Sheffield Connect: New electric bus stolen and left damaged

The bus, which was stolen on Monday, is part of the Sheffield Connect electric fleet

A new electric bus has been left "significantly damaged" after it was stolen from a transport hub in Sheffield, police said.

One of the Sheffield Connect vehicles was taken from the city's interchange overnight on Monday and was returned in the early hours of the morning.

The service, which provides free transport around the city centre, has only been running for a week.

Passengers were warned the theft has caused some disruption to the service.

Photos showed body panels from the bus on the side of the road in the village of Killamarsh 10 miles (16km) away, the Sheffield Star reported.

South Yorkshire Police confirmed it was investigating the theft and asked for those with information to come forward.

"This incident has unfortunately had a knock-on effect on some Sheffield Connect services," South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) said.

The free service is delivered in partnership with SYMCA and Sheffield City Council to help people get around the city.