New York subway crime is down over 20 percent since the July 7 terrorist attacks on London’s transit system, officials said yesterday.
And Michael Scagnelli, the NYPD’s chief of transportation, thinks the reason is obvious – more cops on patrol and, now, random bag searches.
NYPD data released yesterday showed 171 subway crimes since July 1 – or 22.6 percent fewer than the 221 in the same period last year.
Yet, despite the sudden drop, crime is up for the year – by 1.9 percent.
After meeting yesterday with the NYPD, MTA Transit Committee Chairman Barry Feinstein addressed the criticism that bag-checking cops aren’t guarding entrances. It isn’t fiscally feasible to cover all the entrances at large stations, he said.
“This is a no-win situation,” he said. “It’s a matter of . . . being as visible and as well organized as we can be. Only a fool would think there is nothing left undone.”