PRESS POINTS

It's been a better year, so far, for crime

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Crime is down nearly 6 percent in the 50th Precinct compared to last year — following a citywide trend that also boasted better numbers when it comes to shootings and murders.

Just under 630 crimes were reported in the 50th Precinct through Sept. 12, according to statistics provided by the New York Police Department, compared to 665 in 2020.

Burglary is down 33 percent with grand larceny auto dropping 21 percent. Felony assault dipped nearly 13 percent, while there has been just one reported murder in the precinct compared to two by this time last year.

Citywide, burglary was down 27 percent in August while robberies dropped 11 percent.

Shootings fell 31 percent last month across New York City, while murders dropped nearly 9 percent to 53. In the 5-0, there have been nine shooting incidents so far this year compared to six in 2020, with 10 victims compared to six. The precinct also reported 18 hate crimes in 2021 compared to just one last year.

 

Record numbers return to subway

Commuters are slowly finding their way back to the city’s mass transit system as the first day of school Monday gave the Metropolitan Transportation Authority its biggest single-day ridership totals since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Subway ridership hit 2.77 million on Monday, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul, while another 122,500 found their way to a Metro-North train.

“These record ridership numbers show that New Yorkers are returning to school, the work place, and bringing our economy back with them,” Hochul said, in a release.

Monday’s numbers broke the previous record set the Friday before of 2.72 million riders. Still, that’s a far cry from the 5.5 million who would take the subway before the pandemic.

When COVID-19 first shut down the city in April 2020, ridership fell to just 300,000.

 

A happy ending for pet cougar

The Bronx Zoo recently served as the temporary home for a young cougar rescued from a New York City residence before being shipped to an Arkansas animal sanctuary.

The 11-month-old female is among a few different dangerous animals removed from homes in recent years, including an adult tiger from a Harlem apartment in 2003, and a leopard that attacked a small child on Long Island in 2004.

The cougar will now get lifelong care at Turpentine Creek.

NYPD, 50th Precinct, New York Police Department, Michael Hinman, MTA, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Kathy Hochul, Metro-North, coronavirus, COVID-19, Bronx Zoo,

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