Major Felonies on MTA Commuter Rail Fall 20.1% Through August 2026

Major felonies on the Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North and the Staten Island Railway dropped 20.1% in the first eight months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, the MTA reported — the lowest felony crime level on the three railroads in four years.

The figures, announced by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, cover burglary, felony assault, grand larceny and robbery across the networks patrolled by the MTA Police Department. If the trend holds, 2026 will mark a second consecutive year of double-digit declines: major crime already fell 16.4% in the first eight months of 2025.

"Keeping New Yorkers safe is my highest priority as governor, and thanks to smart investments in the MTAPD, our commuter railroads have seen historic reductions in crime this year," Hochul said. "With growing ridership, the LIRR and Metro-North are engines of the entire state's economy, and it is essential that the hundreds of thousands of riders who rely on rail service to get around travel safely. By investing in law enforcement and critical tools like better security cameras, we are accomplishing just that."

What fell, and by how much?

Four major crime categories posted double-digit drops in the first eight months of 2026 against the same window in 2024:

• Burglary: down 50%
• Grand larceny: down 18.1%
• Grand larceny auto in station parking lots: down 42.9%
• Robbery: down 39.3%

No rapes have been reported on the LIRR, Metro-North or SIR since 2023.

Crimes against LIRR and Metro-North employees — and against the MTAPD officers who patrol those systems — have also hit their lowest levels since 2023. There were 107 such crimes through August 2026, down 55.4% from the 240 recorded in the first eight months of 2024 and down 10.8% from 120 in the same stretch of 2025. In 2022, Hochul signed legislation strengthening state laws on transit employee assaults, extending protections to an additional 11,000 MTA employees, including many commuter railroad staff.

"Survey after survey, riders tell us safety is their number one issue. Gov. Hochul listened and responded with funding interventions—more cops, more security cameras, more mental health outreach—that have delivered real results," said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber.

Which operational changes drove the numbers?

The LIRR and Metro-North have both rolled out a Joint Security Strategy that modernizes how critical information reaches train crews. Crews now carry tablets and cellular ticketing devices that share information instantly, including lists of persistent fare evaders, individuals who may have committed crimes against employees or the railroad, and missing-persons alerts.

The MTA says that real-time access has helped officers apprehend suspects wanted for assaults and harassment, and has strengthened employee confidence during fare disputes and other security-sensitive situations. The measured results over the first six months of 2026, year over year:

• Disorderly customer incidents: down 40%
• Fare disputes: down 47%
• Requests for police assistance: down 12%

The MTAPD has also increased patrols on commuter trains over the past several years, which the agency credits with improving visibility and deterrence across the system.

"This historic reduction in crime across the Long Island Rail Road, Metro‑North and Staten Island Railway is the direct result of the steadfast support provided by Gov. Hochul and Chairman Lieber, and the hard work and dedication of the men and women of the MTAPD," said MTAPD Chief Thomas Taffe. "This progress reflects a shared commitment to protecting our riders and employees and demonstrates what is possible when resources and leadership are aligned in support of public safety."

What about the hardware?

On the LIRR, the agency is upgrading its camera network with panoramic units offering 360-degree coverage at stations, yards and grade crossings. The MTA says the cameras remove blind spots and speed emergency response through live feeds.

"The investments we have made in safety upgrades, from adding panoramic cameras to increasing fare evasion enforcement, are part of the reason why crime continues to drop on the LIRR, and it shows in our customer satisfaction surveys, where our safety ratings are consistently in the 80 to 90% range," said LIRR President Rob Free.

The SIR replaced its entire fleet with R211 railcars roughly a year ago, each fitted with security cameras that give police fast access to high-resolution images for suspect identification. LED lighting installations complement the cameras by brightening stations. "Metro-North places customer safety at the forefront of all our decisions," said Metro-North President Justin Vonashek, adding that crime is "plummeting" thanks to smart security investments.

MTA officials attribute the declines to the combination of policing, technology and enforcement spending — and with four months of 2026 still to run, the railroads are on track to post their second straight double-digit annual reduction in major crime.