Police in Queens are searching for a person accused of groping a woman on an escalator inside the Court Square-23 Street subway station and are asking riders for help putting a name to the face.
The victim, a 37-year-old woman, told investigators that an individual stood directly in front of her on the escalator, wrapped his arms around her and grabbed her private areas before fleeing the station. Detectives say they are hoping commuters will check any phone footage or nearby CCTV that might show the suspect. No arrests have been reported.
The appeal went public on March 3 in a post on X from NYPD Crime Stoppers, which says the incident happened at about 7:38 a.m. on Sunday, March 1. The message notes the victim's age and describes the suspect's actions but does not identify a name or indicate an arrest. Police say the person ran off after the incident and that tips may qualify for a cash reward.
WANTED FOR FORCIBLE TOUCHING: On Sunday, March 1, 2026, at approximately 7:38 A.M., inside the Court Square-23 Street Subway Station, a 37-year-old female victim was on the escalator when an unidentified individual stood in front of her. The individual wrapped his arms around https://t.co/6uB5JGb9L9
— NYPD Crime Stoppers (@NYPDTips) March 3, 2026
Police Offer Reward And Tip Options
According to Crime Stoppers, anonymous information that leads to an arrest and indictment in this case may earn a reward of up to $3,500. Tips can be phoned in to 1-800-577-TIPS, or to the Spanish line at 1-888-57-PISTA.
Information also can be submitted online, through the Crime Stoppers mobile app, or by messaging the NYPD's public tip account. These reporting methods and reward details are outlined by the NYPD.
What Forcible Touching Means In New York
Under New York Penal Law §130.52, forcible touching means intentionally touching another person's sexual or intimate parts, including squeezing, grabbing or pinching, for the purpose of degrading that person or for sexual gratification. It is classified as a Class A misdemeanor and can carry jail time and other penalties.
Context And Safety For Riders
Police and community groups have used Crime Stoppers appeals like this in past cases across Queens and the rest of the city, including a forcible touching spree in Astoria last year. Riders who were in the Court Square station around the time of the incident are urged to preserve any phone video, check for nearby security cameras that may have captured the suspect, and contact authorities if they have relevant footage or information.
If anyone is in immediate danger, the NYPD advises calling 911 first, then sharing any additional information with Crime Stoppers when it is safe to do so.
Anyone with information about the Court Square incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (or 1-888-57-PISTA for Spanish), submit an internet tip through the Crime Stoppers website, or message @NYPDTips on X. Authorities say anonymous tips that lead to arrests can qualify for rewards and that investigators continue to review available footage and witness accounts.
