New Yorkers are nervous about a spike in crime in Central Park and say they are being forced to change their daily routines to avoid being targeted as police pledged to increase patrols on Tuesday.
“I would never walk on this side of the park at night. Central Park is not all glitz and glamor as it is portrayed in the movies,” he said after a series of cell phone snatchings, assaults and molestations. said a young mother troubled by serious crime.
“I used to take my son here when he was still in a stroller,” added the mother, who lives about two blocks from the north end of the park. “But now that he’s running around everywhere, it doesn’t feel safe for me anymore.”
At least 18 robberies have been reported in Central Park so far this year, compared to four during the same period in 2023, according to the NYPD.
There have been at least 12 grand thefts at the park so far this year, compared to eight the same period last year due to a spike in snatch thefts.
Last week alone, three incidents occurred within 27 hours. — One of the incidents involved a man accosting a woman near 97th Street on the West Side on Thursday, demanding he have sex with her, then groping her and fleeing with her cell phone. include.
The suspect, 35-year-old Kevin Taylor of the Bronx, was arrested Tuesday morning and charged with robbery, assault and harassment.
At the time of the attack, he was on parole for first-degree assault in the Bronx after serving four years in state prison.
“We’re seeing a lot of nighttime robberies, and the primary targets of these robberies seem to be electronic devices,” NYPD Chief Jeffrey B. Madley said at a park safety press conference Tuesday. .
“iPhones, Max headphones, expensive headphones, electronic devices, these seem to be the targets of people committing crimes,” he said.
Deputy Chief Wallace Stevenson said the NYPD has “significantly” increased patrols in the park and added security cameras throughout the area to combat the rise in crime.
“People who go to the park, as well as people who are going to the park in the future, should be able to use the park with peace of mind,” Stevenson said.
New Yorkers told the Post they’re starting to see more police in parks, but they’re not letting their guard down just yet.
“I think they’re more common at certain times of the day, like early morning or late evening,” said Natasha B., a 28-year-old East Harlem resident.
“I jog here a lot. I walk my dog on this side of the park. I take care of myself by changing directions home, jogging during the day, and only wearing one AirPod at a time. I don’t really feel in danger because I take precautions.
“Small changes like that give me peace of mind,” Natasha said.
A self-described “old man” named George said he and his Shih Tzu dog, Rene, no longer go for early morning walks for fear of elderly people being targeted by thieves.
“I used to take her for a walk early in the morning, before the sun came up. But there’s a lot of crime in the park, so I think it’s better to wait until midday when there are more people,” George said. Told.
“I’m an old man. I don’t have all the fancy electronics, but old men are supposed to have money,” he joked. “This old man is different. It’s just me and Ren’ae.”
