Four habitual transit offenders were taken into custody by NYPD officers over a 24-hour period this week, only to quickly return to the streets because of New York’s bail reform laws, the NY Post reports.

Officers in Manhattan identified and arrested the suspects in separate incidents on Monday and Tuesday after recognizing them as individuals wanted in connection with multiple theft cases. By Wednesday, three of the four were already back out, while the fourth remained hospitalized awaiting arraignment and is also expected to be released without bail.

Under current state law, judges are prohibited from imposing bail for most non-violent offenses, a policy critics argue allows repeat offenders to cycle in and out of custody.

“Most of these cases get [declined] by the DAs, or they’re released from court to go find another victim,” one frustrated cop told The NY Post. “There’s a ‘permission structure’ that’s created.”

Among those arrested was Joseph Zimmerman, 56, who has been arrested 47 times in the past. He was taken into custody Monday and charged in connection with two recent pickpocketing incidents, according to sources.

Prosecutors allege that Zimmerman stole a wallet from a man’s bag on Friday, taking a debit card and $300 in cash. He is also accused of stealing $100 and a card from another person on Feb. 2 and later using the card to make unauthorized purchases at a nearby Foot Locker.

Ronielle Howell, 34, who resides in a Brooklyn homeless shelter, was arrested Wednesday and charged with stealing a cellphone from a subway rider in Manhattan on Feb. 7.

According to sources, Howell allegedly trailed the victim into the subway system before grabbing the phone and fleeing.

Luis Maldonado, 49, who has 12 prior arrests, was apprehended Tuesday at the subway station at St. Nicholas Avenue and 184th Street after officers on patrol recognized him. Maldonado, who was already on probation, was sought in connection with the alleged theft of a cellphone from a sleeping subway passenger on Jan. 16.

In a separate incident, Danny Rijos, 50, described by authorities as a repeat offender with at least 36 prior arrests, was arrested in the Bronx shortly before 1 a.m. Tuesday. He was charged with grand larceny and drug possession tied to an alleged Feb. 8 incident at White Plains Road and East 241st Street, sources said.

Rijos remains hospitalized, delaying his arraignment, and investigators are reviewing several additional cases across multiple boroughs that may be linked to him.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch has made reducing subway crime a priority, responding to persistent complaints from commuters. Still, efforts to curb repeat offenses have faced obstacles.

The NY Post reported in September that 63 repeat transit offenders — responsible for more than 5,000 arrests combined — had been charged with various crimes, yet only five were still behind bars at the time.

In March, police arrested five of the most frequent transit offenders, who together had accumulated nearly 600 arrests, as part of Tisch’s quality-of-life initiative. Three of them were jailed temporarily.

Department statistics indicate that subway crime across the five boroughs declined 7% over the past two years. However, incidents have increased 11% so far this year compared to the same period last year.

Through Sunday, police recorded 293 transit-related crimes in 2026, up from 264 during the corresponding period in 2025.

{Matzav.com}