A man has been charged with robbery and uttering threats after a woman alleges she was confronted by a suspect who snatched her phone and tried to knock over the baby stroller she was pushing.
Vancouver police say the woman was out for a walk with her 17-month-old baby near West Broadway and Blenheim Street at about 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday when a stranger approached.
He allegedly grabbed her phone and, when she tried to hold onto it, “threatened her with a knife and attempted to push the stroller over,” said VPD Const. Megan Lui in a news release.
“Witnesses in the area heard the mom yelling for help and jumped in to chase the suspect.”
The bystanders gave a description of a suspect and a man was arrested minutes later.
Ibrahim Omar, 37, has been charged with robbery and uttering threats. He is being held in custody until a bail hearing.
Woman hit by suspect in New Westminster
Two witnesses called 911 and a suspect was collared after they saw a man strike a woman in New Westminster.
The man and woman were walking down Nanaimo Street at 18th Street at about 1:20 p.m. on Monday when they spotted the assault.
A man was arrested without incident. The woman was given aid and several witnesses were interviewed. Police thanked the people who called 911.
“Our investigators work closely with our victim assistance unit and community-based support services so victims in these situations get the information and care they require,” said New West police Sgt. Jacquelyn Mula. “If something like this happens to you, you don’t have to navigate it alone.”
The assistance unit is available 24/7 and offers support that is “trauma-informed and tailored to each person’s needs,” said Mula.
jruttle@postmedia.com
