Because he left his iPhone in the car and enabled location services, the bus driver could lose his job.
What began as a simple mistake turned into a scene reminiscent of an urban thriller. Forgetting an iPhone on a bus in Belgium led to a chase lasting more than fifteen minutes, a dangerous moment on a public road, and an internal investigation that could result in the driver's dismissal.
The incident began when Keanu Blass, 21, and his girlfriend Zaya Miftah, 19, realized after boarding a bus that they had forgotten their phone. Undeterred, they decided to act immediately. Thanks to a GPS app, Keanu was able to locate the phone near the Rosselar bus station. Without wasting any time, accompanied by his father-in-law, he drove to the indicated location.
During the journey, the phone signal coincided with the route of another bus belonging to the D-Line transportation company. A chase ensued, which, according to Keanu himself, involved tension and a lack of cooperation from the driver. He recounts, "I got off the bus and signaled for it to stop, but the driver just gave me the middle finger." Although the bus should have stopped at the red light, the driver continued on, ignoring the phone user's attempts to get his attention.
The situation escalated dangerously. At one stop, Keno stood in front of the bus hoping to force it to stop, but it continued on. "I had to jump aside to avoid being hit," he says. Meanwhile, the driver repeatedly denied any knowledge of the phone.
The events culminated at Tilt station, where the final confrontation took place. After a fruitless search of the bus, a witness provided crucial evidence: she had heard a phone ringing in a nearby rubbish bin and claimed to have seen the driver throw it there. The device was indeed found at that location.
Following the incident, Keno filed a police report, which resulted in him being issued a citation for "fraudulent concealment." Meanwhile, D-Line Bus Company launched an internal investigation to clarify the circumstances of what happened.
According to company spokesperson Jens van Herp, the incident resulted from a series of errors. The first driver found the phone after the couple's trip and, instead of following the standard procedure—which requires sending lost items to a central collection center in Mechelen—decided to hand it over to another driver to expedite its return. This second driver, who was aware of the device, chose to hide it and then dispose of it, a behavior the company cannot explain.
While it hasn't been confirmed whether the driver will be dismissed, the company indicated it will take action. However, it also focused on the actions of those affected, describing their pursuit as disproportionate. D-Line believes the driver may have felt threatened by the repeated attempts to stop the bus.
This incident raises several questions, ranging from the driver's actions to the passengers' reactions to the missing items. What is certain is that a simple oversight led to a situation that could have professional and legal repercussions.