New York police arrest teen after subway train taken for joyride

New York police have arrested a teen suspected of taking a joyride on an empty subway train then crashing it.

A 17-year-old girl is charged with criminal mischief over the incident in Briarwood subway station in Queens, shortly after midnight on 12 September.

She and a companion are accused of entering and operating the train, then causing a “collision”.

A search continues for the second person. No injuries were reported in the crash.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) has offered few other details and it remains unclear how the pair gained access to the train.

Nor have officers revealed how far the duo were able to travel in the train. The BBC has contacted the NYPD and New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) for further comment.

Surveillance images released by police showed one suspect dressed fully in pink – including a shower cap – and a second person wearing blue.

As well as the two counts of criminal mischief, the arrested teenager faces a charge of reckless endangerment.

A similar incident was reported in January at Forest Hills-71st Avenue station, also in Queens. Again, nobody was hurt and no damage reported.

At the time, officials speculated that the joyriders used a stolen key.

They moved to reassure the public that the train would not have been able to leave its yard and reach active tracks.