A B.C. Transit driver helped put the stop on a robbery suspect after the TD Canada Trust location in Sidney was held up.

Dean Rhealt was picking up passengers at Beacon Avenue and Fifth Street on Tuesday afternoon when an agitated man tried to jump the queue, despite the fact the wheelchair ramp was being deployed.

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“I knew something was up right away,” said the seven-year driving veteran. “Right away, he kind of piqued my interest. He was acting a little strange.”

Soon after, another customer approached Rhealt and informed him the man had stashed some clothes and then moved seats.

The bus arrived at the Swartz Bay ferry terminal about 10 minutes after leaving Sidney and all of the passengers got off. About the same time, a call directed to drivers came over the bus’s radio system saying that the Sidney RCMP were looking for a robbery suspect.

“As soon as they said that, I thought, ‘That’s the guy,’ ” Rhealt said.

He immediately contacted police.

The clothing left on the bus was located by another driver who stepped in to help, and it matched the clothing described to drivers in the call.

A suspect was arrested without incident in the preboarding area of the ferry terminal. Rhealt said the man appeared to be about 30.

Transit spokeswoman Meribeth Burton said that the alert on the radio system, known as an “all call,” is used in the event of an emergency or to help with missing-person’s cases or other incidents. It was also used Tuesday to help direct buses during a fire on Chatham Street, she said.

Rhealt responded well to the situation he was faced with, Burton said.

“All of us at B.C. Transit are proud of Dean,” she said. “His attention to detail and his swift action helped police with their investigation and made our community safer.”

jwbell@timescolonist.com