Unsuck DC Metro: It's Not Just Phones that get Snatched

Friday, January 13, 2012

It's Not Just Phones that get Snatched

Metro Transit Police show off their paramilitary look during a terrorism drill.

From Virginia Ron:

I got on the Orange Line at Smithsonian heading to Vienna at 3:45 p.m. yesterday. I was on the last car. There was a group of rowdy teenagers up near the front of the car.

As we approached Metro Center, they got quiet and then all rushed off the train.

Next thing I witnessed was a gentleman in business attire jump up and run after them.

Evidently, they had grabbed his briefcase.

As I looked out the window, I saw his laptop, and God knows what, spill out onto the platform.

Before I could exit to assist, the train operator closed the doors and moved on, apparently oblivious to what just happened.

I was shocked and yelled to my fellow passengers "That guy just got robbed!"

The sad thing is, no one cared. If they did, no one responded.

When I got to Vienna, I reported it to the station manager. He said he would call it in. However, he did not write any of what I said down on paper, so I wonder if that report really was sent.

This could have happened to anyone. Now, I am seriously questioning my safety while riding Metro.

Other items:
The full, "no metro" report (WMATA)
Green Line corridor to power DC economy, study says (Examiner)
Board mulls fare increase options (WaPo)

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+19 Vote up Vote down

Orange Line Joe · 688 weeks ago

I find it rather annoying to read all these stories about people getting robbed, etc downtown and waiting until they get to the end of the line to report it. A similar such story was posted on this blog about a month ago. Folks, call MTPD immediately. They usually have a decent presence at Metro Center. Put the number in your cell phone. 202-962-2121

15 replies · active 688 weeks ago

+26 Vote up Vote down

Soylent Green Line · 688 weeks ago

Agreed... having the MTPD number saved in your phone is always a good idea.

Of course, the real trick is actually having service while underground. Otherwise it doesn't matter if you have the number for the A-Team or even the Avengers.

+7 Vote up Vote down

Ever Anoner · 688 weeks ago

That's my problem. I do not have service at many underground stations and cannot afford to just up and change to Verizon's expensive plans to get it.

The thought of nobody caring is old news, I'm sad to say. I've seen that type of response in public groups on many occasions in many places not just metro. Welcome to the 21st American century?

+2 Vote up Vote down

John · 688 weeks ago

I have Verizon and the service is spotty at best. Of course, a lot of times it SAYS I have full range on a 3G network, but my phone cannot function like it has full range on a 3G network. Sounds like Metro up to its old tricks.

-1 Vote up Vote down

blah · 688 weeks ago

It used to be much better until about two years ago. Oddly, I'ver never had any reception in Dupont Circle.

+2 Vote up Vote down

@VeggieTart · 688 weeks ago

Maybe get off at the next station and report it? I know that with Metro's unreliability that will add quite a bit of time to your commute, but the quicker Metro Transit Police can get the report, presumably the quicker they can find the little creeps responsible.

+1 Vote up Vote down

blah · 688 weeks ago

Better yet, use the emergency call boxes at the ends of the cars

-2 Vote up Vote down

@ChrisHowdy · 688 weeks ago

Haha, like those things work.

-4 Vote up Vote down

Govt Dude · 688 weeks ago

Are you one of the gang members? The Virginia Due Ron Ron guy was trying to help. I have confirmed that the number stated is indeed to the Metro Police.

-11 Vote up Vote down

Kara · 688 weeks ago

Maybe people do not have enough minutes on their plans to wait on hold? Plus, cell phones are hardly required for riding the metro.

+8 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 688 weeks ago

Maybe minutes would be better used reporting a crime than gabbing to friends about how you think your coworkers are being passive-aggressive toward you. And cell phones are not required, and I imagine there are many people who do not have one; I have yet to meet such a person, though. So assuming 90+% of Metro riders have cell phones, a suggestion to use one to call the police is not unreasonable. Nor would be suggesting that someone use the emergency intercom.

