News & Reviews News Wire Police seek suspects in theft of New York subway train (updated)

Police seek suspects in theft of New York subway train (updated)

By Trains Staff | January 29, 2025

| Last updated on January 30, 2025


Group involved posted video of subway joyride

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MTA subway station sign for 71st Street-Continental Avenue in Forest Hills
A New York City subway train was reportedly stolen from the 71st Street station in Forest Hills last Saturday. MTA/Patrick Cashin

NEW YORK — The New York Police Department has released photos of six suspects wanted for stealing a New York City Transit subway train and taking it on a short joyride last weekend.

Original reports said three people were involved, but the NYPD has released video from the train’s security cameras showing at least six people on board, WCBS-TV reports. Police subsequently released station images of the suspects.

WCBS had previously reported the incident was discovered about 10 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025, near 71st Avenue station in Forest Hills along the E-F-M-R subway lines when employees returned to a train they had left on a layover track and found it had been moved. The doors were locked, indicating one of those involved had transit keys.

Video posted by the individuals shows the train being operated at a high rate of speed (30 mph, according to a New York Daily News report). The individuals all wore masks and covered lens on the train with black markers, authorities said.

The MTA is analyzing the train’s black box to determine where the train was taken and for how long.

It is at least the third such incident in about year. In September, two 17-year were arrested after allegedly stealing and crashing a train on the E-F lines. Another incident occurred at the 71st Street station last January.

— Updated Jan. 20 at 9:05 a.m. with update on number of suspects and police images.

Six images of young men in subway station
Police say these are the suspects in the theft of a New York subway train. NYPD

10 thoughts on “Police seek suspects in theft of New York subway train (updated)

  1. These kids must be watching old TV movies like “The Money Train” and “The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3”

  2. My great uncle used to brag to me about when he was a kid he would steal torpedoes from the local engine house, and use them to prank passing trains. Apparently kids will be kids in any generation, and we need to be modernize our cab activations to make trains more theft proof. Literally a simple ID number and pass code solves this problem, ie 1980s tech

  3. 30 mph is considered a “high rate of speed”?!! Bicycles and electric scooters can attain and exceed that speed.

  4. So this has happened before, two 17-year-olds accused. Not stated if the accused are first offeders. What consequences will they face if convicted?

    After a school shooting in a Detroit exurb, the 15-year-old first-offender murderer got life without parole, likely the harshest sentence a first-offender 15-year-old has gotten in modern American history. (As a juvenile, he couldn’t have gotten the death penalty, even if Michigan had such, which unfortunately Michigan does not have and hasn’t ever had.)

    His parents each got 10 – 15 years.

    If we came down like a ton of bricks on juvenile criminals (and where justified, their parents), we’d have less juvenile crime.

    1. Mr. Landey, you’re suggesting political seppuku. Especially for the party in power there.

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