Teen girl arrested in stolen New York City subway crash, 2nd suspect at large
A 17-year-old girl has been arrested on charges stemming from the crash of a stolen New York City subway train last week, police announced Thursday as a search for an alleged accomplice in the brazen theft continued.
The teenage suspect, whose name was not released, was arrested Wednesday afternoon and charged with first-degree criminal mischief and first-degree reckless endangerment, according to the New York Police Department.
The suspect in custody is alleged to be the thief captured on the security camera dressed all in pink, including a pink shower cap, according to police.
The theft of the train unfolded amid the deployment of additional police officers to the nation's largest subway system to combat a surge in crime. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul even deployed National Guard troops as part of a five-point plan to protect subway riders.
"There's no question it was an extremely foolish and reckless act by two individuals accessing live track in order to get access to our train," Demetrius Crichlow, interim president of New York City Transit, said at a news conference Wednesday morning to announce a proposed five-year, $68.4 billion capital improvement plan for the 100-year-old Metropolitan Transit Authority system.
The second suspect, a man, remained at large, police said. He was described by police as having a slim build and light complexion. He was dressed in a blue tank top, red shorts and carrying a black backpack.
According to a New York Police Department incident report, the thieves, a man and a woman, stole the empty, out-of-service train just after midnight on Sept. 12 at the Briarwood subway station in the borough of Queens, according to police.
"These two individuals entered an unoccupied train and operated it, causing a collision and damage to the train," according to the NYPD incident report.
No injuries were reported and the suspects fled the area on foot, according to police.
Crichlow said the train was moved roughly 50 feet.
The duo was caught on surveillance cameras walking through the empty train at Briarwood station before taking it on a short joy ride, police said.
One of the alleged thieves was described as a woman with a medium build and medium complexion, according to police.
Crichlow said the MTA has been aggressively installing security cameras on subway trains, adding that about 70% of the fleet now has cameras.
"We have great video, which has been turned over to the police, and we're confident that they will get the people, the perpetrators in this case," he said.
Crichlow also said New York City Transit has worked with the NYPD to design new reinforced locks to prevent intruders from entering train operator compartments.
"We have a design in place. It's just a matter of getting the actual parts and starting the installs," Crichlow said.
It was at least the second theft of a New York City subway train in less than eight months.
On Dec. 30, 2023, a group stole two out-of-service trains parked in a restricted area near the Forest Hills-71st Avenue subway station in Queens. Authorities said the group entered the operators' compartments of two lead train cars before driving them short distances northbound.
Amidst a 45% year-over-year spike in New York City transit crime in January, mostly due to grand larcenies, Hochul deployed 1,000 state workers, including 250 state police troopers and MTA Police members, to assist the NYPD in enhanced baggage checks at heavily trafficked areas of the subway system.
Hochul also directed the New York National Guard to make 750 members, who are currently part of the Joint Task Force Empire Shield, available to help check subway riders' bags for weapons.
According to the most recent NYPD crime statistics, transit crime as of Sunday is now down 5.4% from this time in 2023.
