Third Stolen MTA Bus, Joy Ride Points To Common Pattern
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - For the third time in a month, an MTA bus has been stolen and taken for a joy ride.
Images show a man who police say boarded a parked bus in the Jamaica section of Queens last Tuesday, then drove around town. Police say he later dumped the bus in Brooklyn.
On Friday the MTA issued a statement about the thefts.
"We strengthened our security practices and procedures immediately after the first stolen bus last month, and are working on enhancing the security features of buses themselves, including upgrading GPS capability to alert officials of any unauthorized use," it read. "These incidents are under police investigation and we are working closely with police."
While police initially believed the series of thefts had not been connected, on Monday investigators indicated these were the same kids due to the proximity of where the vehicles were dumped.
Last month, three teens drove an MTA bus out of a Brooklyn depot. Police say it was later left in Cypress Hills.
That same day, six people reportedly stole a bus parked in the Bronx.
Anyone with any information is asked to call NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) for Spanish. You can also submit a tip via the Crime Stoppers website, by Tweeting @NYPDTips or by texting a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577.