Suspect In Custody For Allegedly Stealing Greyhound Bus
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - A suspect was in police custody Thursday afternoon after he allegedly stole a Greyhound bus.
As CBS2's Alice Gainer reported, the bus was allegedly stolen from a lot at 40th Street and Dyer Avenue near the Port Authority Bus Terminal. The driver was off the bus and standing outside when the suspect boarded the bus and drove off with it Thursday afternoon, sources said.
CBS2 is told the driver notified the company, and the bus was tracked via its GPS system. The bus made it all the way to 31st Street and Tenth Avenue, at which point it was stopped by police.
Officers arrested at 54-year-old man from Newark.
Outside the Port Authority, there was a range of reaction to the theft.
"Wow, that's alarming," said Ray Lee of Hell's Kitchen. "I would think the buses would be locked if they're being idled."
"I think it's a horrible thing to do," another passerby said.
"If you can steal a bus here in New York City right outside of Port Authority, it raises security concerns," said Francesco Settanni of Jersey City.
But another commuter reported not even being surprised that it happened.
Gainer also talked to some men who work for a tour bus company. They said in order to start their buses, they have extra security.
"You've got to put a code in to get the bus started," one said. "I'm surprised he was able to do that."
"And even when you stop and picking up passengers, you have to punch a code in your loading," added tour bus company employee Rudy Benko.
It was unclear Thursday afternoon whether the Greyhound bus was already running when the man stole it, or whether Greyhound has that security technology.
A spokesman for Greyhound said they are cooperating with police, but offered no further information.