By John Tozzi
The 377 burglaries the precinct recorded in 2006 represented an increase of almost one-third from the prior year. The 2006 level was about the same as in 2004.The 111th Precinct, which includes 9.4 square miles of Bayside, Auburndale, Douglaston, Little Neck, Fresh Meadows and Hollis Hills, is a particular target of burglars because it is an area with many rich homes and easy escape routes on major highways. At one point in 2006, police were so concerned with the problem that crime prevention officers went door-to-door to give homeowners tips on how to protect themselves.Despite the one-year rise in burglaries, major crimes overall in the 111th did not rise significantly from 2005 to 2006. Grand larcenies declined by 10 percent and car thefts decreased by nearly 19 percent. Robberies rose from 118 in 2005 to 135 last year, a change of 14 percent.No homicides were reported in 2006 or 2005 in the precinct. The last murder reported in the precinct was in 2004, when a body was found in a Windsor Park dumpster. Four rapes were reported in 2006, up from one in 2005. The same number of felony assaults, 49, was reported in each year.The Police Department's CompStat system tracks seven major felonies each week, and precinct commanders are held accountable for increases. The system is one of the innovations credited with bringing crime in New York to historic lows. The 1,198 incidents in the 111th Precinct in 2006 is about one-third of the number reported in 1995, when there were nearly 1,800 auto thefts alone.For the year, crime was up by 1.8 percent in the precinct, compared to a 4.7 percent drop citywide. The previous year-to-year drop from 2004 to 2005 was 13 percent in the precinct.Reach reporter John Tozzi by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300 Ext. 174.
