Washington, DC Metro rail system reports spike in serious crimes; highest rate in 6 years

March 25, 2009 at 4:27 pm

(Source: Washington Examiner)

The majority of crimes in the system occur in Metro’s parking garages and lots, where items such as briefcases, laptops and cell phones are stolen from vehicles. Larceny rose 15 percent in parking lots since 2007.

Crime rose in the Metro system last year, with transit police investigating the highest number of reported crimes in at least the past six years. Serious crimes increased more than 15 percent in 2008 over the previous year, according to the Metro report slated to be presented to the agency’s board Thursday. That was a total of 1,821 crimes, ranging from robbery to assault — an average of about five serious crimes a day.

Riders can take some solace that reported assaults declined somewhat. There were no rapes or homicides. But the number of thefts rose substantially.

Robberies, which involve theft from a person, jumped by nearly a third. Larceny, the most frequently reported crime, jumped 17 percent for a total of 864 cases, up from 739. Larceny is theft without the owner present.

“With more people in the system, more crime occurs,” said Metro Transit Police Deputy Chief Jeff Delinski.

Yet not all of the increase can be explained by the 3 percent increase in ridership, which was well below the increase in serious crimes reported. And though transit police made more arrests last year than in 2007, the growth was smaller than the number of serious crimes overall.

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