Rise of Crime In Subway As Ridership Declines

[CenSin]

I have heard from my coworkers today about the release of inmates due to CoViD 19 outbreak in the prisons. Separately, there are rumors circulating that teens with nothing to do have been riding the system and using the ridership decline as an opportunity to rob people who are alone on trains and/or platforms.

I don’t know how well these two pieces of the puzzle fit together, but it sounds like another disaster in the making. Can anyone find confirmations of robberies on the rise in NYC’s subways?

[MHV9218]

Sounds fairly anecdotal to me. The 'inmates' are coming from jails, not prisons, which means they are awaiting trial, not convicts. Probably not all nurses and librarians, but not murderers, either. We won't have numbers on this sort of thing for a week or two. However, if you view the NYPD's Compstat portal, you'll see that Transit crime is up from last year. There are been five more incidents through last week, the start of diminished travel, than over that week last year. Citywide, however, crime is up in almost every measurable respect. And transit crime has been up all year. That both implies we have a larger problem on our hands, and that the subways are not specifically more dangerous (due to the shutdown) than the rest of the city right now. We'll have a better idea when next week's numbers come in, as well as the weeks after that. This data doesn't yet reflect the major shutdowns, but if you consider the daily view, there does appear to be a downward trend in recent days. That might reflect the beginning of the isolation. Personally, I would not be surprised if we do see a modest increase in crime: the streets are empty, which is never a good thing.

Data: https://compstat.nypdonline.org/2e5c3f4b-85c1-4635-83c6-22b27fe7c75c/view/89

Edited March 19, 2020 by MHV9218

[Via Garibaldi 8]

5 hours ago, MHV9218 said:

Sounds fairly anecdotal to me. The 'inmates' are coming from jails, not prisons, which means they are awaiting trial, not convicts. Probably not all nurses and librarians, but not murderers, either. We won't have numbers on this sort of thing for a week or two. However, if you view the NYPD's Compstat portal, you'll see that Transit crime is up from last year. There are been five more incidents through last week, the start of diminished travel, than over that week last year. Citywide, however, crime is up in almost every measurable respect. And transit crime has been up all year. That both implies we have a larger problem on our hands, and that the subways are not specifically more dangerous (due to the shutdown) than the rest of the city right now. We'll have a better idea when next week's numbers come in, as well as the weeks after that. This data doesn't yet reflect the major shutdowns, but if you consider the daily view, there does appear to be a downward trend in recent days. That might reflect the beginning of the isolation. Personally, I would not be surprised if we do see a modest increase in crime: the streets are empty, which is never a good thing.

Data: https://compstat.nypdonline.org/2e5c3f4b-85c1-4635-83c6-22b27fe7c75c/view/89

I am still going to my office, though I have been using a mix of Uber, Metro-North the express buses. Today I took an Uber to Metro-North into Grand Central. The station was filled with people that clearly are homeless or have mental illnesses, and yesterday after refilling my Metrocard at the subway, I saw the same thing by Bryant Park and elsewhere.

The rest of what you state is all debatable. 

Edited March 19, 2020 by Via Garibaldi 8

[MHV9218]

2 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

The rest of what you state is all debatable. 

Lmao. I'm just quoting the NYPD stats. Do you not believe the NYPD?

[CenSin]

In any case, our coworkers have decided to travel in packs or at least pairs. I have also considered arming myself. We don’t have a great mental health system so there are all these crazy people out there, and Asians are particularly vulnerable.

Edited March 20, 2020 by CenSin

[Trainmaster5]

On 3/19/2020 at 6:09 PM, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I am still going to my office, though I have been using a mix of Uber, Metro-North the express buses. Today I took an Uber to Metro-North into Grand Central. The station was filled with people that clearly are homeless or have mental illnesses, and yesterday after refilling my Metrocard at the subway, I saw the same thing by Bryant Park and elsewhere.

The rest of what you state is all debatable. 

Maybe they weren’t homeless or mentally ill but disoriented while trying to get to a MAGA rally or Mayor Bill’s Transportation committee meeting ? 

[RTOMan]

Well  they are removing "disruptive" passengers from trains every day even more now it seems..

I'm guessing they aren't regular passengers...

Edited April 13, 2020 by RTOMan

[QM1to6Ave]

Ive seen teens harassing people on the streets, and so many homeless and druggies on the streets. Very few cops out, but lots of meter maids

[LGA Link N Train]

3 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

Ive seen teens harassing people on the streets, and so many homeless and druggies on the streets. Very few cops out, but lots of meter maids

The one thing I'll never be able to understand is why. What is the motive for these teens who are harassing others? What the hell do they gain out of it?

