There was an overall 25% increase in felony subway crime in New York last month, according to NYPD data that is scheduled to be presented at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) board meeting on Monday, the New York Post reported.
The rise in New York subway crime included a 50% surge in thefts targeting commuters, with 96 grand larcenies in the subway system last month compared to 64 in August and only 55 in July.
Robberies also went up last month, jumping 18% to 52 robberies from 44 in August, according to the data.
However, despite the overall rise in crime, there were no murders, rapes, or burglaries in the New York system last month, and felony assault in the city's subways has remained steady after a substantial surge in May.
The worrying rise in felony assaults that month included a slashing spree on multiple subway lines in which five morning commuters were injured.
Following that incident, MTA Interim Transit President Sarah Feinberg accused New York Mayor Bill de Blasio of negligence concerning safety in the subway system.
De Blasio responded by boosting the number of policemen on duty in the subways during rush hours, which led to a reduction in the crime rate in both June and July.
MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan said in a statement that "the stats show what New Yorkers coming back to transit in record numbers know: subways are safer than most places in the city."
He added that "crime came down this summer, and has stayed low, because the NYPD surged officers and the MTA put cameras in every station."
Earlier this month, a woman suffered serious injuries to her face and legs when she was pushed, apparently deliberately, by another woman into a train arriving at the Times Square-42nd St. Station during morning rush hour, according to ABC7 NY.
The incident marked the 20th subway pushing so far this year, compared with 17 at this time in 2020.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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