Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

After a sharp increase in smartphone snatches last April and May, transit police increased patrols, conducted undercover missions, scoured agency security cameras and video and dedicated two officers to investigate the robberies.

New posters urge riders to keep a close watch over personal electronic devices, particularly when seated or standing near doors.

Plain clothes officers used decoy bicycles and electronic devices to make immediate arrests as thefts and robberies occurred on the transit system. In November, officers recorded 47 arrests for snatch robberies and bicycle theft and made separate arrests for assault, drug and weapons possession.

Team using techniques such as decoy bicycles to further reduce crime in the Metro system. Since the team began their efforts about a month ago, it has made dozens of arrests, stopping would-be bicycle thieves and robbery suspects trying to escape with victims’ electronic devices such as iPhones or cash.