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Major crime in NYC continued showed no signs of slowing last month as it surpassed pre-pandemic levels with murders ticking up — as police brass tout the revamped anti-crime units that have yet to hit the streets.
The nearly 20 percent increase in major crime in February — up to 9,138 from 7,657 in 2020, the most recent time period of statistics to accurately compare due to the effects of COVID-19 — was mainly driven by a doubling in car thefts and upticks in murders, robberies, felony assaults and burglaries, NYPD data shows.
Murder was up by about a third with 32 criminal deaths on the books last month compared to 22 two years ago, the data shows.
There were 1,083 stolen vehicles recorded, up from 470 in 2020, according to police data.
Both serious assaults and burglaries were up by more than 200 incidents in February compared to the same time in 2020 with NYPD recording 1,665 felony assaults, which was up from 1,478, and 1,186 burglaries, an increase from 961, according to police data.
Robberies were up slightly to 1,276 from 1,175.
For the second straight month, the crime statistics were not released at a press conference with Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell and other NYPD officials, as prior administrations had done for years.
Last month, the department released the statistics just hours after President Joe Biden visited the city to discuss gun violence.
This month’s press release highlighted the stalled anti-gun teams, dubbed Neighborhood Safety Teams, as a key upcoming initiative to “stop the proliferation of illegal guns, stifle gang activity, and suppress the violence caused by these unlawful actions.”
The NYPD though — as well as Mayor Eric Adams — has been unable to provide a timeline for the rollout of units, which The Post reported early this week had been delayed.
Shootings remained flat compared to last year during the continued surge in gun violence that started in the early days of the pandemic.
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