WMATA Responds to Wave of Theft on Metro

WMATA announced in a press release Thursday a three-pronged strategy to combat a sharp increase in theft on the Metro system, specifically targeting the theft of consumer electronics.

The press release quoted acting Metro Transit Police Chief Jeri Lee as noting that an increase in usage of consumer electronic devices on the transport system has led to a similar increase in their theft, describing the thefts as "crimes of opportunity".

A common strategy is for thieves to wait for riders standing near train doors with phones, music players, or other devices in hand, and then to grab the device from the victim's hand and flee as the train doors close.

Reported robberies on Metro increased 54% from 2008 to 2009, and current trends through January would indicate another significant increase this year. There were 122 robberies in January 2010 alone, compared to 894 for all of 2009.

In response, Metro has increased the presence of transit police in busy stations, and doubled the size of its plainclothes Robbery Suppression Team. The agency has also begun a PR push, posting a safety video to its YouTube account Thursday and planning to place a robbery-themed ad on the walls of trains and stations.

WMATA advises that customers carry electronic devices in a pocket or any place where it is not easily seen or reached, that music listeners should keep their volumes at levels that allow them to still be aware of their surroundings, and that those using handheld electronic devices not sit or stand near train doors.