A 17-year-old boy has been arrested for allegedly trying to steal an iPhone from a student walking home from school a week after police cautioned students about a pattern of similar incidents in Uniondale, authorities said.
Police say Neal Compass Jr., of Uniondale, approached the 16-year-old Union High School student as he walked home from school Wednesday and tried to grab his iPhone.
A struggle ensued, and the victim managed to keep hold of his phone.
The victim then walked to a nearby care facility where he spotted a police officer and reported the incident.
Compass Jr. was identified by the victim and arrested without incident, police say. No injuries were reported in the attempted robbery.
Upon further investigation, detectives linked Compass Jr. to another attempted robbery of a Uniondale High School student that occurred on March 22.
Compass Jr. was charged with two counts of attempted robbery. He is scheduled to be arraigned later Thursday. It wasn't known if he had an attorney.
Last week, police put out an alert after four teens had their electronics stolen in a robbery spree that spanned only 50 minutes on one afternoon. A fifth teen was robbed the next day.
Local
All of the victims were Uniondale High School students who were targeted on their way home from school. Apple products were taken in four of the five robberies.
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