Police are looking for a man who allegedly groped a 29-year-old woman on a southbound A train as it approached the 42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal station on Wednesday night, Feb. 11. The woman told investigators the rider grabbed her right buttock at about 10:45 p.m., and that he stayed on the train after she got off. The case resurfaced this week after the NYPD put out a fresh Crime Stoppers alert asking for help.
In a wanted notice posted March 7, NYPD Crime Stoppers said the incident happened Feb. 11 and urged anyone with information to send a message to the department’s public tip account or call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS. The bulletin notes that the victim is a 29-year-old woman and says the suspect grabbed her right buttock as the A train neared the 42nd Street stop. Investigators released surveillance images and asked riders to check cellphone videos or other recordings that might offer clues.
What Police Say
The public alert lays out a straightforward timeline and asks anyone who recognizes the man in the images to step up and contact authorities. Police have not released a name and have announced no arrests connected to the case. Detectives say they are going through available video and talking to witnesses in an effort to put a name to the rider in question.
Recent Alerts and Transit Context
This latest appeal is part of a string of Crime Stoppers notices involving groping and forcible touching on New York City transit. Hoodline has recently highlighted similar NYPD requests, including a Queens escalator grope at Court Square and a Washington Heights teen butt slap case. In each of those incidents, photos snapped by commuters and cellphone video have played a key role in helping investigators zero in on suspects.
What the Law Says
Under New York law, forcible touching, which includes squeezing, grabbing or pinching intimate parts of another person, is a criminal offense. Per New York Penal Law section 130.52, accessible via the N.Y. Senate, forcible touching is classified as a class A misdemeanor, and the statute specifically covers unwanted sexual contact on buses, trains and subways.
How to Help and Stay Safe
Anyone who was on that downtown A train the night of Feb. 11, or who has relevant phone video or photos, is urged to save that footage and share it with investigators. As noted in local coverage, tips can be submitted through the NYPD’s public tip channels or by calling the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS, and anonymous tipsters may be eligible for a reward. If there is immediate danger, call 911; otherwise, contact Crime Stoppers or your local precinct with any information that could help close the case.
