WATSONVILLE — A man was arrested Jan. 4 after he reportedly punched a boy in the face and stole his cell phone.
According to Watsonville Police, the 15-year-old boy was walking on the 400 block of Main Street when a man from the second story of an apartment building asked to borrow his cellphone. The teen agreed.
The suspect, later identified as Isaac Valdivia, 33, came down, looked through the cellphone and then abruptly punched the teen in the face and ran off with the phone, police said.
The victim ran for help and was able to find someone to call 9-1-1. Investigating officers determined the suspect was Valdivia, who lived in the apartment building, and the victim was able to identify him from a photo lineup.
As detectives worked to get a search warrant, Valdivia walked out of his apartment and surrendered. He was booked into county jail for felony robbery and child abuse charges on Jan. 4.
After getting a search warrant, detectives found the teen’s cellphone in Valdivia’s apartment. They then met up with the victim’s mother and returned the cellphone.
