NEW YORK, NY — New York City experienced a 2.4 percent decrease in overall index crime in May 2024 compared to the same period last year, with significant drops in major crime categories such as murder, burglary, grand larceny, and auto theft. However, there were increases in robbery and felony assault, often involving offenders escaping on illegal motorized scooters and bikes.
The city’s transit system continued to show improvement, with crime rates falling by 10.6 percent in May, maintaining a trend of significant decreases over the past four months. In total, 261 fewer crimes were reported across the five boroughs this May compared to last year. Murder rates decreased by 21.1 percent with 30 incidents reported compared to 38 the previous year.
Despite these positive trends, shooting incidents rose by 4.7 percent, with 89 incidents reported up from 85 in May 2023. This led to an increase in shooting victims by 9.1 percent. However, year-to-date figures indicate a 12.4 percent decrease in shooting incidents and a 12.5 percent reduction in victims.
The NYPD’s efforts in gun control have been notable, with 571 firearms confiscated in May, contributing to a total of nearly 2,750 illegal guns seized year-to-date. Since January 2022, over 16,400 illegal firearms have been removed from the streets.
Robbery incidents saw a 4.7 percent increase, while felony assaults went up by 7.4 percent. Conversely, vehicle thefts decreased by 9.1 percent, burglaries by 7.5 percent, and grand larcenies by 6.9 percent. The public housing complexes and subway system also reported minor decreases in crime.
Bias incidents, particularly anti-Jewish crimes, have seen a significant increase, with a 54 percent rise in overall bias incidents and a 150 percent surge in anti-Jewish offenses compared to May 2023. Anti-Asian crimes, however, decreased by 83 percent.
The NYPD has intensified its crackdown on “ghost vehicles” and illegal motorized scooters, bikes, and ATVs, with numerous operations leading to hundreds of arrests and vehicle seizures. This strategy is part of broader efforts to tackle the spike in crimes involving these vehicles and improve overall city safety.