Teen arrested in snatch-grab theft of phone in North Miami Beach
MIAMI - A crime of opportunity in North Miami Beach could have seriously injured a woman who was trying to sell her phone and now police have arrested a teenager in the case.
CBS4 has decided not to identify the teen who police said was arrested and faces felony theft charges in the theft of an Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Doorbell video captured the victim talking to a man who was going to buy her phone after she advertised it online.
Video shows the suspect snatch the phone from her hand, then jump into a waiting car. She went after him.
"Before they took off, I grabbed him by the shirt and when he went inside the car, they just took off rapidly and the car ran over my left foot," the victim said. She does not want to reveal her identity. She was not seriously injured.
North Miami Beach Police investigators fear he may have done this before.
"We believe that if he's doing it at someone's home knowing there's cameras possibly in the area, that he's done it to others as well," said Major Juan Pinillos.
The victim said there were three people in the car. It's described as a Silver, late-model, Infiniti sedan.
Police recommend if you are going to meet a stranger to conduct a sales transaction, you should go to a public place, or better yet, do it at your local police department.
