Newport Man Arrested for Stealing Phone from 13-Year-Old

A 19-year-old Newport man has been charged with larceny after he allegedly stole a 13-year-old boy’s cell phone after asking to borrow it and never giving it back, police said.

Police said the victim contacted police at around 4 pm. on Thursday and reported that Christopher Michael Souza, 19, of 19 Chapel St., asked to borrow the phone while they were in the area of Starbucks near Queen Anne Square.

The victim obliged and “did not watch Souza the entire time,” police said, and asked for the phone back after five minutes. Souza responded by saying he gave it to someone else, but that person said he was never given the phone. Souza insisted he didn’t have the phone and left, according to a police report.

Police later responded to a report of an unwanted person at Donovan Manor. Upon arrival, police found Souza wearing clothes that matched the description given by the victim “completely,” police said.

Souza immediately said that he did take the phone and led police to the intersection of Chapel Street and Memorial Boulevard where it was lying on the ground.

When officers asked why he discarded the phone, Souza said he got scared.

The phone was returned to the victim, who told police that his SIM card had been pulled out, rendering the phone inoperable. He also said the phone case, valued at $50, was missing.

Souza was taken into custody without incident and later released with a Aug 26 court date.