FORT GREENE — While overall crime was down last year in the 88th precinct, burglaries rose by 22 percent, bucking the trend in other categories.
The precinct saw a 3 percent drop in major crime from 2013 to 2014, including 72 percent fewer rapes (from 11 to 3) and 10 percent fewer robberies (from 212 to 189), according to numbers through Dec. 28.
But during the same period there was a 22 percent increase in burglaries, to 178 from 145.
The commanding officer, Capt. Peter Fiorillo, noted the rise in home burglaries in September and told residents at a meeting then to "be sure to lock their doors and windows."
Fiorillo attributed the increase to to a small group of people who he believes are committing the majority of break-ins.
"It's a shame that a few have such an impact on the crime in the precinct," he told residents then.
"The year before [2012] we had a serious problem with burglaries in this community," he said at the time. "We were up 65 percent from [2011], so to be able to turn that around and end up with less homes burglarized. I think that was very significant."
Burglaries were down nearly 5 percent in the city through Dec. 28.
