NYC Transit officials vowed a swift crackdown on illegal master subway keys that let fare-beaters ride the rails free, said a New York Daily News report.

 

Straphangers and elected officials fumed over the security breach exposed in Sunday's Daily News, which reported copies of the keys have made it into criminal hands.

 

The keys are supposed to go only to police, firefighters and authorized MTA workers to let them enter the subway through emergency gates - but illegal copies have been circulating among fare-beaters, the report said, adding that a News reporter was able to enter stations around the city with a key from a man who said he paid $27 for it.

 

NYC Transit said it would conduct an "immediate audit" of the keys to measure the depth of the problem. The agency is "extremely concerned," the report said.