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A 14-year-old Auckland boy who allegedly robbed a woman of her cellphone using a broken bottle neck as a weapon had his efforts foiled by a St John ambulance paramedic and an undertaker.
North Shore detectives are trying to find a third "good Samaritan" who intervened and helped the pair before police arrived.
The boy was walking along Birkdale Rd when he passed a 19-year-old woman sitting in a bus shelter talking on her cellphone.
The boy allegedly grabbed the woman and snatched her phone and bag.
The woman's shoulder and arm were cut in the scuffle, and the boy ran down Levesque St.
Detective Scott Wilson of the North Shore CIB said a local undertaker, who was driving past, stopped his car in front of the boy, jumped out and ran after him.
A mystery man driving a white utility vehicle also "screeched to a halt" and got out to help.
"He managed to get the cellphone off the boy, and drove back to the victim."
The paramedic, who asked to be named only as Murray, 44, said he tackled the boy and he and the undertaker held him until police arrived.
A 14-year-old boy was charged with aggravated robbery and is being dealt with by the North Shore Youth Court. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Scott Wilson on (09) 477 5018.
