MIDTOWN, Manhattan (WPIX) — Felony subway crimes were up in October, and Friday featured a particularly terrifying incident — a woman pushed onto the tracks. She was the third victim of such an attack in the span of a week.
The woman was pushed while waiting for an R train at the Times Square station. Luckily, other commuters jumped in to save her.
Police said a man, who is homeless, shoved the woman after trying to take her purse. The man was taken into custody.
Overall crime in the transit system is down for the year, but MTA officials said this was an alarming week.
“We have the lowest crime on a per-day basis. These incidents with assaults, pushed on tracks, three times in the last week, require action,” said Acting MTA Chairman Janno Lieber.
According to NYPD Transit Ctime data, grand larceny went up 14.9% in 2021, while felony assault decreased by 10.5%. Overall, 161 felonies were reported in 2021 — a 4.5% increase from 2020, which counted 154 crimes.
The MTA plans to hire more officers to put into the system. The NYPD has added hundreds of officers this year, and has said deployments are routinely adjusted.
Transit officials said they want to see more officers on platforms at the busiest stations and places where complaints about conditions have been filed.
