 And these numbers don't lie. Safety is part of our strategy, and we want New Yorkers to be confident that this system is going to continue to be safe. Robbery numbers year-to-date are at their lowest level in history. However, sex crimes and felony assaults have been on the rise in the subway system. Officials attribute the drop-in crime to a surge in officers in the system, a crackdown on fare evaders, and mental health professionals helping get the seriously mentally ill out of the system.