Perceived crime is real crime

On Valentine’s Day, a woman was found by police in a pool of her own blood at a parking lot on 234^th Street between Broadway and Kingsbridge Avenue. She had multiple stab wounds about her body and was taken to a nearby hospital where she was reported to be in stable condition. However, a follow-up call to the NYPD determined the case is still ongoing and the criminal is still on the loose. 

Last week, a teenager was stabbed in the stomach while on his way to school at the John F. Kennedy High School complex on Terrace Avenue. Police reported to the scene and his attacker has not been confirmed, the NYPD had no further details to share. 

In January, The Press interviewed Mayor Eric Adams and mentioned subway crime and the overall misdemeanor and petty crimes in NYC. 

“The perception is what’s driving us,” Adams said. “It wasn’t since 2009, excluding the Covid years, that crime has been this low.” 

However, since 2009, both aggravated assault and rape has increased across the state, according to data from the FBI. Additionally, when comparing data from the 50^th precinct from 1990 to 2024, felony assault is up, as is grand larceny.

Elected officials, from the mayor to the governor, have been patting themselves on the back on how crime has been down, but what about the areas where it has increased? Many people have expressed a genuine fear of riding the trains or going out at night.

What even is perceived crime? If people see it and experience it, does it not exist?

The Rite Aid on 238^th Street closed due to blatant robberies where individuals could be seen running out of the store with goods in hand and the Walgreens on Broadway has an armed security guard, bleak shelves and locked up merchandise. And major pharmacies across the city have been closing due to these thefts.

Car vandals continue to plague Riverdale over the years despite extensive media coverage on the issue and recent talks at a CB8 Public Safety meeting at the 50^th precinct, revealed that a known criminal with over 160 arrests often breaks into cars in the neighborhood to steal items.

The Facebook group, “Living in Riverdale NYC: Uncensored Edition posted the meeting notes and wrote, “With minimal repercussions for their crimes, current NY State laws embolden and enable recidivist criminal.”

These are quality of life issues affecting the community and leaving many residents feeling vulnerable and helpless. Several individuals have expressed frustrations with a lack of police presence and intervention in these matters directly with The Press.

Others expressed how disappointed they were to learn a woman’s stabbing wasn’t more widely publicized by larger media outlets.

Bring back the beat cop. Have police walking the streets, introducing themselves to the community and local business owners, learning the troubled areas and intervening, even in the pettiest of crimes.

When criminals are allowed to roam free, what message does it send to law-abiding citizens?