TransLink driver has bus stolen during a bathroom break
Credit to Author: Scott Brown| Date: Thu, 02 Jan 2020 20:20:14 +0000
A 28-year-old man was arrested after a TransLink bus was taken for a joyride through Surrey early Thursday morning.
The Metro Vancouver Transit Police say the N19 bus was stolen around 2 a.m. outside the Surrey Central Station while the driver was taking a bathroom break.
“The operator went inside to use the washroom and when he came out the bus was no longer there,” said Transit police Sgt. Clint Hampton. “He reported it to police right away.”
Police were able to track the stolen bus using GPS.
The bus, which was empty at the time of the theft, was stopped with the help of Surrey RCMP around 2:15 a.m. at 176th Street and Fraser Highway, about 10 kilometres away.
Hampton said it was lucky that no one was injured and the bus was not damaged.
A man, whose name has not been released, remains in custody. It’s expected he’ll be charged with theft of a motor vehicle over $5,000.
Alcohol is not believed to have been a factor.
“I don’t believe there was any impairment but there may be some mental health issues, but that will be part of the investigation,” said Hampton.
TransLink, meanwhile, could not explain how the man gained control of the bus in the first place.
“All operators are trained to turn off the engine before leaving any vehicle unattended to ensure the safety and security of our customers and operators. (Coast Mountain Bus Company) is currently reviewing the incident,” the company said in a statement.