18-Year-Old Repeat Transit Offender Swipes Subway Train for Short Ride

An 18-year-old woman with a history of multiple arrests related to transit violations recently made headlines after allegedly hijacking a subway train for a short thrill ride. The suspect, identified as Justine Randall-Pizarro, is known to have been arrested a dozen times this year, mostly for crimes on or involving transit property.

On June 17, just after 4 a.m., Pizarro reportedly gained unauthorized access to a parked N train at the Broadway station in Astoria. She entered the train through the conductor’s cab, allegedly used a key to start the train, and drove it one stop to the 36th Avenue station before fleeing the scene. Witnesses said she had her reddish-orange dreadlocks, wore a black hat, and black Crocs during the incident.

Authorities believe Pizarro used a key to operate the train after fleeing the scene. During questioning, she admitted to hijacking the train while video chatting with a friend and claimed she had keys to access it. She stated, “I was nearby Astoria. I saw a lay-up train and, while on FaceTime, drove it to 36th Avenue before getting off.”

She further revealed that she often does not steal the keys herself but relies on others to do so, typically stealing from workers. Police reported that her criminal record for 2025 includes multiple arrests for burglary, reckless endangerment, train surfing, and larceny from transit property.

Her recent series of criminal acts extends beyond the subway. On June 23, she allegedly entered a conductor’s cabin on a Bronx subway and stole her personal belongings. Across various incidents, she has been caught stealing MTA equipment and using pepper spray against employees, with her cases often not eligible for bail under state law. Despite prosecutors requesting substantial bail amounts, judges have repeatedly released her on supervised release, allowing her to remain free while facing multiple charges.