+4 Vote up Vote down

Everly Anonerly · 688 weeks ago

I know many people who do not have cell phones for a variety of reasons. Perhaps I am older than you. :D

+23 Vote up Vote down

anon · 688 weeks ago

Hypothetically, I'd like to think I'd get off at the next stop and report that crime, but I can't really walk in those shoes, and I think it's a little arrogant to expect of others what you'd do.

I think the greater point here is how Metro policing is totally lacking, and the employee was lackadaisical, at best..

+14 Vote up Vote down

Katy · 688 weeks ago

That's a great suggestion . . . IF your cell phone works underground. Some carriers do, some do not. Mine is one of the ones that does not.

Don't give Virginia Ron a hard time for trying to help. A lot of people wouldn't have taken the effort of reporting the crime.

+4 Vote up Vote down

@jimmytdc · 688 weeks ago

Yes, Great idea. I ride Metro a lot and put a direct dial widget to Metro Police on my phone. If you do not report it right away, they seem to think that too much time has passed and there is nothing they can do.

+6 Vote up Vote down

RGG · 688 weeks ago

A MTPD friend was telling me that a woman on a train had her iPad snatched at (where else??!!) Deanwood a week or so ago and the thug-ette ran off the train there. She reported it where? After she got to Capitol South!! I'd say the chances of catching him at this point were between slim and none.

For the life of me, I don't understand the mindset of a lot of people. They wouldn't ride the train through Deanwood or Minnesota Avenue carrying a $600 in their hands, but they're perfectly willing to do essentially the same thing by displaying their high-end gadgets. They wouldn't set $400 on the dash of their cars at Southern Avenue and walk away, but that GPS on the dash.........?

My friend told me he and many of his co-workers have made mention of these robberies to people on the train that are just trying their best to be targets. The visitors, for the most part, are thankful. The locals? Usually arseholes with their responses of "If I need your advise, I'll ask for it" and "That _won't_ happen to me---As they have their device held out, seated by the door, and their laps loaded down with so much crap they couldn't get up if they wanted to to chase after the knucklehead!!!!!

+6 Vote up Vote down

@ConGrpThink · 688 weeks ago

The robbers weren't black, were they?

12 replies · active 688 weeks ago

+20 Vote up Vote down

VA Ron · 688 weeks ago

they were. just avoid crowd of young black kids on the metro.

+9 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 688 weeks ago

Agreed. No one's in so big of a rush that they can't get off the train and wait for the next one if unruly passengers make you feel unsafe. Heck, why not just get off at the next stop and switch cars?

-20 Vote up Vote down

VAChick · 688 weeks ago

Wow, really? You have to go there, as if white kids aren't capable of stealing or acting up on the subway.

+37 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 688 weeks ago

Agree somewhat with you , VAChick. However, years of Metro riding have taught me to be more on alert when "urban"-appearing youth, whatever their race may be, are in my vicinity, than when "suburban"-appearing ones are. Race is one but not the only component of that. If a bunch of black kids wearing "GWU Engineering" hoodies get on the train, it won't bother me. If a bunch get on wearing wife-beaters, boxer-exposing jeans, and $200 sneakers get on, I'm looking for a way out.

+11 Vote up Vote down

Veers · 688 weeks ago

I'm increasingly tired of the "urban youth" who seem to think breaking pretty much all metro regulations is some sort of birthright--and metro operators don't do anything about it, even if you report it.

One afternoon, there was a group jumping up and down so much the car was rocking. Right outside the driver's position. He did nothing.

+18 Vote up Vote down

Shane · 688 weeks ago

Of course white kids are not doing this sort of thing. I've been in this city for three decades and been verbally and physically assaulted by black kids but never once a white kid. All of the trouble on metro is caused by the usual suspects. Stop acting all morally superior and PC @VAChick.

-5 Vote up Vote down

John · 688 weeks ago

You might want to check out the "Bethesda Metro Fight" post on here before you make stupid generalizations.

+13 Vote up Vote down

Ted Williams · 688 weeks ago

It's not a "stupid generalization.". The overwhelming majority of such incidents are comitted by black "youths," according to MPD!

