Hamilton police have arrested a 17-year-old Oakville boy with possession over $5,000 after a school bus was stolen and hidden away over the holidays to later use it to cruise city streets.

Police were called to the Tim Hortons at Fennell and Upper Ottawa Streets Wednesday night at about 10:30 p.m. after three male youths were seen exiting a school bus.

The youths were located by police, who investigated and found that the bus had been stolen from a Stoney Creek location about a week earlier.

The bus was stolen because one of the males needed a ride home, police said. The boy kept the bus tucked away over the holidays, but on Wednesday decided to drive it to pick up some friends and cruise city streets in it.

Police had the school bus towed and notified the company where it was stolen, that it had been found.

The 17-year-old was held in custody for a bail hearing.