Metro crime, device thefts surged during first half of the year

Thefts of mp3 players, smart phones and other electronic devices on the Metro transit system surged during the first six months of the year, compared with the same period in 2009.

Metro Transit Police recorded 1,074 assaults, thefts or other criminal offenses during the first six months of 2010, a 24 percent jump from the same period last year, and nearly double the number of crimes reported during the first half of 2006, according to a report submitted to the Metro Board’s safety committee.