When Michael Bloomberg and his supporters tout his administration’s accomplishments, a citywide drop in crime always makes the list. But as The Wall Street Journal pointed out on Monday, that reduction comes with one glaring exception: Grand larcenies, often in the form of Apple devices snatched out of people’s hands on the subway. Grand larcenies fell by just 1 percent between 2002 and 2013, compared to a 13 percent drop nationwide. And from 2012 to 2013, they actually rose 13 percent in the city. Some 18 percent of those crimes involve Apple products, totaling more than 8,000 devices. So for those feeling nostalgic for a grittier, more edgy New York, try this for a trip down memory lane: Sit by the door of the subway car, headphones plugged into an iPad, lost in an e-book or movie. There’s still a good chance for a reminder of what street crime feels like.
