Where Do You Put a Bus That Has Everything? One Is Missing

Where does one conceal an extra-wide, aqua-blue passenger bus with the name of its owners emblazoned in reflective letters across its flanks?

Valen Transportation and Tours president Michael Valen would like to know and is offering a reward to anyone with information that will lead him to the award-winning new $300,000 motor coach, which was stolen from an Anaheim motel parking lot early Monday.

“It’s pretty hard to steal a 40-foot bus,” said Valen of the coach, which represents a third of his fleet that shuttles between Orange County and Las Vegas. “This is most unusual. I’ve been in the business 25 years and I’ve never heard of a motor coach being stolen. . . . I would certainly give a reward for any information anyone can give us on it.”

Valen said the 42-passenger bus was discovered missing at about 2 a.m. Monday by the manager of the Penny Sleeper Inn. The locked bus was believed taken from the motel lot sometime after 10 p.m. Sunday, when a driver for Valen locked it up for the night.

Valen said the firm’s two other buses were kept in the company yard on Ball Road, but the new vehicle was often parked at the motel in the 1400 block of Manchester Street because it was next to the company’s passenger terminal at the nearby Grand Hotel.

Valen was distraught at the loss of the plush, custom-built motor coach, which he said took first prize for interior design at a recent industry convention in Chicago.

“Even if we could replace it, it would take over six months. It had a microwave oven, coffee makers, two refrigerators, the latest video equipment, panoramic windows--it had everything.”

Valen figures whoever made off with his prize vehicle had to have some knowledge of buses because they are not easy to start or drive.

Valen asked anyone with information on the missing 1991 MCI coach, license number CPO1807, to call his company at (714) 956-2252 or the Anaheim Police Department at (714) 254-1900.