An 18-year-old man impersonated a bus driver in Bremen, commandeering a city bus with 41 passengers onboard before being stopped by police.

On Monday at approximately 4:05 PM, an 18-year-old man hijacked a city bus in Bremen, Germany, with 41 passengers onboard. The incident began at Hugo-Schauinsland-Platz, where the man posed as the bus driver’s replacement to gain access to the vehicle. Instead of following the designated route via the autobahn, he drove the bus through Bremen’s western districts toward Bremen-Nord. Passengers were reportedly unaware that the driver was not a legitimate employee.

The bus company quickly identified the unauthorized operation and tracked the vehicle using GPS. Police intercepted the bus on Oslebshauser Heerstraße, several kilometers from Bremen’s main train station. No injuries were reported during the incident. Authorities later revealed that the suspect was already known to police due to similar offenses. In August 2024, at the age of 15, he had stolen another city bus in Bremen by pretending to be an intern at a bus company. On that occasion, he even picked up unsuspecting passengers during his unauthorized drive.

Further investigations uncovered a pattern of similar incidents involving the same individual. Weeks after the 2024 theft, he attempted to commandeer another bus in Delmenhorst by impersonating a security staff member from the local transportation authority. Police confirmed that all three incidents were carried out by the same young man, who has been identified as autistic. Following Monday’s hijacking, the suspect was taken into custody and later released into the care of his aunt. He now faces charges for unauthorized use of a vehicle and driving without a license, with investigations ongoing.