+5 Vote up Vote down

RGG · 688 weeks ago

Occasionally, there's an exception to most rules.

+12 Vote up Vote down

One take · 688 weeks ago

‘White’ kids are capable of committing crimes on Metro. You’re absolutely right. Also absolutely right is the overwhelming majority of violent crime on Metro isn’t committed by ‘Whites’ or otherwise ‘non-blacks’ either.

-1 Vote up Vote down

Jackie Jeter · 688 weeks ago

Apparently you believe in slavery.

+7 Vote up Vote down

Truth · 688 weeks ago

Profiling is efficient. Everyone does it. You are just saying to yourself that the probability of X is greater than the probability of Y, based off historical data.

You can always come up with one example going against the "stereotype." There have been old ladies who have robbed places. But when you are walking down an alley, do the PC-folks really believe that the probability of getting mugged by the 75-year old woman is the same as getting mugged by the 20-year old black man?

You can argue that there are reasons that these kids do this -- sociological, lack of economic opportunity, lack of education, access to resources, etc. and believe in policies that seek to address these problems. But that is irrelevant from the perspective of the optimal action you as an individual should take in a given situation.

+23 Vote up Vote down

John · 688 weeks ago

How many times have I said this: When you are interacting with metro personell (ESPECIALLY A STATION MANAGER) whip out your cell phone and put it in video mode. Its the only way to catch their BS.

+31 Vote up Vote down

awkwardness 0p · 688 weeks ago

I'm guessing that no one inside the train responded because they probably didn't see it. Believe it or not, people do care and they do respond. While waiting on a platform for a train at L'Enfant Plaza I saw a teenager run past me. Shortly thereafter some guy in business attire ran after him. The kid stole the guy's PDA and those of us who weren't trying to call Metro police ran upstairs to find a guard. Thankfully, a group of strangers surrounded the teenager and held him until Metro officers came and got him. When he was taken away in cuffs, everyone applauded.

+5 Vote up Vote down

@thejonrose · 688 weeks ago

I've seen this once. A large group of teenagers, except they weren't quiet. Tried to steal someone's ipad, I'm not sure what happened given the confusion when they all ran off the train after forcing a door open at the platform (whoever was running the train decided to respond to the situation by keeping the doors locked).

Hard for any passengers to really doing anything about it. One passenger or a few passengers vs. 20 teenagers in a narrow train car.

+8 Vote up Vote down

asdf · 688 weeks ago

Aren't the operators supposed to look down the length of the train to see that the doors are clear. Wouldn't an operator see this melee?

+9 Vote up Vote down

Tony · 688 weeks ago

I'd suggest you all read the paragraph in "The Tipping Point" that details how the NY Subway got to bottom in the early 1990s and what was done to stop it. If you want to know where the bottom is for WMATA, its NYC 1970ish-1992ish. This, in my mind, is the beginning. Only a matter of time before graffitied cars show up on metro platforms and no one cares.

1 reply · active 688 weeks ago

+8 Vote up Vote down

@Hell_on_wheelz · 688 weeks ago

Let's hope we don't need to get to the point where we have a "Bernie Goetz on the Metro" before WMATA wakes up to rider safety issues.

+4 Vote up Vote down

daisymae · 688 weeks ago

Flash Mob Metro robbery

+36 Vote up Vote down

John · 688 weeks ago

I feel like I get robbed everytime I swipe my SmarTrip...

+11 Vote up Vote down

jenster8dc · 688 weeks ago

Haven't we also seen numerous, numerous stories on this blog about people calling Metro police and getting no response at all?

If a group of kids gets on the train, it's pretty easy to tell if they're looking for trouble, regardless of race. And that is when I put my iPhone away and get a good firm grip on my laptop and purse.

+1 Vote up Vote down

mitch · 688 weeks ago

Post made sense until the last sentence - "seriously questioning my safety" - WTF? No one was hurt in this incident - sure someone who may need to sharpen his urban radar a bit got robbed - that is BAD. But this is a big city folks, shit happens on Metro, on the streets and in bars. If you put your briefcase down beside you on a park bench and some kid stole it - would it be the park's fault? Metro is to blame for enough - but asking it to improve the behavior of people is going too far.

