Cops Say Bus-Loving Teen Strikes Again

Here's a case of theft that doesn't appear to be about the money.

Authorities in Seminole County, Florida, say a 15-year-old boy stole a public bus Saturday, drove it along a public transit route and started picking up passengers.

Police say the bus had two passengers when deputies stopped it in Fern Park, about 12 miles north of the fairgrounds. Authorities believe Davis picked up a total of three passengers and collected only a few dollars.

Police say the bus was stolen from the Central Florida Fairgrounds in Orlando, where it was parked awaiting sale at an auction. The bus belongs to the Central Florida Transportation Agency, which runs LYNX public transit services in the Orlando area.

"I drove that bus better than most of the LYNX drivers could," the teen, who is too young to drive legally, told a deputy after he was stopped and arrested. "There isn't a scratch on it. I know how to start it, drive it, lower it, raise it."

Authorities say this isn't the first time the 15-year-old has indulged in his love for buses: he was previously charged for a similar bus theft. Details of that case were unavailable Sunday.

Passengers and deputies say the teen drove the bus at normal speeds and made all the appropriate stops on the route. One passenger, suspicious of the youthful looks of the driver, called authorities.

Police say the bus-loving teen was charged with grand theft auto and driving without a license. A court hearing is scheduled for Tuesday to determine whether he will be charged as an adult.