Suspect arrested in iPhone theft from teen in wheelchair
Credit to Author: Stephanie Ip| Date: Wed, 02 Oct 2019 20:05:44 +0000
A suspect who allegedly stole an iPhone from a teen in a wheelchair on a Surrey bus has been arrested.
Last week, Transit Police made a public appeal for information after a woman allegedly boarded a Surrey bus and ripped an iPhone 6S from the hands of a teen in a wheelchair. The woman fled, but the exchange was captured by surveillance cameras on the bus.
The teen, who is paralyzed in one hand, was en route to Kwantlen Polytechnic University, where he is working toward improving his independence and job skills.
On Wednesday, Transit Police announced a member of the public had recognized the woman outside a Surrey convenience store near public transit on Tuesday around 8 p.m. and contacted authorities. Transit officers who attended the call found the 32-year-old woman, of no fixed arrested, and she was arrested. She has since been released but is expected back in court Oct. 22.
Transit Police Sgt. Clint Hampton said the woman is known to police.
In the days after the public appeal, Transit Police and CKNW host Lynda Steele were also able to arrange for the teen’s remaining debt on the phone to be paid off. Telus also stepped up and offered a new iPhone 11 to the teen, which Transit Police delivered to him last week.
“We’ve taken this event that was horrible and it really changed into something that was special,” Hampton said Wednesday. “It brought out all the best in people. You see the responses from people that were more than willing to help in any way that they could. It was a really, really cool thing to see.”
Here's something for your crew @steeletalk and @GlobalBC pic.twitter.com/zcpvSlZHEY
The phone has been delivered! pic.twitter.com/zV0THvnIVh