A woman walking alone was robbed of her iPhone Wednesday night on West University Avenue.
"It was scary," said the victim, Santa Fe College student Allyson Faye Hirneise.
"I'm afraid to walk in the streets now."
Hirneise, 20, was standing in a parking lot with her orange iPhone in her hand at 11 p.m. when a man stole the phone, a Gainesville Police report stated.
"I was walking alone," she said, "but I've always felt safe in this area."
The man forced the cell phone out of Hirneise's hand and ran on foot, the report stated.
Hirneise started to chase him and pulled on his arm.
The man pushed her down and continued to run, the report stated.
Police arrested Tommy Scott, 51, an unemployed Gainesville resident, four blocks away in the parking lot of the University Avenue Kangaroo Express at 12:30 a.m. Thursday.
He was charged with unarmed robbery, stated the report.
Two witnesses identified Scott.
Scott had an orange iPhone on him, and Hirneise proved it was hers by unlocking the screen using a security code.
Scott admitted to stealing the phone and to shoving Hirneise to the ground.
He said he wanted to sell the phone to buy alcohol.
Hirneise said police offered her the choice to send Scott to rehabilitation.
However, she said she still intends to press charges.
