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MANHATTAN, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES – 2025/04/06: A train seen arriving at a subway station in Manhattan. (Photo by Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images)
NEW YORK – The teenager accused of hijacking an N train in Queens on July 17 is now in police custody following a similar incident in the Bronx, authorities said.
Alleged subway thief in custody
What we know:
Justine Randall, 18, was apprehended today, July 22, after she allegedly trespassed into a train yard in the Bronx.
Police say it was there that she was recognized as the same individual involved in a subway theft on July 17, when she reportedly drove a locked N train from the Broadway station in Astoria, Queens.
In that incident, Randall allegedly used what police believe to be stolen MTA keys to gain access to the subway car. She then drove the train one stop southbound to the 36th Avenue station in Astoria.
There are no reports of injuries or property damage.
What we don’t know:
Charges against Randall are still pending.
The backstory:
The NYPD has been searching for Randall since the first incident, circulating surveillance video. Her arrest in the Bronx came after she was caught unlawfully entering a secure MTA train yard.
Police say Randall has a history of unauthorized and dangerous subway-related behavior, including subway surfing and illegally accessing other secured trains and train yards.
The Source: This article includes information from the NYPD.
Crime and Public SafetyNYC Subway