If you live in Brooklyn and wonder whether the city’s crime numbers actually apply to your corner of it, this week’s CompStat data — updated through May 10, 2026 — gives you a clearer answer than the headlines usually do. Brooklyn is divided into two separate NYPD patrol areas (North and South), and they’re telling slightly different stories right now. Here’s what the numbers mean for you, in plain language.
Two Brooklyns, Two Trend Lines
The NYPD divides Brooklyn into two patrol boroughs: Brooklyn North, covering neighborhoods like Bushwick, Bed-Stuy, Crown Heights, East New York, Williamsburg, and Greenpoint; and Brooklyn South, covering Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, Borough Park, Flatbush, Flatlands, Sheepshead Bay, and Coney Island.
Year-to-date through May 10, 2026, both are trending in the right direction — but Brooklyn South is seeing bigger reductions.
Brooklyn South: The seven major crime categories tracked by the NYPD are down 6.7% compared to the same period last year — 4,585 incidents vs. 4,915.
Brooklyn North: Major crime is down 1.8% — 5,044 incidents vs. 5,137.
Combined across all of Brooklyn, that’s roughly 9,629 major crime incidents so far in 2026, compared to 10,052 at the same point in 2025 — a 4.2% decline. About 423 fewer reported crimes in the borough at this point in the year.
What “Major Crime” Actually Means
When the NYPD says “major crime,” they mean seven specific categories: murder, rape, robbery (a mugging — theft using force or the threat of it), felony assault (a physical attack serious enough to be charged as a felony), burglary (breaking into a home or building to commit a crime), grand larceny (theft of property worth more than $1,000, like a phone, bicycle, or bag), and grand larceny auto (car theft). Here’s how each is moving in Brooklyn in 2026.
Murders: Down Sharply Across Brooklyn
Combined across Brooklyn, 23 murders have been recorded so far in 2026, compared to 34 at this same point in 2025 — a 32% drop. Brooklyn South has been especially quiet: 7 murders year-to-date vs. 13 at this time last year, a 46% decline. Brooklyn North is at 16 vs. 21 last year, down 24%.
For citywide context: New York City recorded 54 murders total in Q1 2026 — the fewest in recorded history for any first quarter, according to NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch’s April 2 announcement. The previous record low was 60 murders in Q1 2018.
Burglaries (Break-Ins): A Major Drop in Brooklyn South
Burglary is one of the most practical stats for Brooklyn residents who rent or own. Brooklyn South’s burglary numbers are down 20.3% (420 vs. 527) — a reduction of more than 100 break-ins at this point compared to last year. Brooklyn North is down 7.5% (531 vs. 574).
Combined, Brooklyn has had approximately 951 burglaries year-to-date vs. 1,101 at the same point in 2025. That’s 150 fewer break-ins. The citywide pattern, confirmed by the Q1 NYPD press release, shows burglaries hitting their second-lowest level in recorded history for a first quarter, down 20.6% citywide.
Robbery (Muggings): Down in South, Flat in North
Brooklyn South is down 6.6% in robberies (506 vs. 542). Brooklyn North is essentially flat: 667 vs. 664, a 0.5% uptick that amounts to 3 additional incidents over roughly five months — within the range of statistical noise.
Combined, Brooklyn has had 1,173 robberies vs. 1,206 at this time in 2025. Robberies are down across all five boroughs citywide, with 1,000 fewer borough-wide robberies in Q1 2026 compared to Q1 2024.
Felony Assaults (Serious Physical Attacks): Trending Down
A felony assault is a physical attack charged as a felony — serious punching, weapon use, or domestic violence that rises above the misdemeanor threshold. Brooklyn South is down 4.5% (1,243 vs. 1,301). Brooklyn North is down 1.2% (1,514 vs. 1,532).
Combined, Brooklyn had roughly 2,757 felony assaults so far in 2026 vs. 2,833 at the same point in 2025. This marks the first year since 2021 that Q1 felony assault is down citywide, according to NYPD’s Q1 announcement.
Car Theft: Declining in Both Boroughs
Grand larceny auto — car theft — is down in both Brooklyn patrol areas. Brooklyn North: -4.3% (442 vs. 462). Brooklyn South: -3.0% (550 vs. 567). Combined: 992 vs. 1,029 — about 37 fewer vehicles stolen at this point in the year.
Grand Larceny (Theft Over $1,000): Slightly Down
Grand larceny covers theft of property valued over $1,000 — stolen phones, bicycles, bags, and similar items. Brooklyn North: -1.7% (1,767 vs. 1,798). Brooklyn South: -5.6% (1,760 vs. 1,864). These declines are modest but consistent with the broader trend.
Shootings: 13 Fewer Victims Across Brooklyn
Shooting data is tracked separately from the major crime index. It’s one of the most direct indicators of violent crime conditions in any neighborhood.
