feel quite safe is the neighborhood. The last thing we need are more guns. I’ve always thought that a person holding a gun is just looking for a target.
no surprise, change in demographics= drop in crime
@blarney
Should we have every thug armed as well? I’m sure things will be real polite and cordial.
REGARDLESS of left or right arguments only you can protect your home better than a cop. You’re there more often and you know your home like none other.
A police officer will be there (after it all goes down) to record either someone stole something from you or your piece took down the intruder. Intruders will think twice about robbing Sunnyside residence.
Its a branch off of the good’ol saying, “A carrying town is a polite town.”
@Sane
Thanks for the straw man argument.
I never said there was no role at all for government, only that it’s expanding into areas where people should be making their own decisions. Now put down that 32 oz soda!
@RF
I liked the system that worked for my family as a kid. We went to the family doctor, he charged us a reasonable fee, we paid, no referrals, no insurances companies and no federal government. That, of course, was before lawyers began to bleed the medical profession dry.
@Roger the Shrubber,
You certainly didn’t deserve the nasty comments directed at you, but I do disagree with the socialism comment along with Sane.
You seem to argue we are becoming socialist, I say we are becoming libertarian. All across America public services are being cut to the bone, including here in NYC. Our cops are short-staffed, but we won’t hire any more because they get paid well and have pensions, which based on Wisconsin nobody wants to give public workers anymore. Yet then we bitch that we don’t have enough cops, or that our roads aren’t good enough.
As far as healthcare, which it sounds like you disagree with, it’s an imperfect law for sure, but did the system we had before that really work too?
What have any of these juvenile comments got to do with an individual protecting themselves against a mugger, home invader, rapist when the police are not there? Even after the crime has been committed, you’ll be lucky to see a cop show up to take a report.
No dog in this fight, but “shrubbing on the range” made me laugh out loud. Thanks, I needed that.
@Roger the Shrubber
Sir, I somehow doubt you’ve been self-sufficient you’re whole life, I’m sure at some point in your life you’ve been educated in public schools, been protected by public police, and drank water cleaned by public workers. I hightly doubt you spent all your time shrubbing on the range before you came to this city.
I understand the concerns over the law, but this John Wayne cowboy nonsense needs to stop. It’s not 1776 anymore, stop living in the past you’ve romantically built up in your head.
Wah wah wah Shrubber! Your own Bush appointed judge ruled against you, THAT”S HOW CRAZY YOUR ARGUMENT WAS.
Jesus man, if you spent a little less time crying all the time on this board you might actually kiss a girl someday. Idiot.
@Blarney
Didn’t you get the memo? The government provides everything you need. And if they don’t, too bad. Whatever you do, don’t attempt to be self-sufficient in any way. Welcome to socialist America.
I agree with Blarney. It’s our right as citizens to bear arms
Is anyone paying attention to the rate of hot women in Sunnyside? I feel it’s declining…
Its time to carry in your home, bitchezzzzzz!!! Think about it.
“Intruder in Sunnyside is shot and killed by the home owner”
or
“Robberies plunge as more and more Sunnyside residents protect themselves”
The police are there to record incidents, not to prevent them. The best policing of your home is done by yourself. Colt .45 will make the crime rate drop to .45% as intruders will think twice about breaking in.
Wait a second! I heard the man has a no show job with a real estate development corporation, which is why he can afford to spend all his time handing us over to the developers. Is this false? I’d love to know it was, because the other story is very depressing. Anyone out there have the truth on this?
It’s not good news to hear that robberies are up in this Precinct. We are not safe walking in our neighborhood with these criminals running around loose.