- Daily occurrences of 11 instances of violence in subway systems, buses, and train stations.
More than ten instances of violence are typically recorded daily across U-Bahns, buses, and train stations governed by the Berlin Transport Authority (BVG). According to the BVG's security report and police statistics, a total of 4,181 instances of physical assault, intimidation, robberies, and sexual misconduct (approximately 11.5 incidents per day) occurred last year. The rising passenger numbers, as reported by the BVG, have been noted. The "B.Z." carried this information.
A considerable number of thefts and damage to property
Approximately 4,000 cases of pickpocketing, around 2,500 instances of other thefts, over 2,000 incidents of property damage, over 1,000 drug-related offences, and nearly 700 instances of verbal abuse were documented. The total number of crimes registered in the BVG's jurisdiction amounted to 14,825 - the second-lowest count in the last ten years. It's worth noting that there were fewer instances of pickpocketing and property damage compared to previous years.
The police requested video footage from trains, buses, or stations in 9,252 cases due to reported crimes, marking a significant increase from previous years. "6,672 cameras help prevent crimes and aid in their resolution."
Significant expenses due to vandalism and graffiti
Vandalism and graffiti lead to annual costs of 4.9 million euros for the transport authority. The BVG pointed out that passengers often suffer too, as service vehicles required for cleaning are absent, leading to reduced daily services. Consequently, a specialized task force (Team Soko Graffiti) has been established for graffiti prevention, operating undercover. Special sensors and video cameras are deployed in vulnerable areas to identify vandalism early.
In all, 250 security personnel are assigned for the BVG, averaging 1,789 deployment hours per day.
The following statistics show that vandalism and graffiti result in annual expenses of 4.9 million euros for the transport authority, significantly impacting their operations and services. Furthermore, a specialized task force called Team Soko Graffiti has been established to combat graffiti, utilizing undercover operatives, special sensors, and video cameras to identify vandalism early.
