A 23-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly using a metal object, later found to be a harmonica, to steal a cell phone from a Thunder Bay hotel clerk that led to officers using the stolen device to track his location.

Thunder Bay police said they were called to the Delta Hotel on the city's waterfront on Wednesday night for reports of an armed robbery.

Officers were told that a male suspect went up to the front desk and took a cell phone belonging to the clerk. When confronted by the clerk, the suspect showed a metal object that the clerk presumed to be a firearm and made threats.

The suspect took off with the phone, which police subsequently tracked by GPS to the area of Red River Road and St. Paul Street. Officers also found a man matching the suspect description.

Police said the suspect immediately told officers a harmonica, not a firearm, was used during the robbery at the hotel. The suspect also led officers to the stolen cell phone in a nearby parking lot, where a harmonica was also found.

The accused has been charged with robbery with an offensive weapon, breach of probation and failure to comply with judicial release. He is expected to appear in bail court on Thursday.

Police are reminding people that many devices come equipped with GPS tracking to help find stolen phones, but are also issuing a caution not to attempt to retrieve a stolen phone without police assistance.