Violent Crime On MBTA Drops Slightly In 2011

The number of murders, rapes and violent assaults on the MBTA dropped slightly last year, but non-violent property crimes, including the theft of cellphones, bicycles and even catalytic converters from vehicles parked in T lots jumped 26 percent.

Transit Police Chief Paul MacMillan said in a report issued Monday that there was one murder and one rape on the MBTA in 2011, the same as 2010.

The number of reports of inappropriate touching dropped from 52 in 2011 from 63 in 2010.

MacMillan says more people are riding their bikes to Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority facilities, which has resulted in more bike thefts.

Transit police have increased patrols in areas where more of the thefts are occurring, including in parking lots where thieves are removing catalytic converters from vehicles for the precious metals they contain.