Two teenagers have been taken into custody following an incident involving the unauthorized takeover of an unoccupied R subway train in Brooklyn. According to ABC 7 New York, the duo was part of a group that entered the train and briefly operated it before vandalizing its cameras and abandoning it. Officials are still searching for the four remaining suspects. The New York Police Department disclosed that one of the teens, a 15-year-old, was apprehended at James Madison High School in Midwood, where he is enrolled. Both the 15-year-old and a 17-year-old face charges.
The saga unfolded just over a week ago, around 10:30 p.m. on Jan. 25, near the 71st Avenue station in Forest Hills. Initially thought to be a case of vandalism, the incident was upgraded when it was discovered the individuals had managed to temporarily take control of the train itself. In a statement acquired by NBC New York, NYC Transit President Demetrius Crishlow conveyed the agency's resolve, stating, "Breaking into and moving subway cars is dangerous, illegal, and will not be tolerated." Steps are being taken to augment security and to potentially integrate new technologies, such as biometric verification, to prevent similar breaches.
Police previously misidentified the station involved as the Forest Hills-71 Avenue subway station in Queens, but it was later confirmed the incident occurred at 36th Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn, as noted by ABC 7 New York. Janno Lieber, the MTA Chair and CEO, has expressed dissatisfaction over the lapses in security that facilitated the incident, calling what happened "not acceptable."
This recent event marks yet another security concern for the MTA, following two incidents where trains were commandeered for joyrides. One such incident was reported in September, where teens were arrested after purportedly crashing a stolen train. Scrutiny over MTA's security measures has intensified, compelling the authority to openly commit to substantially stepping up safeguards at critical transit locations. "Those hooligan games cannot happen," Crishlow emphasized in his reaction to the captures, as detailed by NBC New York. While acknowledging the gravity of the situation, officials pledge to continue to tighten the hatches to ensure such an episode does not easily repeat itself.
