A boy from Zlatoust town, Chelyabinsk region, stole a tram and drove it along its regularly scheduled route for 40 minutes, a police spokesman in the region said on Friday.

      According to Zlatoust tram administration, the 15-year-old schoolboy was a big fan of trams. He had mastered a classroom course in tram operation and repeatedly visited the tram depot. "He probably just wasn't able to keep himself when he saw an empty tram", the spokesperson said.

      He commandeered the tram during a lunch break, providing flawless, on-time service to passengers, who rode for free since the conductor was absent.

      Depot employees eventually shunted the tram onto a siding. Police were called to the scene and arrested the driver, who made no attempt to flee and just waited for the police in the tram's cabin.

      He will be charged under Article 166 of the Criminal Code, which provides for up to five years in prison. Still, the Zlatoust police chief expressed his hope, that the boy would receive only a suspended sentence, as his crime hadn't any negative repercussions for people's safety. 

Sources: Lenta.ru RIA Novosti Image: Newsland