By Carla Zanoni
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
WASHINGTON HEIGHTS —Muggings are on the decline in Hudson Heights after an uptick late last year, but police say several streets in the area are still hot spots for attacks.
Captain Jose Navarro of the 34th Precinct said that attacks have most notably been reduced on Bennett Avenue, where he said five to seven weekly attacks were being reported in October and November.
But the street saw five total muggings in January, according to Navarro, who said victims are typically followed on the street and "attacked from behind as they enter their lobbies."
Overlook Terrace and Fort Washington Avenue have also seen several attacks, and police are currently working patrols there between the A train stations at 181st and 190th streets, he said.
Reported thefts have seen an increase from last year, according to CompStat.
During the week of Jan. 31 to Feb. 6, burglary and grand larceny both went up by nearly 20 percent, with seven burglary incidents compared to five last year and five grand larcenies versus six during the same week last year, according to CompStat.
Overall, crime in the 34th Precinct saw a 30 percent increase during that week.
Earlier this month Navarro announced that the majority of an influx of police officers assigned to the precinct because of an uptick in crime in October 2010, had been reassigned to other precincts.
Of the 60 officers assigned to the 34th Precinct’s so-called "Impact Zone," 14 of the additional cops have been left to patrol 180th to 185th streets, between Wadsworth and Amsterdam avenues.
