Thieves take bus for joyride (From Bucks Free Press)

Thieves take bus for joyride

9:12am Tuesday 11th March 2008 in News By Oliver Evans

A BUS was stolen and left in a quiet residential street in High Wycombe.

The Arriva bus was left in Kendalls Close, off Hatter's Lane overnight with a gouge taken out of its side.

It had been taken from the company's High Wycombe depot and keys were still in it when it was found.

A car was damaged by the bus before the thieves fled.

It belonged to Norman Hickman, 52, of Hatter's Lane.

Mr Hickman, who is disabled, noticed the parked Arriva bus in Kendalls Close, near his damaged car.

He said: "It's heartbreaking. We came out this morning to take my son and his friend to school. My son said look dad there's a bus over there.'

"I saw my car first. It's going to cost me. I've got an excess on it because it's a mobility car. But you've got to get on with life. It's very frustrating."

Brian Drury, commercial director for Arriva, said: "A single decker vehicle was stolen this morning. It has since been recovered and forensics are looking at it to try and find finger prints and other evidence to find out who stole it."

He believed it was taken at around 6am this morning.