The 16-year-old boy had escaped from a youth institution in the Fraipont municipality and walked to a TEC bus depot nearby. One of the bus drivers was taking a break at the time and had not locked his bus. The 16-year-old boy decided to steal the vehicle and drove it for about twelve kilometers to the village of Beaufays.
Some police officers on patrol noticed the teen’s reckless driving. “They also thought he looked suspiciously young and short,” said Stéphane Pelet, the head of the police zone. “In addition, he wore a hooded sweater and therefore no official uniform.” The officers then give chase. The 16-year-old boy eventually got stuck with the bus in a dead end street and hit several parked cars. Then he got out and took off running.
After a two-hour manhunt, the police were able to arrest the young man near Chaudfontaine. The teen will appear before a juvenile judge today. A request has been made to place him in a closed juvenile detention center.