The underground is experiencing a new wave of criminal activity, according to figures released by the New York Police Department. This includes recent robberies that took place inside the nearby Carroll Street station.
"Subway crime has increased by almost 20 percent this year, fueled by big spikes in robberies and grand larcenies, according to the latest NYPD data," reported NBC News on Monday night.
The data confirms that there were a total of 741 major crimes—rapes, murders, , assaults, burglaries and grand larcenies— during the first four months of 2011. For the first four months of 2012, however, there have already been 876 instances of the same types of incidents—a jump of 18 percent, with robberies and larcenies leading the spike.
In fact, as recently as Friday, May 18 at 8:35 p.m. a local victim was riding the northbound F train that had just reached Smith and President Streets when an unknown man snatched her iPhone 4S ($600) from her hands, then ran out into the train station, according to police at the 76 Precinct.
The 22-year-old victim could not easily identify the crook because she only saw him from behind. But he is described as male, black, 5 foot 8 and weighing 140 pounds. The criminal was believed to be wearing a white jogging jacket, blue baseball hat and black jeans.
In March, another woman was the reported victim of theft at the same station when, while purchasing a metro card underground at the northeast corner, her clutch was stolen right out of her hands.
In that instance, the victim was able to positively identify the man who had stolen from her after immediately canvassing the area alongside local police. Police Officer Feder of the 76 Precinct arrested Richard Colon, 44, at approximately 7:17 a.m on March 23. Colon was charged with grand larceny in the fourth degree and criminal possession of stolen property.
How do you feel about safety on the subway? Have you noticed an uptick in crime around you?
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