SEPTA has seen a decrease in crime through the first half of 2025 as a result of increasing its enforcement efforts, writes Molly McVety for PhillyVoice.
As a result of the transit agency provided its largest police force in over a decade, there has been much less instances of serious crime, including theft and aggravated assault.
These crimes saw a significant prevalence during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to SEPTA data, there was 367 serious crimes reported to SEPTA Transit Police during the first half of 2025. However, there was a significant reduction from the second quarter compared to the first, reporting 164 compared to 203.
These numbers are relatively consistent with this time last year, which saw a record-breaking 33 percent decrease from 2023.
Meanwhile, there were 711 serious crimes reported last year, which represented a major decline from 1,236 in 2020.
“We are continuing to see great results from the SEPTA Transit Police Department, thanks to efforts to bolster staffing and the implementation of innovative enforcement strategies,” SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer said in a statement.
In the midst of this positive trend, SEPTA is still in the midst of a $240 million budget deficit that could lead to significant service cuts and fare increases by August.
Read more about SEPTA’s crimedecline and ongoing budget issues at PhillyVoice.
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