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Crime on CTA Down More than 25 Percent, City Says

By Josh McGhee | February 17, 2015 10:18am
 The CTA pointed to their expanded surveillance system for lowering crime across the rails and buses in 2014.
The CTA pointed to their expanded surveillance system for lowering crime across the rails and buses in 2014.
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DNAinfo/Alisa Hauser

CHICAGO — In 2014, the CTA saw it's lowest rate of serious crime in four years including major declines in thefts and robberies, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and CTA President Forrest Claypool said Tuesday.

During 2014, serious crime across both the rail and bus system decreased by 26 percent, thefts decreased by 26 percent and robberies decreased by 34 percent, the city said.

In a statement, Emanuel credited adding "thousands of security cameras and strengthening policing strategies."

“We are committed to the safety of every Chicagoan who takes public transportation, we are sending the message that we will not tolerate criminal activity, and we are seeing the results,” said Emanuel.

The CTA and Chicago Police Department expanded the security network to more than 23,000 cameras adding multiple cameras to rail stations, buses and trains. They also expanded police patrol, saturated stations with officers and increased undercover operations, according to a press release issued on the crime data.

The expanded security system helped officers identify and arrest 235 individuals committing crimes on or near CTA property — a 12 percent increase from 2013. The effort served as a deterrent for would-be criminals, the release said.

In a statement, Claypool said the anti-crime measures have created "a more secure environment for everyone."

On CTA buses, serious crime dropped 30 percent. That reflects a 48 percent decline in robberies and a 29 percent drop in theft. Those rates are the lowest in four years.

In 2014, CTA also saw:

• A 24 percent decrease in overall serious personal or property crime on trains.

• A 26 percent decrease in robberies on trains. The numbers have declined each year since 2010.

• A 23 percent decrease in robberies on trains.

• A 28 percent decrease in robberies at stations and on platforms.

• A 31 percent decrease in theft incidents on trains.

• A 12 percent decrease in theft incidents on platforms.

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