NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Long Island saw an increase in major crimes last year compared to 2021 despite a drop in violent crime, according to new crime statistics and its counties' top cops.
Major crimes rose 41% in Nassau County and 15% in Suffolk County last year compared to 2021 due to a surge in property crime, according to data Newsday obtained from the departments.
According to the data, there were 17,132 crimes in Suffolk last year, as compared to 15,132 in the county in 2021. In Nassau, 7,394 crimes were reported, up from 5,228 the year before.
In separate interviews with Newsday, Suffolk Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison and Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder both said a significant rise in property crimes, such as grand larceny, vehicle theft, and burglaries, was to blame for the jump in overall crime rates.
However, they were encouraged by the progress their departments made against violent crime last year.
"There is a message out there that crime is on the rise, and that's true," Ryder said, citing data that shows violent crimes in the county were down, including murder, which he told the outlet was at its lowest rate in 63 years in 2022.
New York City saw a 22% increase in overall crime citywide compared to 2021 — primarily because of robberies and burglaries — despite noticeable drops in the majority of major crimes like robbery and murder.
Harrison said that some of the crime seen on Long Island is being committed by people coming from New York City and other nearby areas.
"We are working with all our law-enforcement partners, our district attorney’s office, our partners bordering us, Nassau County, New York City … this is not just a Suffolk County issue," the commissioner said. "It is an issue that troubles this whole state."
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