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Bus Driver Fired After Heroic Jewel Theft Rescue
4 Feb
Summary
- Driver was sacked after stopping a necklace thief.
- Tribunal upheld dismissal despite self-defense finding.
- Victim felt guilty and threatened, driver called hero.
A London bus driver, Mark Hehir, was dismissed by operator Metroline after intervening in a necklace theft on June 25, 2024. He chased and recovered the stolen jewelry for passenger Katalin Kaszas when a man snatched it as she boarded a bus. The situation escalated when the suspect returned, and Ms. Kaszas felt threatened. Mr. Hehir intervened, punching the man and restraining him until police arrived. Police confirmed Mr. Hehir acted in self-defense, but an employment tribunal upheld Metroline's decision to dismiss him.
Ms. Kaszas expressed distress and guilt over the driver's dismissal, stating he "didn't deserve" to lose his job and that she felt threatened during the incident. The case has garnered widespread public support, with a petition gaining over 125,000 signatures and a GoFundMe raising over £28,000. Politicians, including David Lammy, have publicly called Mr. Hehir a "hero."
