Subway crime dropped 8% last month compared to the same period in 2024, making it the “lowest level for any July” since 1995, MTA officials said on Sunday.
Further NYPD statistics show robberies are down 16.7%, felony assaults down 9.3%, and grand larcenies down 6%, the MTA reported on Aug. 10. The data excludes 2020 and 2021.
The transit agency credits the crime dips to a list of targeted actions, including increased overnight patrols, more security cameras and additional mental health outreach in the subway system.
“By working closely with Governor [Kathy] Hochul and the NYPD, we’re making sure the transit system not only is safe but feels safe for our six million daily riders,” MTA chair and CEO Janno Lieber said.
The MTA’s recent security measures also include the expansion of overnight patrols to place two uniformed police officers onboard every subway train from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. The agency is also in the middle of installing protective barriers on platforms, and upgrading fare gates and delaying egress at emergency exits to help crack down on fare evasion.
But fare evasion continues to be a scourge for the MTA. Officials have said it costs the agency up to $800 million yearly in foregone revenue.
Meanwhile, subway crime has also gone down throughout the year. NYPD statistics show that transit crime year to date is down 2.1% compared to the same period in 2024.
In May, the MTA reported major felony crime was up 23% month-over-month, underscored by a 5.1% increase compared to May 2024. And in June, there were 175 reported transit crimes, down from 187 during the same month last year, though it was not immediately clear how many of those crimes were felonies.
Throughout the summer so far, Mayor Eric Adams put the NYPD Summer Violence Reduction Plan into action, which features a policing strategy focus on 72 zones across 59 communities with approximately 2,000 uniformed officers deployed to foot posts in precincts, public housing and the subway system, a city press release explained.
