114th Precinct
Feb. 26, 2014 By Michael Florio
There continues to be a major surge in the number of burglaries in Astoria— with the Steinway/30th Avenue section being hit the hardest.
For the year through Feb. 16, there have been 57 burglaries, up from 42 for the same time period last year.
“Burglaries are driving the crime in the 114th precinct house,” said Deputy Inspector Kevin Maloney, at the police precinct meeting in Astoria last night.
Maloney said that apartment buildings in the Steinway Street (from 28th Ave to 30th Ave) vicinity are being targeted by criminals. In many of cases, the perpetrator will climb onto the roof and walk down the fire escape before entering through an unlocked window.
“They go inside take U.S. currency, jewelry and small stuff like that. They go back outside the window up to the roof and onto the next one,” said Maloney.
Maloney said that there were seven reported burglaries since the beginning of the year on 34th Street between 30th Ave and 31st Ave and all of them involved the perpetrator(s) entering through a fire escape window.
Maloney advised residents to lock their doors and windows. He said that thieves typically move on to the next apartment when they come across one that is locked.
Crime is on the rise in Astoria, with an increase in the number of incidents reported in four of the seven major crime categories.
- For the 28 days ending Feb. 16, there were 24 robberies—up from 15 for the same period a year ago.
- For the 28 day period ending Feb. 16, there were 18 felony assaults compared to 13 for the same period in 2013.
- There were 48 grand larcenies for the 28 days through Feb. 16, up from 44 for the same period in 2013.
- There was one rape, the same as last year
- No murders, down from one.
- Auto thefts dropped from 7 to 5
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