An extraordinary theft has been alleged in Adelaide’s CBD after a surprising suspect was arrested over an even more unusual joy ride.
A bus driver alerted police after narrowly avoiding a collision with a forklift truck being driven the wrong way down Grote St — one of the city centre’s main thoroughfares.
The incident happened about 10.45pm on Tuesday, with officers locating the machine abandoned in a car park on Franklin St.
However, the driver was nowhere to be found.
After arranging for the stolen vehicle to be towed, police then set about tracking down whoever was behind the controls.
Officers reviewed CCTV footage of the forklift rampage and revealed, bizarrely, the suspected driver to be a 12-year-old boy.
About 1am, officers were then able to trace the boy to Market St, where he was arrested.
The boy, from Park Holme, was charged with illegal use of the forklift and is due to appear in Adelaide Youth Court next month.
South Australia Police has now appealed for any CCTV or dashcam footage relating to the stolen machinery to contact Crime Stoppers.