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Crime In Central Park Jumped 50 Percent In 2010

NEW YORK (WCBS 880) - Major crimes in city parks rose by 24 percent last year, but in the city's most famous park the increase was even more dramatic.

WCBS 880's Peter Haskell reports crime in Central Park jumped 50 percent in 2010, and parkgoers are troubled by the increase.

WCBS 880's Peter Haskell talks with residents in Central Park about the crime spike

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"I think it's a little scary. We're paying a lot of tax money, where are the cops?" said one parkgoer.

Most tell Haskell they still feel absolutely safe.

"I'm very comfortable in the park and have been for ten years," said one resident.

The number of rapes jumped from zero to seven, drug arrests rose from 34 to 71, but police say the spike in crime rates can be attributed to theft of unattended property.

A spokesman for the NYPD said, "While any crime increase concerns us, Central Park remains the safest precinct in the city."

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