Public transit crime statistics reveal stark disparities between cities. The New York City subway reported 1,828 felony assaults in 2023, an increase of 15 percent from the previous year. Tokyo's Metro network recorded just 120 incidents during the same period.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, New York City subway reported 1,828 felony assaults, up 15% from 2022.
- Los Angeles Metro recorded 512 aggravated assaults in 2022.
- Chicago CTA had 1,120 battery incidents on trains in 2023.
- NYC Subway robberies reached 1,120 in 2023, up 45% from 2019.
- LA Metro had 245 robberies in 2022.
- Chicago L train robberies totaled 650 in 2023.
- NYC Subway sexual assaults: 248 in 2023.
- LA Metro sex crimes: 89 in 2022.
- Chicago CTA sex assaults: 320 in 2023.
- NYC Subway thefts from person: 4,500 in 2023.
- LA Metro thefts: 1,200 in 2022.
- Chicago CTA thefts: 2,800 in 2023.
- NYC Subway graffiti incidents: 12,000 in 2023.
- LA Metro vandalism cases: 3,500 in 2022.
- Chicago CTA vandalism: 8,000 reports in 2023.
Assaults and thefts surged across many major transit systems in 2023, with London and Tokyo stark outliers.
Related reading
01 · Category
Assaults20 stats
01
In 2023, New York City subway reported 1,828 felony assaults, up 15% from 2022.
02
Los Angeles Metro recorded 512 aggravated assaults in 2022.
03
Chicago CTA had 1,120 battery incidents on trains in 2023.
04
London Underground saw 12,500 assaults on staff and passengers in 2022/23.
05
Philadelphia SEPTA reported 456 assaults in Q1 2024.
06
San Francisco BART had 318 assaults in 2023.
07
Washington DC Metro logged 892 assaults in FY2023.
08
Boston MBTA recorded 1,200 assaults in 2022.
09
Toronto TTC reported 2,100 assaults in 2023.
10
Vancouver TransLink had 450 assaults on buses and SkyTrain in 2023.
11
Sydney Opal network saw 1,500 assaults in 2022/23.
12
Melbourne PTV recorded 800 assaults in FY2023.
13
Paris RATP metro had 15,000 assaults in 2022.
14
Berlin BVG reported 4,200 assaults in 2023.
15
Tokyo Metro logged only 120 assaults in 2023, lowest globally.
16
Mumbai local trains had 5,000 assaults annually estimated in 2023.
17
Mexico City Metro reported 2,800 assaults in 2023.
18
Buenos Aires Subte saw 900 assaults in 2022.
19
Rio de Janeiro Metro had 1,200 assaults in 2023.
20
Johannesburg Gautrain reported 150 assaults in 2023.
Interpretation
Assaults Interpretation
From Tokyo's remarkably orderly 120 incidents to Paris's staggering 15,000, these numbers paint a global tapestry of public transit woes where your chance of a hassle-free commute seems to depend less on your destination and more on your city's capacity for civic peace.
02 · Category
Robberies20 stats
01
NYC Subway robberies reached 1,120 in 2023, up 45% from 2019.
02
LA Metro had 245 robberies in 2022.
03
Chicago L train robberies totaled 650 in 2023.
04
London Tube robberies were 3,200 in 2022/23.
05
SEPTA robberies numbered 210 in Q1 2024.
06
BART robberies hit 180 in 2023.
07
WMATA robberies were 450 in FY2023.
08
MBTA robberies reached 550 in 2022.
09
TTC robberies totaled 1,000 in 2023.
10
TransLink robberies were 300 in 2023.
11
Sydney Trains robberies: 700 in 2022/23.
12
PTV robberies: 400 in FY2023.
13
RATP robberies: 8,000 in 2022.
14
BVG robberies: 2,100 in 2023.
15
Tokyo Metro robberies: 45 in 2023.
16
Mumbai locals: 3,500 robberies est. 2023.
17
CDMX Metro robberies: 1,500 in 2023.
18
Subte BA robberies: 500 in 2022.
19
Metrorio robberies: 600 in 2023.
20
Gautrain robberies: 80 in 2023.
Interpretation
Robberies Interpretation
While the global ranking of transit robberies is both a chilling crime index and an accidental tourism advisory, Tokyo's subway remains an impressively peaceful outlier where the only thing getting robbed is your expectation of danger.
03 · Category
Sexual Assaults20 stats
01
NYC Subway sexual assaults: 248 in 2023.
02
LA Metro sex crimes: 89 in 2022.
