NYPD: Subway robberies down 30.7% over 2012

Robberies are down 30.7 percent in subways compared with a year ago, according to NYPD data released Monday.

The reduction in robberies from January to April, as well as a 7.9 percent decline in grand larcenies, follows a spate of thefts of phones and other electronic devices in the system last year.

In April 2012, robberies were up 27.3 percent and grand larcenies increased by 18.3 percent compared with the same period in 2011.

"Part of this decrease can be attributed to continued success of our decoy operations," the NYPD said. "We substantially increased the number of our decoy teams and the frequency of our operations in the end of 2011. Systemwide, we have conducted 130 decoy operations this year, resulting in 54 arrests -- 36 of those for grand larceny."

Bill Henderson, the executive director of the MTA's citizen advisory council, agreed. "It's pretty directly attributable to the change in tactics of the transit bureau," he said. Henderson also cited the use of a public awareness campaign regarding electronic devices.

The data presented to the MTA's board meeting showed 205 robberies from January to April, compared with 296 in the same time frame last year. Grand larcenies, meanwhile, fell to 488 from 530. For the first four months of 2013, there have been 15 percent fewer major felonies compared with last year.

MTA board member Andrew Albert praised police for reducing the number of thefts and robberies. "That's with record ridership -- that's even better," Albert said.