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Vestavia Hills defensive back Nicholas Hilburn helped nab a purse snatcher at the Summit on Monday, Feb. 17, 2014.

(Alicia Strickland/Special to AL.com )

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Vestavia Hills High School senior Nicholas Hilburn has mowed down many as a Rebel defensive back, but those skills took on new meaning this week when he tackled a purse snatcher at the Summit.

Hilburn, an 18-year-old free safety, went to the shopping center on President's Day with his brother and father to buy a new suit. As they got out of the car, they spotted a man running through the parking lot carrying a purse. It wasn't hard to tell something was amiss.

"My dad said, 'Nicholas, go get him,''' he said. He didn't have to tell his son twice.

"I kind of thought about it for a second and looked at his hands to make sure he didn't have a knife,'' Hilburn said. "After that, I didn't think much about it. I ran and I tackled him. I put a knee in his neck and his face in the ground."

Only one thought really went through is head, Hilburn said. "When I got him in the air- I kinda body slammed him- and I thought he was a lot lighter than a Hoover running back."

Hilburn and his dad held the suspect until Birmingham police arrived. "He was cussing me,'' Hilburn said. "All I said was 'stay down.'''

Nicholas Hilburn

Birmingham police Officer Michelle Burton said the 60-year-old victim had just left Belk when the suspect ran up to the woman and slid the purse off of her shoulder. "She said she always expected to be scared if something like this happened to her,'' Burton said, "but she got mad. She ran after him."

Another female shopper, who just happened to be a probation officer in Montgomery, also gave chase but gave up. Instead, she jumped in her car and tried to catch him but couldn't. "That's when she saw (Hilburn) and told him to stop him,'' the officer said.

Burton said the 29-year-old suspect was taken into custody, and jailed on an unrelated, outstanding warrant. He will be charged with first-degree theft of property for the purse snatching. The victim got back all of her belongings.

The suspect, whose name hasn't yet been released, was at the Summit to pick up his wife, who works at one of the restaurants there. "I asked him why he did it, and he said he was going through hard times and he needed the money,'' Burton said. "He said he was sorry. He said, 'Please tell her I'm sorry.'''

Burton said she is proud of Hilburn's actions. "He saved the day,'' the officer said.

Hilburn played down any heroics on his part. "I know a bunch of my friends would have done the same thing,'' he said. "I was just there at the time."