Two 13-year-old boys managed to steal and crash multiple London buses in the early hours of the morning, sparking widespread concerns about depot security across the capital.
The incidents occurred at Henley Road Bus Garage in Silvertown, East London, a site operated by Go-Ahead London. According to CCTV footage presented in youth court, the boys first took a single-decker D3 bus before returning hours later to steal a double-decker. The chaos unfolded around 3am and resulted in one of the buses crashing into parked vehicles.
Image © London Bus Forums™
Despite their age, the two teenagers appeared to have no difficulty starting and operating the vehicles. Court reports say they used a small box believed to override ignition controls. Their joyride ended when they crashed into a garage perimeter fence, narrowly avoiding the road.
The boys had previously become “inseparable friends,” according to the court, and reportedly learned how to operate the buses from online videos and observation. Prosecutors also noted that neither teen held a licence or insurance.
The incident has raised serious questions about access control at bus depots. Transport for London has since confirmed it is working with Go-Ahead to review security protocols at the Henley Road site and across the network. TfL stated that “all appropriate security measures are in place” and vowed to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Both teenagers have been sentenced to referral orders and must attend rehabilitation and education sessions. One of the boys was also banned from seeing the other, and the court heard concerns from police about the risk of the boys being exploited by criminal gangs.
Image © Google Maps
The breach has led to widespread alarm among transport professionals, with calls for stricter depot access, better training for security personnel, and updated keyless ignition protocols to prevent unauthorised access.
