Police: Bystanders Chase Down Alleged iPhone Thief

A group of bystanders chased down a Dorchester teen Wednesday afternoon after he allegedly stole a woman's iPhone.

Jonathan Pabon, 18, of Dorchester was arrested at 1:34 p.m. and charged him with assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest and unarmed robbery after a woman told police Pabon ripped her phone out of her hand as she was coming out of the Copley Square T stop. 

"As soon as the suspect took her phone, the victim says she began chasing him and yelling, 'He took my phone,'" police report.

Several more people joined in on the chase, and officers on patrol saw them all running after Pabon in the area Boylston and Dartmouth streets - so they joined in too.

Eventually officers overtook the suspect, but he punched one of them in the face as they were taking him into custody, and took off again.

Yet his freedom was short lived, after another civilian stepped in and blocked him. Once caught, Pabon said "I dropped it," and the iPhone was returned to its owner.