2 Investigators

CTA Insecurity: Crime Up On CTA Trains, Platforms

CHICAGO (CBS) ― Violent crimes are surging on CTA trains and platforms. 2 Investigator Dave Savini uncovered the startling increase during a search of police records.

Some crimes doubled, even tripled last year. Sources said criminals are targeting the trains and platforms because they know they can make a clean getaway. This leaves many passengers stuck in a world of insecurity.

Fifteen-year-old high school honor student Brittney Davis has a passion for singing and a deep fear of riding the CTA's trains.

"I'm scared. I'm just thinking about that day you know," Davis said.

In October of last year, she boarded the CTA Green Line heading to school.

"I was uncomfortable because the 3 guys had been looking at me for awhile," Davis said. Two of them jumped her, threw her to the ground. A third grabbed her purse.

"You never know what they could have done," Davis said.

She believes a lack of security and cameras are part of the problem. The other part is perfect timing by the criminals.

"They knew when that perfect moment was to attack me," Davis said.

It was as the train pulled up to a stop at Ashland Avenue, where a lack of security on the train and platform made her an easy target.

The same happened last month to DePaul University student James Didier on the Brown Line as it pulled into the Clark and Lake station.

"This was planned. They sat right behind me and there was several of them," Didier said.

Didier was attacked for his bag. He struggled with his assailants onto the platform.

"I was yelling for help and police for several minutes. No one came."

The 2 Investigators, using a hidden camera, could not find any visible CTA security on trains or platforms and few employees who could help at all. While there are CTA security cameras on buses, they are not on trains and only some platforms.

Our camera did catch something; a CTA employee hard at work playing a video Yahtzee game for more than an hour.

CTA vice president in charge of security Dan Hall said, "It will be investigated and the appropriate action will be taken."

That's a promise we've heard before from the CTA. Nearly three years ago the 2 Investigators caught a worker who fell asleep while watching soap operas in front of a portable TV.

Hall also will be looking more deeply into something else the 2 Investigators showed him: rising violent crime rates.

The 2 Investigators obtained Chicago Police records that reveal from 2006 to 2007 violent crimes increased 39 percent on platforms and 72 percent on trains.

"I say we have some work to do," Hall said.

Calvin Tillery, a union vice president representing train operators, wants two-person crews working trains, a practice cut a decade ago. And he has a warning about sitting in the last cars.

"Those rear cars are cars that are very isolated; bad guys are aware of this," Tillery said.

It's where both Didier and Davis were attacked. Tillery said riders should sit closer to the operator. Also, if there's trouble, press the emergency button found in each car. It alerts the operator.

"We are doing everything in our power to reduce the crime," Hall said. CTA officials said that includes increasing Chicago police patrols on the system.

These victims want the CTA to take even more responsibility. Each complained by phone to CTA headquarters about their attacks. Davis's mother says nobody cared.

Lenore Owens said, "it was like my child's life, or anybody's life, on the CTA meant nothing to him. Nothing at all. We're just a dollar."

CTAofficials have yet to give us a further breakdown of which trains and platforms are most dangerous for crime. They also say only about half the platforms have security cameras. There are none on the train cars, and won't be fully installed for years.

This is important to note because there are cameras on buses and crime did not go up on them.

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