ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Police arrested Abel Mbaissouroum, 22, of Albany after a violent attempted robbery on Hudson Avenue early Friday morning.

At around 3:45 a.m., officers arrived on the scene of a reported robbery attempt. The victim told police that he was taking a walk when a man approached and tried to rob him.

The victim told police that he ran once the man told him to empty his pockets. The would-be robber followed, punching and kicking the victim in the head several times, the victim told police.

When the victim yelled for help, the suspect fled the scene. As the victim told police, he did not steal anything, but he dropped his cellphone.

As police took the victim’s statement, Mbaissouroum arrived on the scene looking for his lost cellphone, they say.

At this point, the victim allegedly identified Mbaissouroum as his attempted mugger.

Police charged Mbaissouroum with second-degree attempted robbery, a class D violent felony carrying a maximum possible sentence of seven years in prison.

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