Bus driver who delivered junkies to police told 'We're too busy to help'

As he drove the number 47 bus past a police station, he pulled up outside while passengers ran in to alert officers.

But, to their astonishment, police said they were too busy to investigate the crime and suggested they call 999 for assistance.

Mr Gibbs, 48, waited for five minutes outside the station before reluctantly driving off when he realised no one would help.

But bizarrely, ten minutes later, police sent two officers on horseback to chase the suspects.

Unsurprisingly, they had little luck catching the bus on busy London streets and the two men later got off the vehicle scot-free, unaware that they could have been caught.

Yesterday Mr Gibbs said: "We were at one of Europe's biggest police stations but no one could be bothered to come out and solve a crime right on their doorstep.

"There must have been hundreds of officers inside but they couldn't find one to nip up to the top deck of my bus.

"It's no surprise people think they can get away with anything.'

The two men were spotted inhaling crack - a derivative of powdered cocaine - from a pipe on the top floor of a crowded bus heading for Lewisham, South London, last Tuesday morning.

Horrified passengers asked them to stop, then alerted driver Mr Gibbs when their pleas failed.

Mr Gibbs then pulled up outside Lewisham Police Station, a building opened in 2003 at a cost of £33.2million, which was on his route.

He waited on board so as not to draw attention to the plan, while passengers ran in for help.

But despite the building housing the CID, special constables, the Criminal Justice Unit and the Serious Crime Directorate, the commuters-were told no officers were available. One said: "I was on the bus and it was clear the two men were smoking crack, the bus was filling with fumes.

"I asked them to stop as there were mums and kids on board but they took no notice.

"When the driver took us to the police station I thought the men would be arrested within minutes. I was stunned when officers said no one was available.

"It sends a terrible message if people-can smoke hard drugs on a public bus and get away scot-free."

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: "We can confirm that at 11.41am last Tuesday, staff at the front desk of Lewisham police station received a report from members of the public concerning two males allegedly consuming drugs while on board a bus.

"On receiving this report, front desk staff immediately reported the incident, which was graded as requiring an immediate response.

"At that time, no Lewisham response teams were available due to policing demands, so the incident was assigned to mounted branch officers in the area at 11.51am.

"The mounted branch officers subsequently carried out searches of the area but there was no trace of the suspects."

East London Bus Group refused to release CCTV of the men smoking on board, citing data protection laws.