Shortest police chase ever after stolen First bus breaks down within 60 seconds

A man who stole a First bus in Colchester saw his escape plan fall apart in record time when the vehicle broke down just sixty seconds later, bringing the shortest police pursuit in history to an abrupt end.

The incident occurred on Monday afternoon when the suspect, believed to be in his 30s, reportedly climbed into an out-of-service bus parked at Colchester bus station.

Witnesses say the man confidently started the engine and drove away, only for the bus to sputter, judder, and roll to a humiliating stop a mere 300 metres down the road.

Police were initially baffled by the premature breakdown, with early reports suggesting that the bus had suffered an immediate and catastrophic mechanical failure.

However, First Essex quickly reassured the public that the vehicle had not, in fact, broken down, but had instead been intentionally disabled by an advanced anti-theft system.

A spokesperson for First Essex dismissed suggestions that the bus had simply stopped working, insisting that this was a deliberate security measure: “Let’s be absolutely clear — this was not a breakdown. Our buses do not simply stop working at random.”

“The vehicle was remotely disabled using our highly sophisticated, state-of-the-art anti-theft immobilisation system, which we absolutely have and did not just invent this morning.”

Local police, who had been gearing up for a potentially high-speed pursuit, were said to be "visibly relieved" upon arrival at the scene.

One officer told The Colchester Times, “We were expecting a chase through town, but when we arrived, the suspect was just sitting there, looking frustrated, which is pretty much standard for First Essex passengers.”

The suspect, unable to restart the vehicle, reportedly tried to flee on foot but was apprehended almost immediately, as he had neglected to factor in that police cars — unlike First buses — are capable of maintaining motion for more than a minute at a time.

The suspect remains in police custody and is expected to face charges of vehicle theft, though sources say he is considering arguing in court that he never actually stole a bus — he just borrowed a stationary object.