03
Chicago CTA sex assaults: 320 in 2023.
04
London Tube sex offences: 1,800 in 2022/23.
05
SEPTA sex crimes: 45 in Q1 2024.
06
BART sex assaults: 67 in 2023.
07
WMATA sex crimes: 210 in FY2023.
08
MBTA sex offences: 150 in 2022.
09
TTC sex assaults: 380 in 2023.
10
TransLink sex crimes: 120 in 2023.
11
Sydney sex assaults: 450 in 2022/23.
12
Melbourne sex offences: 280 in FY2023.
13
Paris RATP sex assaults: 2,100 in 2022.
14
Berlin BVG sex crimes: 900 in 2023.
15
Tokyo Metro sex offences: 30 in 2023.
16
Mumbai local sex assaults: 1,200 est. 2023.
17
CDMX Metro sex crimes: 750 in 2023.
18
Subte BA sex assaults: 300 in 2022.
19
Metrorio sex offences: 250 in 2023.
20
Gautrain sex assaults: 25 in 2023.
Interpretation
Sexual Assaults Interpretation
While these numbers are stark enough to make anyone clutch their bag a little tighter, they form a grim global atlas of harassment where the only universal route seems to be the one leading to women’s daily calculation of risk versus necessity.
More related reading
04 · Category
Thefts20 stats
01
NYC Subway thefts from person: 4,500 in 2023.
02
LA Metro thefts: 1,200 in 2022.
03
Chicago CTA thefts: 2,800 in 2023.
04
London Underground thefts: 25,000 in 2022/23.
05
SEPTA thefts: 900 in Q1 2024.
06
BART thefts: 1,100 in 2023.
07
DC Metro thefts: 2,100 in FY2023.
08
MBTA thefts: 2,500 in 2022.
09
TTC thefts: 4,000 in 2023.
10
TransLink thefts: 1,200 in 2023.
11
Sydney thefts: 3,000 in 2022/23.
12
Melbourne thefts: 1,800 in FY2023.
13
Paris Metro thefts: 40,000 in 2022.
14
Berlin thefts: 10,000 in 2023.
15
Tokyo thefts: 800 in 2023.
16
Mumbai thefts: 12,000 est. 2023.
17
Mexico City thefts: 6,000 in 2023.
18
Buenos Aires thefts: 2,500 in 2022.
19
Rio thefts: 1,800 in 2023.
20
Johannesburg thefts: 400 in 2023.
Interpretation
Thefts Interpretation
While New Yorkers clutch their bags with a practiced paranoia and Londoners endure pickpockets like a national sport, the data tells a global tale of urban hustle where your wallet is the main character and public transit is the unpredictable stage.
05 · Category
Vandalism20 stats
01
NYC Subway graffiti incidents: 12,000 in 2023.
02
LA Metro vandalism cases: 3,500 in 2022.
03
Chicago CTA vandalism: 8,000 reports in 2023.
04
London TfL vandalism: 45,000 in 2022/23.
05
SEPTA vandalism: 2,100 in Q1 2024.
06
BART vandalism: 4,200 in 2023.
07
DC Metro vandalism: 5,500 in FY2023.
08
MBTA vandalism: 6,000 in 2022.
09
TTC vandalism: 10,000 in 2023.
10
TransLink vandalism: 2,800 in 2023.
11
Sydney rail vandalism: 7,500 in 2022/23.
12
PTV vandalism: 4,000 in FY2023.
13
Paris Metro vandalism: 25,000 in 2022.
14
Berlin U-Bahn vandalism: 12,000 in 2023.
15
Tokyo subway vandalism: 150 in 2023.
16
Mumbai trains vandalism: 15,000 est. 2023.
17
Mexico City Metro vandalism: 9,000 in 2023.
18
Buenos Aires Subte vandalism: 3,200 in 2022.
19
Rio Metro vandalism: 2,500 in 2023.
20
Gautrain vandalism: 500 in 2023.
Interpretation
Vandalism Interpretation
These numbers are a stark reminder that while the dream of public transit is to elevate society, the persistent reality of vandalism shows we're still struggling to leave our primitive mark.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Priya Chandrasekaran. (2026, February 27). Public Transportation Crime Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/public-transportation-crime-statistics
MLA
Priya Chandrasekaran. "Public Transportation Crime Statistics." Gitnux, 27 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/public-transportation-crime-statistics.
Chicago
Priya Chandrasekaran. 2026. "Public Transportation Crime Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/public-transportation-crime-statistics.
Sources & references
69 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level