RACINE, Wis. (WITI) – It was minutes before closing when a woman tried to steal from a Wisconsin cellphone store, according to WITI. She reached over the counter to take two iPhones, but she didn't make it far.
Kim Rebac
Kim Rebac has worked in customer service for nearly half her life, but the Racine Boost Mobile worker had never faced what happened on Monday night.
"You do learn stuff along the way," Rebac said. "I've never had someone rob me or attempt to before. It was shocking, how quick it happened."
Just before the store closed on Jan. 13, she said the suspect snatched two phones and dashed toward the door. Even quicker than the suspect, however, was Rebac's boyfriend, who jumped into action.
"All I did was get up and get in front of her. Try to hold her. She was fighting like it was for her life," said Jakob Childs, Rebac's boyfriend.
As Rebac called police, Childs used his strength to keep the woman from getting away. She eventually dropped the phones and began throwing punches instead.
The couple said the suspect had a friend who came to pull her out, but police were already on the way.
"I don't know why she would think of doing that and think of getting away," Childs says. "Just don't do it. Be smart. Live your life happy, not stupid."
Jakob Childs
"You just have to be careful," says Rebac. "Make sure you're aware of everything."
Rebac and Childs want to remind all workers to be aware of their surroundings and report suspicious behavior.
Racine police told WITI the two suspects in this case were juveniles. Police confirm they were caught.
