Sept. 14, 2020 By Christian Murray
A vandal smashed more than a dozen windows on a subway car on the 7 line in Queens Friday night.
MTA police found 18 broken windows at around 11:40 p.m. as the subway car pulled into the 61st Street-Woodside station.
More than 500 windows have been smashed since May, according to the MTA, resulting in more than $350,000 worth of damage.
The 7 train has been the main target. For instance, on Aug. 19, police discovered 39 smashed windows on a 7 train at the Vernon Blvd.–Jackson Avenue station in Long Island City. A crew of MTA workers also found a cracked window on a conductor’s cab on a 7 train at the Flushing terminal that same day.
The cars on the 2 and 3 trains have also been vandalized, although not to the same extent.
The agency is reportedly running out of spare windows to replace them all and the manufacturer can’t keep pace with demand.
The MTA announced last month a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of what is believed to be a serial vandal. It released footage of a suspect on Aug. 18
Patrick Foye, the MTA chair, said last month he hopes that prosecutors put the perpetrator in prison, which will send a message that this will not be tolerated. He said the MTA will also pursue civil litigation against the vandal in an attempt to recover the costs associated with replacing the smashed windows.
We’re still looking for this guy, wanted for damaging several subway cars- Someone knows who he is- Call @NYPDTips at 800-577-TIPS with any info (for Spanish: 888-57-PISTA) Remember, you can remain anonymous #YourSubwaysYourCall https://t.co/4cXBIsNcm2
— NYPD Transit (@NYPDTransit) August 18, 2020