+7 Vote up Vote down

Michael Taborn · 688 weeks ago

Hi, welcome to the Metro Transit Police Department's emergency line. Did you know that if you see a suspicious package you should say something? To report a suspicious package, press one. To report a drunk minor, press 2, to report petty theft, press 3. If this is an emergency, please wait for an operator.

+2 Vote up Vote down

Mike · 688 weeks ago

I'm not sure stepping in to help is that great of an idea. I have a friend who rode the train and a couple of kids tried to steal his watch. He refused. Luckily, there was security close by. While searching the kids they found a knife on them. Who knows what would have happened to him had he continued to refuse and security hadn't shown up. I'm not about to risk my life for somebody else's briefcase.

1 reply · active 688 weeks ago

-5 Vote up Vote down

Govt Dude · 688 weeks ago

Just what will cause you to react to someone else being violated. Didn't your mother teach you better? I say train everyone in this country with mandatory military service in special forces and then let kids intimidate their elders. I think closure would be close at hand.

+5 Vote up Vote down

BradK · 688 weeks ago

So, I get the comments about, ' well i didnt have service' or 'i dont have verizon' or 'i didnt have the number'... those all make sense, kinda...

Nobody has made the excuse that the call box on the train didnt work... so that must mean nobody tried that one...

To the OP... Im sorry this was frightening to you, but your words: "no one cared. If they did, no one responded" could easily be applied to the delayed response you had by reporting it at Vienna.
Shouting "that guy just got robbed" then waiting 45 minutes to report it is just about the same attentive response everyone else gave. Clearly you couldn't chase down the asailant, what makes you think anyone else onboard could have done it?

1 reply · active 688 weeks ago

0 Vote up Vote down

Kara · 688 weeks ago

What are the odds that would be one of the few in the system that would work and that you get a response on?

Plus if it was in a car set after the 1000 series trains (thanks again for that metro!) we already know they will not work. Not that metro oh, actually told anyone when they bellied the 1000 series cars.

+14 Vote up Vote down

@JaundiceJames · 688 weeks ago

What this city needs are more headlines reading, "PERPETRATOR SHOT WHILE COMMITTING ROBBERY". Nothing like newspapers full of stories of people defending themselves to discourage muggers.

2 replies · active 688 weeks ago

+8 Vote up Vote down

Martin · 688 weeks ago

Nice idea, but can muggers read?

+6 Vote up Vote down

Anon20009 · 688 weeks ago

Sure - there's an App for that - on a their stolen smart phone!

+9 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 688 weeks ago

Someone should invent a smart phone with a built in explosive charge that can be remotely detonated. If these thugs started getting blown up by stolen phones they might start thinking twice about stealing them.

1 reply · active 688 weeks ago

+1 Vote up Vote down

@VeggieTart · 688 weeks ago

Sure, but you'd have to hope they wouldn't steal the device or you didn't accidentally activate it.

+17 Vote up Vote down

One take · 688 weeks ago

Some time back, I watched WMATA’s Public Service Announcement video regarding metro crime; which urged riders to be vigilante regarding their property and safety, and described what and who to look out for.

I recall the video featured a middle aged, Caucasian man snatching money from a young African-American individual near the door of a Metro train.

So you mean to tell me that all this time, I’ve been cautiously but needlessly on the lookout for marauding packs of middle-aged balding Caucasian accountants looking to snatch briefcases, IPods, cell phones and commit violent crime on Metro?

So if middle aged Caucasian bald men are not committing these crimes; then who is and who should I look out for when I ride the rails?

3 replies · active 688 weeks ago

+15 Vote up Vote down

RGG · 688 weeks ago

I see the poster on the trains similar to that , too! A young black woman checking her phone and a white dude reaching out for it. I'm looking at it thinking, "yeah, right!!" I would LOVE to know if Metro police have EVER arrested, or even TAKEN A REPORT, where a robbery suspect was white.

