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From The Star
TTC driver charged in hijacked bus hoax
Police allege story made up to hide errand running
January 21, 2007
Nick Kyonka
Staff Reporter
A bus driver who claimed to be the victim of a gunpoint hijacking is facing charges after a police investigation determined the robbery was all a hoax.
Toronto police believe they were led on a wild-goose chase when they started investigating the alleged hijacking of the TTC vehicle on Dec. 30.
The driver told police a man with a gun had boarded the vehicle near Bay and Wellesley Sts. shortly before 2 p.m. and demanded he take him on a joyride around the city.
After about an hour of driving the man around the downtown core, the hijacker fled the vehicle near Queen and Church Sts., the driver told police.
As officers began sweeping the area for any sign of the reputed gunman, however, investigators began finding holes in the driver's story.
"It was a big investigation then because we thought we had a gunman on the loose," said Det. Const. Chris Hominuk. That sense of urgency wouldn't last long.
"A lot of (the driver's story) didn't add up with descriptions and various statements we received," Hominuk said yesterday. "It very quickly became a public mischief investigation instead of a hijacking investigation."
There were no other passengers on the bus at the time of the supposed hijacking and no other witnesses could confirm the driver's story, Hominuk said.
After further investigation, police concluded the driver made the story up in order to get away with running personal errands on company time, he said.
"It never made sense right off the bat," Hominuk noted. "It was a far-fetched story."
"He pretty much took the same route that he said he took," Hominuk told the Toronto Star yesterday. "We know he stopped around Pape and Eastern, which was on his original report, too."
TTC officials reached yesterday were not aware the driver had been charged and would not comment.
Shawn Forbes, 32, is charged with public mischief and perjury. He is scheduled to appear at Old City Hall courts March 6.
TTC driver charged in hijacked bus hoax
Police allege story made up to hide errand running
January 21, 2007
Nick Kyonka
Staff Reporter
A bus driver who claimed to be the victim of a gunpoint hijacking is facing charges after a police investigation determined the robbery was all a hoax.
Toronto police believe they were led on a wild-goose chase when they started investigating the alleged hijacking of the TTC vehicle on Dec. 30.
The driver told police a man with a gun had boarded the vehicle near Bay and Wellesley Sts. shortly before 2 p.m. and demanded he take him on a joyride around the city.
After about an hour of driving the man around the downtown core, the hijacker fled the vehicle near Queen and Church Sts., the driver told police.
As officers began sweeping the area for any sign of the reputed gunman, however, investigators began finding holes in the driver's story.
"It was a big investigation then because we thought we had a gunman on the loose," said Det. Const. Chris Hominuk. That sense of urgency wouldn't last long.
"A lot of (the driver's story) didn't add up with descriptions and various statements we received," Hominuk said yesterday. "It very quickly became a public mischief investigation instead of a hijacking investigation."
There were no other passengers on the bus at the time of the supposed hijacking and no other witnesses could confirm the driver's story, Hominuk said.
After further investigation, police concluded the driver made the story up in order to get away with running personal errands on company time, he said.
"It never made sense right off the bat," Hominuk noted. "It was a far-fetched story."
"He pretty much took the same route that he said he took," Hominuk told the Toronto Star yesterday. "We know he stopped around Pape and Eastern, which was on his original report, too."
TTC officials reached yesterday were not aware the driver had been charged and would not comment.
Shawn Forbes, 32, is charged with public mischief and perjury. He is scheduled to appear at Old City Hall courts March 6.