New York's Greatest Train Thief Arrested Driving a Trailways Bus

September 1, 2010

lways-bus

Legendary train thief Darius McCollum was arrested yesterday for stealing a

Trailways passenger bus from Hoboken, New Jersey, and driving it to Queens,

saying afterward, " I'll bet they won't leave the keys in the ignition. " It was

his 27th arrest.

By driving off with the bus, the 45-year-old McCollum veered away from his true

love of stealing trains. He started stealing them at age 15, when he took off

with an E train filled with passengers in Manhattan. McCollum also served two

years in prison for trying to steal a 60-ton locomotive. The New York Daily News

talked about the arrest of the MTA's nemesis with NYC Transit spokesman

Fleuranges, who said, " We ... hope he is punished to the fullest extent of the

law and kept far away from anything with wheels. "

McCollum is diagnosed with Asperger syndrome and has an obsession with trains.

The bus he stole was parked in a maintenance lot in Hoboken with the keys in the

ignition, and he slipped inside undetected and drove off. The bus has a GPS,

which police tracked to JFK Airport. At the time of his arrest he told police

that he planned on taking the bus back to New Jersey because, " That's where it

came from — I figured I'd bring it back. " Can't they cut this guy some slack?

Here are some highlights from McCollum's storied career, via the Daily News:

Jan. 21, 1981: Arrested after driving an E train filled with passengers from

34th St. to the World Trade Center - at age 15.

Aug. 31, 1996: Nabbed after sneaking aboard a subway train - while wearing a

Transit Authority vest and shirt - in a Bronx subway station.

Feb. 21, 2000: Busted after sneaking into the control tower of the 57th St.

station in Manhattan.

June 11, 2004: Busted in a Long Island Rail Road yard trying to swipe a 60-ton

Bombardier M-7.

Nov. 9, 2006: Surrenders for parole violations - buying an MTA badge and

construction helmet.

June 15, 2008: Busted for impersonating an MTA worker at the Columbus Circle

subway station.

Dec. 6, 2008: Arrested at Penn Station for impersonating a federal agent aboard

a Long Island Rail Road train.

Aug. 31, 2010: Caught driving a stolen bus on the Van Wyck Expressway.

Recommended Posts