By Howard Koplowitz
There were three murders in the 106th Precinct Ð which covers Howard Beach, Ozone Park, South Ozone Park and Lindenwood Ð during 2007, the same number that occurred in 2006.The most notorious murder in the precinct in 2007 was the June 11 killing of Bolivar Cruz, a South Ozone Park bodega owner and father of seven daughters who was robbed and gunned down inside his store. Cruz pointed a gun at the robbers in an attempt to protect his daughters before he was shot.No suspects were identified in the case despite widespread media attention and a $12,000 reward.The precinct's first murder victim in 2007 was Courtney Atkinson, a father of six from South Ozone Park who was shot and killed near his home in April after leaving a check-cashing business to send money to his family in Jamaica. No one has been charged with his murder.The third murder was the fatal shaking and beating of a 13-month-old girl in South Ozone Park in November. The baby's 35-year-old father, Peter O'Keefe, was charged with murder and endangering the welfare of a child, according to the Queens district attorney.Of the seven major categories of crime identified by the Police Department Ð murders, rapes, robberies, felony assaults, burglaries, grand larcenies and car thefts Ð, three saw decreases.There were six fewer recorded rapes from 2006 to 2007 in the 106th Ð the largest such decrease in the precinct Ð amounting to a 23 percent drop.There were 26 recorded rapes in the 106th in 2006, compared to 23 in 2007.Robberies fell by 19 percent from 2006 to 2007, the second-largest decrease in the 106th.There were 379 robberies in the precinct during 2006 and 307 in 2007.Car thefts were also down in the 106th, with 365 cars reported stolen in 2006 and 308 in 2007 Ð about a 16 percent decline.The precinct's largest increase in crime came from felony assaults Ð which jumped by about 10 percent from 2006 to 2007.There were 167 felony assaults in the 106th during 2006 and 184 in 2007.The two other categories of crime that saw increases in the 106th between 2006 and 2007 were burglaries and grand larcenies, although slightly.There were five more burglaries in the precinct from 2006, when 315 were recorded, to 2007, when there were 320 Ð about a 2 percent increase.Grand larcenies saw a slight increase of .2 percent, as there was one more grand larceny recorded in the 106th during 2007 than 2006.There were 362 grand larcenies in the precinct in 2006 and 363 in 2007.Across all seven categories combined, the precinct recorded about a 7 percent drop.There were 1,617 crimes among the seven categories in 2006 and 1,505 in 2007.Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 173.
