Surveillance Cameras Coming to Your Metro Car

Metro plans to triple the number of surveillance cameras throughout the Metrorail system—increasing the number of cameras to about 6,000—and will install them inside Metro rail cars for the first time ever, according to the Associated Press.

The Vienna Metro station was recently ranked No. 3 on a top 10 list of stations with the most crime in Virginia by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

The expansion could cost an estimated $6.5 million, only some of which would come from federal grants, according to The Washington Examiner.

"We have no greater responsibility than protecting the safety of our customers, visitors and employees," Metro spokesman Philip Stewart told The Washington Examiner. "To that end, we are in the process of deploying a comprehensive next-generation security system for Metro."

The cameras will allow Metro control center employees to observe both security and crowding issues, according to The Examiner.

In the past two years, Metro has seen a significant increase in "snatchings" of small electronic devices (like iPhones, media players and tablets) and an increase in pickpocketing incidents, according to data from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

There were 671 pick-pocketing incidents and electronic snatchings on the Metro system overall in 2012, up from 520 incidents in 2011.

How do you feel about having more surveillance cameras on Metro? Do you have any concerns about privacy? Tell us in the comments.