The number of crimes reported on Baltimore's light rail system has risen dramatically this year at a time when overall crime is down on other forms of public transit.
Mass Transit Administration officials attributed much of the increase to higher light rail ridership. The southern segment of the Central Light Rail Line was completed in June, and the MTA estimates that there may be twice as many passengers riding the system as a year ago. The disruptive behavior of adolescent boys, often as young as 12, also appears to be contributing to the problem, officials contend.
The young riders have become a recurrent nightmare for adult passengers and light rail operators alike. The problem is not easily quantified, since not all incidents of abusive behavior and vandalism show up in crime reports.
Alarmed by the trend, MTA officials this week announced a wide-ranging campaign to crack down on crime on light rail, Metro and buses, as well as a shake-up of the agency's 110-person police department.
"I intend to overreact to this situation," said MTA Administrator John A. Agro Jr. "I won't accept crime on our service, destruction to our property, or threats to our operators."
MTA police reported 325 crimes in 1992 on light rail, which began partial service in April and full service in May. This year, 553 crimes were reported through September.
Last year there were four robberies, 10 assaults and two vehicle thefts reported on light rail. During the first nine months of 1993, there were 11 robberies, 24 assaults, and 10 car thefts.
Crime on MTA buses is down 10 percent, from 1,499 incidents in the first nine months of 1992 to 1,355 as of September 1993. Subway crime fell from 1,063 to 691 in the same period, a 35 percent drop.
Ridership on the buses and subway is slightly lower than it was a year ago.
Most of the crimes on MTA property are not serious. Of 3,731 crimes reported to MTA police last year, only 397, or about 11 percent, were in the "serious" category of robberies, assaults or
stolen cars.
Teen troublemakers
It has just been in the past few months that the MTA has been troubled by disruptive groups of teen-age boys, said Vertis A. Park, the agency's acting police chief.
"They are unruly," said Mr. Park. "It's the worst we've had in a long time."
Typically, the youngsters ride the buses, Metro or light rail, punching or kicking at doors or windows. Once, a group of youths opened up the emergency hatch in a bus roof and tried "wind surfing" -- sticking their heads out the bus, he said.
