Smiling Joyrider Takes MTA Bus For Spin In Queens, Brooklyn: NYPD

JAMAICA, NY — Police say young man took an MTA bus for an early-morning joyride through Queens and Brooklyn last week, the latest in a string of such thefts. The driver hopped on the empty bus at 3:20 a.m. on Jan. 15 near South Road and 165th Street in Jamaica, the NYPD said.

He then drove it to various spots in Queens and Brooklyn before ditching it undamaged around 5 a.m. near Conduit Boulevard and Liberty Avenue in Cypress Hills, according to police.

The driver, described as a man in his late teens or early 20s, was caught on camera smirking behind the wheel. He was last seen wearing a hoodie and all dark clothing, police said.

Last week's trip was reportedly the third time in a month that an MTA bus was taken for an unauthorized spin. Two buses were stolen from The Bronx and Brooklyn in separate incidents on two days before Christmas, according to news reports.

Anyone with information about the latest incident can call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 800-577-8477 or 1-888-577-4782 to leave a tip in Spanish. New Yorkers can also text tips to 274637 or submit them online at nypdcrimestoppers.com.

(Lead image: Police say this man took an MTA bus for a joyride on Jan. 15. Photos from the NYPD)