Crime: Falls Church Metro Stations on Top 10 List in Virginia

The East Falls Church and West Falls Church Metro stations both made the top ten list of stations with the most crime in Virginia, according to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority 2012 security report.

Most of the crime increase on the Metro system wide from 2011 to 2012 is attributable to a 30 percent increase in snatches of small electronic devices and pickpockets, according to WMATA.

There were 671 pick-pocketing incidents and electronic “snatchings” on the Metro system overall in 2012, up from 520 incidents in 2011.

Metro Transit Police Chief Michael Taborn will discuss the report Thursday during his security report to the Metro Board Safety and Security Committee. The report was released to the public Monday.

The full list of the top 10 stations in Virginia with the most crime:

1. Franconia-Springfield 32 crimes reported, 1 arrest
2. King Street 24 crime reported, 3 arrests
3. Vienna 20 crimes reported, 0 arrests
4. Braddock Road 15 crimes reported, 0 arrests
5. Huntington 14 crimes reported, 1 arrest
6. Ballston 13 crimes reported, 2 arrests
7. West Falls Church 12 crimes reported, 2 arrests
8. Pentagon City 11 crimes reported, 7 arrests
9. East Falls Church 9 crimes reported, 1 arrest
10. Rosslyn 7 crimes reported, 0 arrests

Other report highlights:

Parking lot crime reached a ten-year low in 2012.

Metro has started having undercover officers to deter crimes. Officers hold decoy electronic devices, become “victims” and make arrests. In 2012, a total of 149 arrests system wide were made as a result of crime suppression team activity, according to Metro.

The Metro stations with the most crimes overall (includes DC, Maryland, and Virginia):

1. Anacostia 119 crimes reported, 40 arrests made
2. College Park 67 crimes reported, 5 arrests made
3. L’Enfant Plaza 59 crimes reported, 21 arrests made
4. Gallery Place 58 crimes reported, 14 arrests made
5. West Hyattsville 53 crimes reported, 13 arrests made
6. New Carrollton 52 crimes reported, 6 arrests made
7. Rhode Island Avenue 52 crimes reported, 24 arrests made
8. Largo Town Center 50 crimes reported, 3 arrests made
9. Minnesota Avenue 48 crimes reported, 9 arrests made
10. Metro Center 48 crimes reported, 8 arrests made

Do you feel safe at the Falls Church area Metro stations? Have you witnessed an electronic device snatching? Tell us in the comments!