In 2014, 153 major felonies on trains and railroad property were reported to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority police. That’s a 5% increase over 2013, when 146 cases were reported.
These major felonies were driven mostly by an increase in cases of tools being stolen from railroad sites. Among types of crimes, burglaries had the biggest jump, with 16 reported in 2014 compared with 6 in 2013. Many of the burglaries involved stolen tools and in 3 incidents, train station store employees who were fired returned to the shops and stole property.
Crimes against the railroad are not uncommon. Last month, a group of thieves stole copper cables from tracks in the Bronx, causing dozens of morning delays.
Metro-North leaders have said many grand larceny cases – cases when items taken are worth more than $1,000 – happen when passengers aren’t watching their belongings. It’s important to be extremely cautious of your belongings and never fall asleep on public transportation with cell phones in their hands or with their bags unattended.
Source: Poughkeepsie Journal