To ensure he's not left without a phone, investigators have paid off the outstanding balance on the previous phone

The suspect is described as a Caucasian woman, about 5'4" to 5'5" in height, with a slim build and blonde hair

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – It’s a case Transit Police is calling “extremely troubling,” with officers saying they don’t understand what would lead someone to “commit an act like this.”

Transit Police are asking for the public’s help finding the person who allegedly took a phone from a 19-year-old man with disabilities on the morning of Thursday, Sept. 12, while he was on the 96 B-Line bus.

It was around 7:30 a.m. when the bus was stopped in the area of 80th Avenue and King George Boulevard in Surrey. Police say a woman approached the man, who is in a wheelchair, and immediately grabbed the phone he had been holding in front of him.

There was some struggle, but he couldn’t hold on to the iPhone 6S and she managed to snatch it from him, as the man is paralyzed in one hand.

We need your help identifying a suspect who allegedly stole a phone from a young man with disabilities on the bus. I want to thank the @TransitPolice officers who stepped up to pay the existing phone debt. Have info? Call 604.516.7419 or text 87.77.77https://t.co/gCZP8YKGnx pic.twitter.com/uSeYhxnSpB — Sgt. Clint Hampton (@SgtCHampton) September 25, 2019

She then stepped off the bus. The young man tried to yell for help, but the driver of the bus was unable to hear him.

Officers say the man was on his way to a program at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, where he’s been working on his independence and job skills. The phone plays an integral role in his learning, as the large screen makes texting and reading easier for him, officers say.

To ensure he’s not left without a phone, investigators have paid off the outstanding balance on the previous phone, so the man could get another one.

The suspect is described as a Caucasian woman, about 5’4″ to 5’5″ in height, with a slim build and blonde hair. She was wearing a brown hoodie with green designs, along with brown and green running tights and green running shoes. Investigators are unsure of her age.

If you saw what happened or know anything about the case, you’re asked to contact the Transit Police tip line at 604-516-7419, or you can text them at 87-77-77. The file number on the case is 2019-16866.