In a surprising turn of events, New York police are on the hunt for a group of six young men who boldly stole a subway train in Brooklyn and shared their adventure on Instagram.
According to the NYPD, the group, dressed mostly in black hoodies, gained access to an R train parked near the 36th Street stop in Sunset Park on the evening of January 25.
The thrill-seeking individuals reportedly caused damage to security cameras before taking control of the train and setting it in motion. Although it’s uncertain how far they traveled, social media posts showed the train speeding along the tracks.
After their joyride, the suspects returned the train to its original position and disappeared into the night. The next day, while on a scheduled route to Forest Hills, Queens, the train operator discovered vandalized doors and cameras in the cab.
As a result, the train was taken out of service for an investigation. Police are now searching for the six individuals, who are facing charges of reckless endangerment.
It remains unclear how they accessed the train’s control area. The chair of the MTA, Janno Lieber, criticized the security breach as unacceptable and proposed that future train designs incorporate biometric locks to enhance safety. The MTA plans to purchase hundreds of new railcars over the next five years to replace older models dating back to the 1970s and 80s.
