Doncaster police deploy 'fake' bus in bid to catch yobs attacking services

Plain clothed officers piled onto the special First bus which travelled through a string of Doncaster villages in a bid to lure out vandals responsible for a string of attacks on services.

The excercise, dubbed Operation Trojan, was organised by Doncaster East Neighbourhood Policing Team.

Describing the vehicle as “not your normal bus service” a spokesman said: “Officers have been working with First Buses in an attempt to tackle antisocial behaviour in the area.

"Just after Christmas we saw an increase in the number of buses being targeted in acts of mindless criminal damage, not only putting the buses out of service but putting members of public at risk of injury.

"We have had plain clothed officers deployed on the bus ready to catch the offenders should they choose to strike.

The bus travelled throughout Armthorpe, Edenthorpe, Hatfield, Dunscroft, Stainforth and Thorne.

"I am pleased to report that we didn’t encounter any issues, but we will continue to run operations like this in the future.”

The operation has been named after the Trojan Horse, a wooden horse said to have been used by the Greeks during the Trojan War to enter the city of Troy and win the war where a huge wooden horse was constructed, hiding a select force of men inside.

The forces then burst out from inside the horse to attack their enemy and win the war.