Crime in the city’s subways has jumped about 17% – mostly due to a spike in thefts of cell phones, iPods and other gadgets.

Most victims are passengers standing near the doors of subway cars. Thieves, generally lurking on the platforms, reach in and grab electronics from unsuspecting straphangers just as the doors close, police said.

“The system is as safe as it’s ever been, but you need to be mindful,” said Joseph Fox, the NYPD’s new transit chief. “Be aware when the doors are closing; there are still some people who will reach in and snatch [your belongings].”

Grand larcenies – generally thefts of property worth $1,000 and up and credit cards – were up about 28% in the subways through Aug. 21. Fox said the best way to prevent theft is to pay attention to your surroundings and secure your stuff.

Robberies were up to 475 from 456, an increase of just over 4% compared with last year. Felony assaults were down from 129 to 121, a dip of about 6% through Aug. 21.

Systemwide, there are about seven crimes a day on the subways. Crime on the rails has plummeted 35% since 1990, when there were an average of48 crimes a day in the system, NYPD statistics show. About 5million people ride the system on weekdays.

Fox was tapped this month to lead the 2,600 NYPD cops assigned to police the subway system. A 30-year veteran of the NYPD, he started in the 70th Precinct in Flatbush, Brooklyn.

He worked his way through the ranks, spending most of his career as a cop in Brooklyn and later as a borough commander in Queens before being appointed commander of Patrol Borough Brooklyn South.

Colleagues and community leaders say he’s known for interacting with residents. He said he plans to bring the hands-on approach to his transit post, visiting stations and warning riders to be vigilant.

Fox plans to send cops from the NYPD Crime Prevention Section and the Community Affairs Bureau into subways to hand out safety pamphlets. He also plans to increase the number of visible cops in certain crime-prone areas.

The transit chief said counterterrorism cops who are trained to spot potentially dangerous packages and suspicious behavior will also be riding the rails.

“My responsibility is to improve on the gains and the feeling of security,” Fox said.

(Source: NY Daily News)