Police arrest man accused of stealing HSR bus, giving rides up Hamilton Mountain

Hamilton police have arrested a man accused of driving away with an unattended Hamilton Street Railway city bus with passengers still on it.

Police say the HSR bus driver pulled into the MacNab Transit Terminal Tuesday night around 9 p.m. and left the bus for a short break.

While the driver was away, the suspect entered the bus and drove away.

“At that time, a 36-year-old male proceeded to jump in the cockpit of the bus and take off up the mountain with passengers on board,” said Trevor McKenna with Hamilton Police.

Officers say there were around 10 people on the bus, who were talking to the driver, giving him directions when he turned down an incorrect street.

“It was definitely not the scheduled route, but while he was travelling, he was paying attention and stopping at stop signs, watching out for the bus stop signs, and letting people come and go as they please,” said McKenna.

The suspect proceeded to travel up the Hamilton Mountain, making multiple stops along the way — allowing passengers to board and exit freely.

He even went as far as to deny someone looking to board with an expired Presto bus pass.

The ride lasted 14 minutes.

No one was reported injured during this incident.

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Police say they strategically followed the bus and safely brought it to a stop on West 5th Street, where the suspect was taken into custody.

“We didn’t light up with lights and sirens, we didn’t want to spook him, we didn’t want anybody to get hurt,” said McKenna. “We just wanted to make sure he could stop so we could get on there to remove him.”

A 36-year-old man of no fixed address faces multiple charges, including theft over $5,000, obstructing police and driving while prohibited.

The head of the bus drivers’ union says the HSR driver did everything right when they got off the bus for their break, despite the theft.

“We believe the operator of the vehicle did everything they were supposed to do to secure the bus,” said Eric Tuck, with the Amalgamated Transit Union.

The accused is scheduled to appear in court on an unknown date.

If you have any information that will assist with this investigation, please contact the on-duty Division 10 Staff Sergeant at 905-546-4725.

To submit information anonymously, please contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit crimestoppershamilton.com

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