Chicago Transit Authority reports drop in crime

Chicago officials are releasing figures that show violent crime and thefts on Chicago Transit Authority trains, buses and platforms has dropped significantly.

In a news release, issued days after a July 16 armed robbery of several passengers aboard a train, the CTA says that violent crime fell more than 30 percent between the first six months of last year and the same period this year. The numbers are also lower than those for the first six months of 2011 and 2012.

Officials attribute much of the drop to increased police patrols and undercover police operations targeting pickpocket rings and other criminals. Transportation officials say another key factor is the addition of thousands of surveillance cameras that have helped police make arrests and prosecutors secure convictions.