Thief Takes Canadian Tow Truck Driver On Terror Ride

Here's the story from the Toronto Star:

Madeleine White
STAFF REPORTER

A tow truck that was about to remove an illegally parked car from a bustling downtown intersection was stolen yesterday afternoon.

The truck was called to the intersection of Bay and Bloor Sts. around 4 p.m. to remove a car that was illegally parked south of the intersection.

While the driver was out of his vehicle, hooking the illegally parked car to his wheel hitch, a passerby on Bay St. hopped into the running truck and took off, said Staff Sgt. Robert Brown of 52 Division.

In an attempt to stop the theft, the tow truck driver leapt onto the side of the moving truck, which was heading north on Bay St.

When the truck turned onto Bloor St., the tow-truck driver was tossed off and run over by the back of the truck.

He was sent to hospital to be treated for a crushed ankle.

Police stopped the fleeing truck a few blocks north, at Dupont St. and Avenue Rd.

A man was arrested and has been charged with theft, failing to stop at the scene of an accident and dangerous driving.

Asked about the motive behind the haphazard theft, Det. Chris Trites described it as "a moment of opportunity."

After the bizarre incident, the tow truck sat on Avenue Rd. with its rear hitch, which had dragged behind the truck, still on the ground.

Police said the truck was doing work for the City of Toronto. It was marked as a CAA roadside assistance truck owned by A Towing.

Police shut down the intersection of Bay and Bloor until 7:30 p.m. while they investigated.