British Transport Police (BTP) have launched a manhunt for a man seen wearing a Super Bowl baseball cap after a woman was sexually assaulted on a Jubilee line train in East London.
The incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 22. The suspect reportedly left Stratford station following the assault and has not yet been apprehended.
Police released an image of a man they believe may have information pertinent to the ongoing investigation. The man in the image is described as wearing a black T-shirt, camouflage trousers, sunglasses, and a red baseball cap with "Super Bowl" on the front. He was also seen with a backpack and white earphones.
This incident occurs amid a backdrop of rising crime on London's public transport network. A recent report from the London Assembly's Police and Crime Committee indicates a nearly 50 percent increase in reported crimes on Transport for London (TfL) services since the pandemic, with particular concern raised about violence against women and girls (VAWG).
Approximately 48,000 crimes were reported across TfL services in 2025, a significant rise from the pre-pandemic average. The committee described the levels of violence and hate crime as "unacceptable" and noted that many Londoners feel anxious about traveling due to personal security fears. Tricia Hayes of London TravelWatch informed the committee that seven in 10 Londoners are altering their travel habits due to these concerns.
Between 2023 and 2025, reported crimes on the Underground rose by 12.5 percent. The Elizabeth Line saw a 60.4 percent increase, while the Overground experienced a 15 percent rise. Offences on buses decreased by three percent, and the Docklands Light Railway saw a 2.7 percent drop, while Trams experienced a 40 percent decrease. Overall, crime on the network has increased by nearly eight percent in the last three years.
Of the crimes reported in 2025, nearly a fifth were related to VAWG, and another 1,724 were hate crimes. The report highlights a low charge rate for such incidents, with suspects not identified in a significant percentage of VAWG and hate crime cases. It is estimated that up to 80 percent of incidents go unreported, partly due to a lack of trust in authorities to act.
In response, the Assembly committee has recommended the establishment of a joint rapid response task force for hate crime and VAWG incidents. The Metropolitan Police stated they are training officers to improve their response to VAWG incidents and will continue to collaborate with TfL and BTP. The BTP has reiterated that tackling hate crime and VAWG is a top priority and highlighted its text reporting service, 61016, which has seen a 20 percent increase in reports, indicating greater passenger confidence.