Boston "scooter thief" stealing college kids' phones

(CBS Boston) - Who was that masked man?

Police in Boston say they're trying to identify a person on a scooter, who's been carrying out "drive-by" thefts of phones from college students as they're talking on the street.

Students at several schools have had their phones snatched right out of their hands in mid-sentence. The suspect was caught on tape by a surveillance camera at Boston University (BU).

The video shows the scooter suspect making his getaway after he had approached his victim from behind -- on the sidewalk -- and grabbed the iPhone.

The BU police chief is urging students to conceal their phones while out-and-about. At the same time, the police  urge students not to chase the "scooter thief" when he grabs his next phone.

They say they just don't know what he might do if confronted.