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An important message from BART Police about metal theft

You may have heard about thefts of copper wire and other material from locations around the Bay Area. BART has not been immune to this criminal activity. Some people may think, “Why should I care?” or “They’ve got insurance.” But these thieves are taking your property and costing you money. BART is a public agency supported by your fares, sales tax dollars and other public funds. We need your help to be our eyes and ears to prevent criminal activity on the system. Your vigilance is an important part of our strategy to keep BART safe, so please help us prevent thefts and any criminal activity by reporting behavior or conditions that you think are suspicious. We urge you to report any suspicious activity such as:

  • People loitering near BART tracks especially near gates or vehicle access points.
  •  Cars or trucks parked near BART tracks, especially if they are missing vehicle license plates. Theft of BART property often involves taking large amounts of material or equipment, which can be heavy and requires vehicles to transport. BART vehicles have “E” plates (government license plates) as well as the BART logo.
  •  People walking along or crossing BART tracks. BART crews typically wear BART safety vests or clothing that identifies them as BART employees.
  •  Opened gates, holes in fences or missing barbed wire.
  •  Activity at locations outside of hours or days that you normally observe legitimate BART work or people taking photos or videos of BART facilities including substations, isolated trackways, and equipment.

No matter how insignificant suspicious activity may appear, we ask you report crimes or anything you think unusual on the BART system. Call BART Police at 510-464-7000 or 9-1-1 for emergencies. Remember if you “see something, say something.”

If you need language assistance services, please call BART’s Transit Information Center at (510) 465-2278.