Traffic cameras help cut down on crime

NEW YORK — New York City traffic cameras are catching more crime than ever, thanks to the cameras, city officials said Tuesday.

The NYPD, which has been installing the traffic cameras since 2007, said traffic cameras have cut down the number of carjackings and carjackage-related incidents in the city.

The cameras have caught more than 2,000 carjackages and 1,100 carjackaged victims, the NYPD said in a statement.

New Yorkers can use the cameras by tapping the screens, or pressing a button on the side of their vehicle.

The NYPD said there were 2,400 incidents reported to the NYPD in the past week, up from 1,500 last week.

In addition to catching crimes, the cameras are also a source of revenue for the city, said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

“We can’t be caught out by a few cars going through a neighborhood,” de Blasio said.

The cameras are equipped with a camera that records the license plate number and length of the vehicle.

A tag shows if the vehicle was used for a crime, according to the city Department of Motor Vehicles.

Last year, the city was able to install nearly 700 cameras, a 40 percent increase from 2014.

Last year, there were 1,400 cameras, up 25 percent from 2014, the department said.