Man allegedly steals TransLink bus while driver takes bathroom break

A man has been arrested after allegedly stealing a TransLink bus and taking it on a joyride overnight in Surrey.

Metro Vancouver Transit Police Sgt. Clint Hampton said the N19 bus was stopped at Surrey Central Station, where the driver was reportedly taking a washroom break when the vehicle was taken at around 2 a.m. Thursday.

There were no passengers on the bus, but the engine was running at the time, he said.

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“When the bus operator came out, the bus was gone,” said Hampton.

“You have somebody that, as far as I’m aware, isn’t familiar with operating a bus and drove it for a period of time. So we’re lucky that nobody was injured.”

Transit police and the Surrey RCMP used GPS to track the bus down and arrested the 28-year-old suspect at Fraser Highway and 176th Street.

Police are recommending a charge of theft over $5,000.

TransLink says all drivers are trained to turn off engines before leaving any vehicle unattended, and that it is reviewing the incident.

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