A Saugus man was arrested and charged with unarmed robbery Friday morning, after an officer said he witnessed the crime and pursued the suspect on foot through downtown Malden.

Youssef Elketebi, 18, gave chase down Exchange Street after a witnesses alerted the officer – who was responding to an unrelated motor vehicle accident – about the ongoing crime.

Several officers observed the foot pursuit from the windows of the nearby police department, and assisted as the suspect ran by, Lt. Marc Gatcomb said.

“Mr. Elketebi was quickly apprehended on Pleasant Street, a short distance from the police station,” he said.

An iPhone belonging to the victim was returned, and no injuries were reported.

“This is unfortunately becoming a more common occurrence as unassuming victims text or remain on their phones, and do not remain cautious of their surroundings,” Gatcomb noted in an email. “We have had these types of crimes in the past, but they are...becoming more common also during daytime hours, as the value of smartphones increases.

“This is often a crime of opportunity for the suspect and people can avoid being in such a predicament by using common sense and not (being) so consumed by their electronic devices.”