Business owners along the Fulton Mall Corridor say thefts and robberies have become all too common, but the NYPD is trying to change that with a new data-driven strategy.

The approach targets high-crime areas by concentrating police patrols on specific streets and blocks where crimes are happening the most.

"We're in the process of developing CompStat books based on zones, specific segments of neighborhoods, blocks and even certain streets where we see spikes in violence and disorder," said Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

Since the strategy launched in early December, the NYPD says retail thefts in the area are down 27%, and arrests are up by more than 40%, compared to the same time last year.

But not everyone is convinced it’s working. Overall, crime in Downtown Brooklyn’s 84th Precinct rose by nearly 25% in 2024.

Some residents and business owners say they’ve noticed more officers on the streets.

“It’s improving. Things are getting better,” one business owner said.

Others say the extra police presence isn’t enough.

“Put more cops on the street, on foot, not in a car,” said another shop owner who has been robbed multiple times.

The NYPD plans to roll out the same strategy in other high-crime areas across the city, hoping to drive down crime even further.