Desire for a streetcar: Austrian police catch tram joyrider

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A tram in Vienna, AustriaImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,
The passengers were taken for a ride on a tram similar to this one

When the driver of a Vienna tram nipped out of his seat for a toilet break at the weekend, a bystander seized the opportunity.

He jumped in the cab and drove off down the tracks.

The unusual joyrider, whose getaway options were clearly limited, fled less than two stations down the line before he was caught and arrested on Sunday.

Police said the 36-year-old, who has confessed to stealing the tram, was an ex-employee of the transport company.

As investigations continued on Monday, they said there was no obvious motive and they do not believe it was an act of revenge against his former bosses.

The man stole the vehicle, operated by Wiener Linien transport company, at Rodaun station in the city's south-west, and took it for a trip along route number 60.

A police officer said the rogue driver made an announcement, telling passengers they should not be on board as it was a special ride, according to Austrian news site Die Presse.

However, the trip down memory lane was cut short, when the company realised something was amiss and shut down the power.

When the real driver returned from his bathroom break, he found an empty space where his tram once was.

He told police he had locked the vehicle and it is unclear how the joyrider was able to take control.

Local media said the former member of staff left his job years ago and had long returned his activation key, which is used to set the trams trundling down the lines.

He was released from police custody but has been charged with theft of a public vehicle.

The investigation is continuing.