The number of crimes reported on the Metro system is flirting with a record high.

Through September, the transit agency recorded 1,348 Part I crimes, including robberies, aggravated assaults and vehicle thefts. With three months left in the year, Metro is on track to beat last year's total for crime reports, 1,475.

However, Metro Transit Police Chief Michael Taborn points out that the system is also carrying many more riders than it did last year. That means more targets for criminals. He says citizens are probably 15 times less likely to be a victim of a Part I crime in the Metro than they are above ground.

Statistics show there are 3.5 Part I crimes for every million Metro passengers. The number of arrests and citations is also ahead of last year.