NYPD Reports Burglary Spike in Sandy-Affected Areas

The NYPD has seen a surge in burglaries near Hurricane Sandy-affected areas of the city in the month after the storm hit, and cops have stepped up their patrols, according to the New York Daily News.

As part of the response, police have stepped up patrols and added light towers and mobile command units to affected areas.

And while nearly all coastal areas battered by the storm saw a rise in robberies, the 100th Precinct, which covers the Rockaways and Breezy Point, had the largest spike, says NYPD data.

According to the Daily News, the area had 56 thefts reported in a 28-day span ending this past Sunday, which is a 1,020 percent jump from the five burglaries reported during the same period last year.

Other areas hit hard were: Coney Island’s 60th Precinct, which reported a 171.4 percent spike in burglaries, and a 21.7 percent rise in the three police precincts in Staten Island.

According to Browne, one of the reasons for the spike in crime is that people weren’t able to quickly report burglaries.