Brooklyn North: 51 shooting victims so far in 2026, down from 62 at this point in 2025 (-17.7%). Shooting incidents: 43 vs. 51 (-15.7%).
Brooklyn South: 32 shooting victims, down from 34 (-5.9%). Shooting incidents: 25 vs. 31 (-19.4%).
Combined across Brooklyn: 83 shooting victims in 2026 so far vs. 96 at this time last year — 13 fewer people shot. Shooting incidents: 68 vs. 82, a 17% drop.
Retail Theft: A Major Reversal in Brooklyn South
Retail theft — shoplifting and organized theft from stores — is down significantly in both Brooklyn patrol areas, and the numbers in Brooklyn South are especially striking.
Brooklyn North: -14.2% (1,435 vs. 1,673). Brooklyn South: -32.1% (1,489 vs. 2,193).
That 32% drop in Brooklyn South is notable. For residents, this has real quality-of-life implications: it’s one factor behind fewer locked display cases in local drugstores, more accessible merchandise, and reduced pressure on small retailers that had been absorbing theft-related losses. Retail theft was one of the most visible crime complaints in Brooklyn from 2022 to 2024. The data shows the trend has reversed meaningfully.
Hate Crimes
Brooklyn North: 24 confirmed hate crimes year-to-date, down from 35 at this point in 2025 (-31.4%). Brooklyn South: 41 confirmed hate crimes year-to-date, down from 52 (-21.2%).
A note of caution: the most recent week’s data for Brooklyn South shows 5 hate crimes vs. 1 in the same week last year. Single-week data is volatile and should not be read as a trend, but it warrants watching in future CompStat releases.
The Long View: Where Brooklyn Stands Against Its Own History
The CompStat reports include historical data going back to 1990 and 1993 — the peak of New York City’s crime crisis — that puts today’s numbers in stark perspective.
Brooklyn North recorded 16,086 major crimes for all of 2025, compared to 68,033 in 1990 — a 76% reduction over 35 years. Murder in Brooklyn North fell from 505 homicides in 1990 to 52 in 2025, a nearly 90% drop.
Brooklyn South recorded 14,905 major crimes in all of 2025, compared to 90,355 in 1990 — an 83.5% reduction. Burglary in Brooklyn South fell from 24,308 incidents in 1990 to 1,469 in 2025 — a 94% decline. That is the difference between a borough where break-ins were a near-daily occurrence in most neighborhoods and one where they have become relatively rare.
2026, through May 10, is tracking below even 2025, which was already one of the safest years on record.
What This Means for Your Daily Decisions
If you’re concerned about break-ins: Brooklyn South is down 20% in burglaries this year. Brooklyn North is down 7.5%. The citywide pattern of residential burglaries reaching near-record lows is reflected in both Brooklyn patrol areas. The practical advice: make sure your building’s entry points are secured, and report any suspicious individuals casing the block to 311 or your local precinct.
If you’re concerned about shootings: Brooklyn is down across the board — 13 fewer shooting victims in 2026 compared to the same stretch of 2025. That reduction is real. The NYPD’s Winter Violence Reduction Plan, which deploys foot-post officers across designated high-risk zones, has been cited by the department as a driver of these declines.
If you’re concerned about muggings: Brooklyn South is down 6.6%. Brooklyn North is essentially flat. The practical advice remains consistent: stay aware in high-foot-traffic transit corridors, especially during evening hours, and keep your phone secured when in crowded areas.
If you live in public housing: The NYPD’s Q1 press release noted that NYCHA developments citywide had the safest start to any year in recorded history for murders, shooting incidents, shooting victims, and robberies — all four metrics at record lows.
One Important Caveat: Rape Statistics
Brooklyn North shows a 24.4% year-to-date increase in reported rapes (107 vs. 86). This number requires context before drawing conclusions. In September 2024, New York State law changed to broaden the legal definition of rape to include additional forms of sexual assault. The NYPD’s own Q1 press release attributed the citywide rise in reported rapes partly to this legal change and partly to enhanced advocacy work encouraging survivors to report. In plain terms: a higher reported number is not necessarily evidence of more incidents — it may reflect more accurate reporting of incidents that would previously have been classified differently or not reported at all.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, the NYPD Special Victims Division 24-hour hotline is: 212-267-RAPE (7273).
Where This Data Comes From
Every statistic in this article comes directly from NYPD CompStat Volume 33, Number 19 — the Brooklyn North and Brooklyn South weekly reports covering May 4 through May 10, 2026, published at nyc.gov/site/nypd/stats. The Q1 2026 citywide figures come from the NYPD’s official April 2, 2026 press release. No numbers have been estimated or extrapolated. All CompStat figures are preliminary and subject to revision by the NYPD.