[RedLine]

Fleeting online popularity.

[bobtehpanda]

On 4/13/2020 at 10:54 AM, LaGuardia Link N Tra said:

The one thing I'll never be able to understand is why. What is the motive for these teens who are harassing others? What the hell do they gain out of it?

Teens get bored and if they don't have a place to channel their energy it goes somewhere destructive.

It's still not the bad old days. Heck, it's not even the '90s.

[VIP]

ALL the “Disruptive” customers ARE indeed the EDPs and homeless who’s urinating, smoking or defecating on board the trains. We are prohibited from stating that its a “homeless person” being removed. The teens are just doing graffiti all over. 

[B35 via Church]

On 4/13/2020 at 1:54 PM, LaGuardia Link N Tra said:

The one thing I'll never be able to understand is why. What is the motive for these teens who are harassing others? What the hell do they gain out of it?

Hypermasculinity & kEwL points amongst peers.... Yes, this includes these teenage girls that are hell on 4th & 3 at the 5 yard line.

9 hours ago, bobtehpanda said:

Teens get bored and if they don't have a place to channel their energy it goes somewhere destructive.

It's still not the bad old days. Heck, it's not even the '90s.

More or less, this.

[CenSin]

I met a right-wing white supremacist on a train a few days ago. Long story, but it ended amicably.

[MHV9218]

3 hours ago, CenSin said:

I met a right-wing white supremacist on a train a few days ago. Long story, but it ended amicably.

That's too bad.

[QM1to6Ave]

I was just reading about tbe teens that beat up a nurse going to work at Bellevue right outside the 28th street train at 10:30 pm. So scary! I hate walking the streets after 9 pm now, and I'm a fairly big male. If I was female, forget it  

[RtrainBlues]

There was the man stabbed to death on board a Parsons/Archer-bound J in the wee hours of the morning the other day.  And the nurse beat up, pummeled & robbed by 15 teens by Bellevue/#6 train (also posted above). And the woman waiting on the Jamaica-bound platform the other evening at Forest Hills who was randomly stabbed in the back by a homeless person; she suddenly felt pain & saw blood.  Friends who were walking in Manhattan recently (who normally aren't bothered by things) say they were extremely uncomfortable in the past few weeks with the loitering and aggressive panhandling they've seen.

[B35 via Church]

1 minute ago, RtrainBlues said:

There was the man stabbed to death on board a Parsons/Archer-bound J in the wee hours of the morning the other day.  And the nurse beat up, pummeled & robbed by 15 teens by Bellevue/#6 train (also posted above). And the woman waiting on the Jamaica-bound platform the other evening at Forest Hills who was randomly stabbed in the back by a homeless person; she suddenly felt pain & saw blood.  Friends who were walking in Manhattan recently (who normally aren't bothered by things) say they were extremely uncomfortable in the past few weeks with the loitering and aggressive panhandling they've seen.

A disgusting embodiment & display of 'when the cat's away, the mice will play'....

It's a nasty side effect - The more this social distancing concept & general avoidance of strangers/crowds is being pushed, the more opportunistic & feasible it makes it for thieves/vandals/cowards to engage in criminal activity.... It's the same reason women have been encouraged (or even taught) by family, friends, etc. to travel in packs (or being more specific, never travel alone) - especially at night....

 

[Wallyhorse]

22 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

I was just reading about tbe teens that beat up a nurse going to work at Bellevue right outside the 28th street train at 10:30 pm. So scary! I hate walking the streets after 9 pm now, and I'm a fairly big male. If I was female, forget it  

Yeah, I've noticed that when I've had to go out late as well.  The late hours are when I usually prefer to go out because generally it's actually safer where I am to do that, but there are those who seem to totally disregard stay-at-home mandates and hang out in groups who might not normally be out at that hour.  

[Lex]

2 hours ago, B35 via Church said:

A disgusting embodiment & display of 'when the cat's away, the mice will play'....

It's a nasty side effect - The more this social distancing concept & general avoidance of strangers/crowds is being pushed, the more opportunistic & feasible it makes it for thieves/vandals/cowards to engage in criminal activity.... It's the same reason women have been encouraged (or even taught) by family, friends, etc. to travel in packs (or being more specific, never travel alone) - especially at night....

 

There's also something I was told recently about what too many cops will do if they even think they won't be paid (particularly when they want to be paid).