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Thefts within the metropolis’s transit system have shot up practically 90% thus far this yr, cops stated Tuesday — the identical day they introduced busting an alleged serial subway pickpocket, solely to look at him freed by a decide.
Grand larcenies on Big Apple subways and buses have jumped 88.9% – from 342 to 646 incidents – yr to this point in comparison with the identical interval in 2022, the troubling new statistics present.
Overall main transit crime — together with rapes, robberies and felony assaults — elevated 52% in the identical interval, mirroring town’s common pattern, according to data released Monday.
The dismal figures come as police crowed on Twitter on Tuesday that they busted accused serial pickpocket Dedrick Williams, 53, a day earlier for committing three extra grand larcenies within the transit system.
“Caught & arrested once more!” the NYPD tweeted. “Yesterday, @NYPDTransit Public Safety officers arrested a identified pickpocket recidivist. This is the person’s eleventh Grand Larceny arrest this yr alone. Our officers will stay resilient in addressing subway crimes & our dedication is unwavering.”
But whereas the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office really useful bail at $30,000 money for Williams, however a decide let him out on supervised launch, officers stated.
The suspect, who lives on East 182nd Street, has a complete of 20 arrests on his document since 2004, a police supply stated. The majority of the arrests had been for crimes in transit, the supply stated.
“He steals wallets and makes use of the bank cards if there are any,” a police spokeswoman stated of Williams. “In these previous three [cases], he used the victims’ bank cards.”
Williams allegedly stole a lady’s pockets from her backpack whereas aboard a No. 6 subway in Manhattan at 8:45 a.m. on July 18, cops stated. The girl instructed police “she felt a tugging and pushing on her backpack,” cops stated in court docket paperwork. The girl noticed the reflection of the thief within the subway door and described him to police, who had been capable of finding surveillance video of the person, cops stated.
The subsequent day, round 8 a.m. at West forty second Street and Broadway in Times Square, a lady felt a tugging on her backpack as she walked down the steps to the southbound N platform, she instructed cops. When she seemed in her backpack later, she found her pockets was lacking together with 5 bank cards.
The robber charged $130.75 on one of many playing cards for a MetroCard buy, cops stated. The detective reviewed surveillance video and located the suspect was the identical man as within the first case, authorities stated.
When they arrested Williams on Aug. 8 round 8:30 a.m. for the 2 crimes, police recovered a California driver’s license that belonged to a 3rd one who was robbed, court docket paperwork present.
Williams was charged with grand larceny, felony possession of stolen property and id theft within the incidents, cops stated