I'd be willing to bet a nickel that the answer is ZERO!"

+10 Vote up Vote down

@VeggieTart · 688 weeks ago

Hey, did it ever occur to Metro that maybe the white dude is trying to snatch it BACK from the little cretin who stole it from him?

+4 Vote up Vote down

kev · 688 weeks ago

Yeah that poster really annoys me. It blames whitey for all the crime on the metro.

+5 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 688 weeks ago

Re: "Metro Transit Police show off their paramilitary look during a terrorism drill."

That guy on the left looks like he didn't get enough of G.I. Joe and "playing Army" as a kid... I doubt he could run very fast to catch a thief wearing all that garb.

2 replies · active 688 weeks ago

-4 Vote up Vote down

Anon · 688 weeks ago

He happens to be a stellar officer.

+2 Vote up Vote down

Everanon · 688 weeks ago

Don't discuss what you don't understand. He is obviously part of MTPD's special response team. SRT teams don't "run after people". They assist in high risk, more dangerous situations, etc. Don't make baseless, insulting comments- show some common decency and respect.

+5 Vote up Vote down

Jenifer · 688 weeks ago

yup, put the Metro Police phone number on your cell phone NOW and start dialing the minute you see nonsense going on...

+4 Vote up Vote down

Virginia Ron · 688 weeks ago

Well,after reading everyone's comments, here is what I have to say. To the person who signed in as VaRon apparently posing as me, I did not think bring race into the discussion was valid; crime is crime. To the person who questioned why I was now feeling unsafe riding Metro after witnessing this act, apparently you have a different view of the connection between crime,violence and personal safety. Let me know how that works out for you. As to why I did not use the call button; shame on me. I thought about it as I was contemplating what to do after the act occurred. I agree, it should have been my next course of action. For those who questioned why I waited to report it at the Vienna stop; I figured better to report it than to not report it so Metro could add the statistic to their database. For those who questioned why I did not get off at the next stop and report it; in my view, the thugs had already made their escape, thus reporting it at Vienna seemed as logical.
The whole purpose of my posting was to make people aware that this event occurred. I appreciate the positive suggestions. As to the criticism, I will try in the future to be as perfect as you.

+6 Vote up Vote down

corey babcock · 688 weeks ago

i happen to ride metro every single mothr f******** day and im tired of these damn kids who are rowdy rude and make me supisous of them trying to go after my valuables im homless i cant afford new shit so we need metro to beef up there damn security and i got ways to do that which i cannot diclose till they want my advice and act upon it and also these station managers are so damn rude cocky arragent and downright mean they make around $24-30 hr so the money gets to there heads and why is metro a all black empolyed transit company are they worried about a discrimination lawsuit ? why cant we have more whites in it ? maybe metro wouldnt be so bad then also the operators need to realize that they cant be in a hurry to take off from a station cause of a rush hr period there could be a person stuck in the door we need the nyc way a cunductor in the middle car to operate the doors and be a second way to spot trouble so please metro F******* IMPORVE YOUR DAMN SYSTEM HELL CHICAGO AND NYC IS WAY BETTER AND CHEAPER

+1 Vote up Vote down

Andrew Mcdonald · 688 weeks ago

I am glad that I have found a watering hole full of like minded people. It's good that we can come together vent without fear of being judged with statements like

"That's racist" or "that's not true."

+3 Vote up Vote down

Andrea E. · 684 weeks ago

When I started reading this post and the comments I knew that the conversation would go "there". In my opinion crime can be committed by ANYONE there are certain people that are more likely to commit it but hey that's life. I don't think all young black males should be lumped into a group of thugs. It's unfair, racist, and just plain ignorant. Metro should do more and we as a society have become so self indulgent that we cannot fathom helping out our fellow man. It's truly sad. And if we want to play the "race" card on fear and crime let's just reflect on the fear on the pre-civil rights error when blacks were terrified of whites. Not just being mugged or robbed but being beaten, lynched, and brutally murdered for far less than iPads. So think about that before you make your ignorant generalized statements.