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The incident occurred Tuesday evening, Dec. 17, when an 18-year-old woman was walking in downtown Stamford near the intersection of Atlantic Street and Tresser Boulevard. A man tackled her to the ground and tried to steal her handbag, police said. Although she managed to fight him off, he grabbed her cell phone and ran away.
An unnamed 60-year-old man from Rockleigh, New Jersey, saw the crime and immediately took action, Stamford Assistant Police Chief Rich Conklin said. He dialed 911 and rushed over to help the teenager, who spoke little English. Despite the language barrier — he did not speak Spanish — he stayed with her and offered comfort until officers arrived.
While shaken, the teenager was not hurt.
Stamford police thanked the man for his quick action and believed that would be the end of his involvement. However, about 20 minutes later, he called 911 again.
"He happened to see the suspect near St. John’s Church and recognized him from the robbery," Conklin said.
The man followed the suspect while staying on the phone with 911 operators, providing directions to guide police.
Officers responded quickly and arrested 38-year-old Abiola Teyibo of Fort Washington, Maryland.
Teyibo confessed to taking the phone and discarding it near the church, Conklin said. Police recovered the phone and will return it to the teenager once it is no longer needed as evidence.
Teyibo faces a charge of third-degree robbery and is being held on a $25,000 bond, according to police.
Authorities have reached out to the New Jersey man and hope he will accept recognition for his actions.
"We're very pleased with his actions in this case," Conklin said. "We want to congratulate him."
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