Police are asking for the public’s help after a 21-year-old woman reported being groped while entering the turnstiles at the Nostrand Avenue subway station on Friday night. She told officers an unidentified person grabbed her buttocks as she went through the turnstiles, then ran off. As of the alert, no arrests had been announced, and detectives have circulated a wanted notice seeking tips from anyone who recognizes the suspect.
The NYPD Crime Stoppers account posted a “WANTED FOR FORCIBLE TOUCHING” alert that states the incident occurred Friday at approximately 9:00 p.m. as the victim entered the station’s turnstiles, and that the suspect fled on foot. The post notes the victim’s age as 21 and says tips that lead to an arrest may be eligible for a reward of up to $3,500, according to NYPD Crime Stoppers. Anyone with information was asked to message @NYPDTips or contact the department’s tip portal by phone or online.
What “forcible touching” means
Under New York law, “forcible touching” covers the intentional, nonconsensual touching of another person's sexual or intimate parts, including squeezing, grabbing, or pinching, when it is done to degrade the victim or to gratify the actor’s sexual desire. The offense is prosecuted as a class A misdemeanor, and penalties depend on prosecutorial decisions and the specific facts of the case. See New York Penal Law §130.52 for the statute’s language.
How to report and stay safe
If you witnessed the incident or have video, officials urge you to preserve the original file and share it with investigators. Crime Stoppers accepts anonymous tips via its online portal, by messaging @NYPDTips on X, or by calling the hotline. The MTA also lays out reporting options for sexual harassment on transit, including using station Help Points, calling 911 for emergencies, and filing an online report, and it urges riders to notify staff or law enforcement immediately. For details on reporting and rider resources, see Crime Stoppers and MTA Safety & Security.
Where this fits in
The wanted notice is the latest in a string of similar social media pleas from the NYPD asking commuters to help identify suspected groppers around the city this spring. Hoodline’s reporting of a March Grand Central subway groper case illustrates how authorities have leaned on public alerts to surface tips from riders.
