Group takes subway cars for short joyride in Forest Hills, Queens, police say
NEW YORK -- You've heard of people stealing cars for joyrides. But what about a subway car?
It happened last week in Queens, and there's surveillance video from inside the train.
When you hear the announcement, "This is the last stop on this train," it is supposed to be your cue to get off. But police say the suspects seen on surveillance video took it as their cue to go for a spin.
"I want to assure folks, at no time was that train at all in danger of leaving the yard," NYC Transit President Richard Davey said.
Police say the suspects entered a vacant R train at the Forest Hills/71st Avenue station on Saturday and drove it onto train storage tracks. Nothing was damaged and nobody was hurt.
The MTA says the suspects only made it a short distance before they ran off, but it begs the obvious question: Just how easy is it to take a subway car for a joyride?
"It was like locking your car and having a Lojack on it, but having someone stealing a Lojack key and having a coat hanger to open the car and then hot wiring the damn thing. That's exactly what happened," Davey said.
Subway riders were equally perplexed when they heard the news.
"Are you serious? Wake up! It's New York!" one said.
"Wouldn't you need experience driving a train?!?" another wondered.
"I don't understand how they left it unlocked and they managed to drive the train like that," another said.
The MTA said the illegal joyride was discovered by tower operators, adding the train never would have made it onto active tracks. The agency said the suspects may have used a stolen key.
Police are using the video, which notably came from inside one of the train's cars, to investigate the incident. The MTA said its goal is to have cameras on every subway car by next year.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.