Crime in New York City's subways is at its lowest point since Mayor Rudy Giuliani's first term, though police say thefts are increasing as commuters return to the trains.
A new report from the NYPD showed thefts in the subways jumped by 50 percent in September. Robberies and grand larcenies also increased, but the number of assaults remained the same.
The number of grand larcenies (defined in New York as theft of property valued at more than $1,000) is particularly of note, as that figure increased from 64 in August to 96 in September, according to NYPD statistics.
The MTA says the spike in thefts is likely tied to an increase in ridership and "crimes of opportunity," but board member Andrew Albert tells NBC New York that as ridership continues to increase, the number of thefts will decrease.
"I think it's just a blip in the figures and it's going to go down because more and more people are coming back, and when that happens, crime goes down," Albert said.
Crime on the subways has remained low for over two decades, yet a streak of violence this spring and summer has made riders as wary as ever about the trains and prompted an increased police presence at subways.