Minor Suspected in Bus Theft from Charter Service
Late on Thursday evening into Friday morning, robbers stole two buses from Romero’s Charter Service in Forest Home village, Toledo District. The thieves took a forty-eight seater and a fifty-two seater Blue Bird bus, driving them as far as Independence village, but one of them was overturned near Bladen village. The residence where the vehicles were stored was not secured, but owners Francis Romero and Stephanie Romero say they never suspected they would ever have to do so. It is a crime that has rocked the community and the district, and the chief suspect is a minor whom they raised like their own child. We spoke to Stephanie via telephone this afternoon.
On the Phone: Stephanie Romero, Romero’s Charter Service
“We have an idea of who did it, because a witness saw one of the boys come out of the bus, so we know who did it.”
Aaron Humes
“You say boys; is it a minor or a young person?”
On the Phone: Stephanie Romero
“Unfortunately, it is a minor that did it.”
Aaron Humes
“Again, I don’t know if these are people who you know personally or whatever the situation might be. Are these persons known to you?”
On the Phone: Stephanie Romero
“Yes, the suspect is a well-known individual to us. He was ‘partly raised’ around my husband; like from a little age, six years, he’s around my husband. Anywhere that we go we used to take him along, so he is someone we know very good. We live in a village where everybody is united, we don’t expect these kinds of things – [that] they will come and thief bus from you. So no security; we didn’t have a watchman; the bus just parked by my husband’s mom’s house.”
Aaron Humes
“And I guess at this point, since they haven’t found the guy, you don’t know what would make him decide to go ahead and do this, since I don’t think anybody has need of a bus that late in the evening.”
On the Phone: Stephanie Romero
“This happened late in the night, this happened early coming in Friday morning, this happened. Because when he took the bus he brought back one of the buses.”
Aaron Humes
“And the other one, as you said, was overturned on the highway?”
On the Phone: Stephanie Romero
“Overturned and completely damaged. I tell you, damaged – nothing to save. Only the tires are good.”
The bus damaged on the highway was valued at thirty thousand dollars and was brand new, while the other is worth a little more. Both buses were insured, but not against theft. So far police have reported no arrests.
