How Did Teens Disable A CTA Bus And Rob Its Passengers?
By Samantha Abernethy in News on Jan 24, 2012 7:40PM
Taking a page from train robbers like Jesse James, four teenagers disabled a CTA bus, boarded it, beat the driver and robbed its passengers on Saturday. All four youths have been caught and charged, and they didn't get away with much—an iPhone, a watch and $7. All in all, it wasn't a very successful robbery. But how the hell did they do it, and is this nightmare something we'll see happening again?
To disable the bus, the teens hit a battery shut-off switch that's hidden inside a panel door. Then they were able to board the darkened bus and attack the driver. The CTA was quick to say that panel door was supposed to be locked, telling the Tribune:
"Although the external shut-off switch panels on buses are equipped with locks to prevent tampering, it has been determined that the lock (on this bus) was not engaged," CTA spokeswoman Catherine Hosinski said.
But officials with the bus drivers union say that lock is flimsy, easily opened with a knife, and maintenance workers are instructed not to lock it anyway. The Tribune writes:
Decals near the compartment door are meant to alert the Police and Fire Departments to the shut-off switch, but the stickers can also tip off anyone with bad intentions."Bus operators have been complaining for years about kids turning off the battery power on buses as a prank, especially on school runs," said Carlos Acevedo, an 18-year CTA mechanic and assistant to the trustees at Local 241.
Fortunately, police in the south side neighborhood of Grand Crossing were nearby when the bus was attacked Saturday, and they quickly nabbed two, then all four of the boys. The two 17-year-olds were charged as adults, and the two 13-year-olds were charged as juveniles.