Drunk fitter steals tram in Kyiv: power cut to stop vehicle

An emergency situation occurred on the tram tracks in Kyiv: a 20-year-old depot employee, in a state of alcohol intoxication, took control of a reserve car without authorisation. To stop the vehicle, it was necessary to de-energise the contact network.

Circumstances of the incident

The Kyiv police reported the incident. A call from a tram depot dispatcher reached law enforcement officials with a report about the disappearance of a unit of rolling stock. An investigative and operational group from the Dniprovskyi police department immediately rushed to the scene.

During the investigation, it was established that the person involved in the incident was a 20-year-old Kyiv resident who works as a fitter of mechanised equipment at the tram depot. In the evening, the man waited for a moment when there were no witnesses nearby, entered the cab of a reserve car, started the tram and set off towards the "Boryspilska" metro station along the route.

Law enforcement actions and the driver's condition

Since it was not possible to stop the rolling stock by conventional means, workers de-energised the contact network. After this, the tram stopped, and police officers detained the offender in accordance with Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.

A test for alcohol intoxication using a "Drager" device showed a level of 1.41 per mille. During the conversation with the police, the man explained his actions by saying that he really likes riding trams.

Criminal liability

Investigators from the Dniprovskyi police department, acting under the procedural supervision of the Dniprovskyi District Prosecutor's Office, informed the detainee of the suspicion. He is charged under Part 1 of Article 289 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (unauthorised appropriation of a vehicle).

In accordance with current legislation, the sanction for this article provides for a punishment in the form of deprivation of liberty for a term of up to five years.