UNC student, bystanders stop phone thief in the act

While walking down Franklin Street at about 10:30 a.m. Monday, UNC junior Anisah Jabar suddenly found herself chasing down a robber.

“I felt like I was in the Hunger Games,” Jabar said.

Jabar was on her way to an interview for a graphic design internship with Symbology, a clothing label, when someone snatched her iPhone out of her hand in front of University Square.

At first Jabar said she thought the culprit was a friend playing a joke on her.

But when she turned around, she saw a man dressed in a black sweatshirt and black jeans, running in the direction of Granville Towers with her phone in hand.

“I started screaming and chasing him,” Jabar said.

Jabar said three other men started chasing after the robber as well after yelling for bystanders to call the police.

“I didn’t see this happen, but while he was running he threw my phone up 10 feet in the air and kept running,” she said.

Jabar said the robber stopped in the Granville Towers parking lot and apologized. Another man, a bystander, was holding her undamaged phone.

A bystander called the police, and Nasir Keshawn Brown, 17, was arrested upon their arrival. Brown was charged with felony larceny from a person and misdemeanor possession of stolen property.

Jabar said she didn’t think twice before pursuing Brown because she knew she wouldn’t be able to afford another phone.

“At the moment, I was thinking that I get so many Alert Carolina emails. I don’t want to be another victim. This needs to stop,” she said.

Students received an Alert Carolina email about the incident Tuesday afternoon.

After the commotion, Jabar retrieved her phone and continued on to her interview, where she was hired on the spot.

Jabar said she explained why she was frazzled and was thrilled to be hired.

Marissa Heyl, founder of Symbology, conducted the interview with Jabar.

“I think the adrenaline was going full force, but she did an outstanding job at the interview and really demonstrated her passion and interest in the position,” she said.

Junior Stephanie Lopez, Jabar’s roommate, said she was shocked when she heard what happened to Jabar.

“She ran after him, which I think is so brave, because who knows if this guy had a gun or a knife or really good fighting skills,” she said.

But Sgt. Josh Mecimore, spokesman for Chapel Hill police, said he discourages victims from running after thieves.

“Though we appreciate their intervention and they certainly assisted in catching him, we try to remind citizens that calling 911 and being a good witness is the safest way to deal with something like that,” he said.

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