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Key That Opens All Subway Gates Is Just $27
By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 25, 2010
Modified Apr 25, 2010
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By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 25, 2010
Modified Apr 25, 2010
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In the Daily News, reporter Pete Donohue shows (off) a key that apparently opens all the gates in NYC's subway system. One man who bought his copy of the key from a MTA transit worker for just $27 said, "I've been saving a lot of money. There are 468 stations in the city and you can use it at any one of them... If you find an area that's not supervised by the police, you're in. It's like a key to the city."
The News, which points out that $27 is the same price as a one-week Metrocard, tried out its own key at 15 stations—"including Yankee Stadium on the B line in the Bronx, Junction Blvd. on the No. 7 in Queens and 68 St. on the Lexington Ave. line"—and found it worked at each one. Police have arrested 15 suspects with gate keys this year alone (they arrested 33 last year); cops also say the suspects also use the keys to sell rides at the gates. While the scammers may be locked up for a spell, they have back-up keys stashed, of course.
The MTA's Inspector General vowed an investigation while NYC Transit spokesman Charles Seaton said the keys should only be in the possession of MTA personnel, the FDNY and NYPD, "We take this issue very seriously and are working closely with the NYPD, which has been aggressively tackling the issue.
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magic key
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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