A handful of vandals have exposed a glaring security flaw in the New York City subway system by using a cheap, $10 skeleton key to breach booths. The practice, dubbed “conquesting,” lets intruders tamper with control panels and, on occasion, commandeer a train for a ride. NYPD footage shows a teenager slipping the key into the lock and pulling the lever before the train lurches.

The authority estimates retrofitting 1,200 stations, including the Queens‑Midtown line, could cost upwards of $150 million, a figure that strains an already tight capital budget already burdened by postponed signal upgrades and rising ridership demand.

The revelations have prompted city lawmakers to demand immediate action, with a bipartisan committee scheduling a hearing on subway security next month. Contractors fear the mandate could delay upcoming tunnel projects, while commuter advocacy groups argue that any lapse endangers public safety. Pressure now mounts on the agency to immediately allocate funds and complete the lock replacements before further breaches occur.