A ‘Sea Change’ in the Subway: Assaults Outnumber Robberies

THE NEW YORK TIMES—While crime remains rare in the New York City subway, a surge in unpredictable attacks, not motivated by theft, signals a worrisome shift.

A top concern for subway riders was once having a purse or wallet snatched. Now, they may be more worried about a sudden attack.

The nature of crime in the subway has become far more unpredictable, even as the number of violent incidents remains low, according to a report released on Friday.

In 2023, for the first time in nearly two decades, the number of felony assaults in the subway system was greater than the number of robberies, according to an analysis of crime statistics by Vital City, an urban policy think tank. The change signals a rise in impulsive violence and a move away from crimes motivated by monetary gain, the report found.

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