WEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A 17-year-old is being hailed as a hero for his brave actions to stop a jewelry thief in Brickell.
According to Miami Police, a 17-year-old good Samaritan took down a suspected jewelry thief in the area of Southeast 14th Street and Brickell Avenue, Thursday.
“Don’t let him go, do not let him go,” said a witness.
Officials say it happened around 6 p.m., after a woman told officers about a man who wanted to buy her bracelets after expressing interest through Facebook Marketplace. When she took them off to give the man a closer look, he took off.
“He robbed me, he robbed me,” the woman told other bystanders.
The 17-year-old, who happened to be in the area, heard the woman’s cries for help and pursued the man, pulling him to the ground.
“Yes, he chased him from all the way over there, and then he sprayed him with pepper spray,” said a witness.
The alleged thief reportedly pulled out pepper spray in an attempt to escape the teen’s clutches.
“Look at that poor man. How dare you? Look at his eyes from the pepper spray,” said a witness.
“Hang in there, bro, police is coming,” said another witness.
Despite being sprayed, the teen refused to let the man go.
One of the witnesses could be seen pouring water over the teen’s face to help rinse his eyes off.
Authorities did arrive a short time later. The suspect, identified as 21-year-old Yagiz Dogan, was then taken into custody.
Officers commended the good Samaritan’s tenacity to overcome pepper spray to help stop the man.
“Even with that, the kid is able to hold him and detain him until we arrived on the scene,” said Miami Police Officer Michael Vega. “We give him props because what he did as a good Samaritan was worthy of being acknowledged, and he did an excellent job.”
While they praised the young man, officers also warned the public to be cautious if they decide to help in situations like this. They added that you never know if someone might be carrying a weapon, like a gun or knife.
Authorities said they found the woman’s bracelets inside of Dogan’s bag after he was taken into custody.
Dogan was charged with grand theft. He also faces similar charges stemming from another incident like this from July 18.
On Friday afternoon, he posted bond but remains in jail as he gets fitted for an ankle monitor.
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