New Yorkers are on edge over soaring crime in Central said they’ve been forced to switch up their routines to avoid becoming targets as police pledged more patrols on Tuesday.
“I would never walk on this side of the park at night. It’s not all glitz and glamour like the movies make Central Park out to be,” said a young mother troubled by a series of high-profile crimes that have included cellphone snatchings, assault and gropings.
“I used to bring my son here a lot when he was still in a stroller,” added the mom, who lives about two blocks from the north end of the park. “But now that he’s running all over the place, it’s just no longer a safe feeling for me.”
There have been at least 18 reported robberies in Central Park so far this year, compared four in the same period in 2023, according to the NYPD.
The park has also seen at least 12 grand larcenies so far this year — driven by a rash of snatch-and-run thets — compared to eight during the same period a year ago.
Just last week there were three incidents within 27 hours — including an assault on Thursday where a woman was accosted near 97th Street on the West Side by a man who demanded “give me sex” before groping her and running off with her phone.
The suspect, 35-year-old Kevin Taylor from the Bronx, was arrested Tuesday morning and charged with robbery, assault and harassment. At the time of the attack, he was on parole for a first-degree assault in the Bronx after serving four years in state prison.
“We’ve seen a lot of evening robberies, and it looks like the primary targets of these robberies are electronic devices,” said NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey B. Maddrey during a news conference on park safety Tuesday.
“iPhones, the Max headphones, expensive headphones, electronics — that’s what it looks like it’s being targeted by the people who commit these crimes,” he said.
Assistant Chief Wallace Stephenson said the NYPD had “significantly” increased patrols in the park to fight back the uptick of crime, and also installed more security cameras throughout the area.
“Rest assured all park goers, potential park goers should feel safe utilizing the park,” Stephenson said.
New Yorkers told The Post they’ve started to see more cops in the park — but that they’re still not letting their guards down.
“I would say I see more of them during certain hours like early in the morning and late in the evening,” said 28-year-old Natasha B. from East Harlem.
“I jog here often. Walk my dog on this side of the park. I don’t really feel unsafe often because I take my own precautionary measures like changing the direction in which I walk home, or jogging during the day and keeping only one AirPod in at a time.
“It’s little changes like that, that give me a sense of security,” Natasha said.
A self described “old guy” named George said he and his shih tzu dog, Reńe, don’t go for walks in the early morning anymore out of fear older people are being targeted by thieves.
“I used to walk her early in the morning before the sun gets up. But with all the crime happening in the park it’s better for me to wait until the middle of the day when there’s more people around,” George said.
“I’m an old man. While I don’t have all the fancy electronics, people think old people have money,” he joked. “Not this old guy. It’s just me and Reńe.”