A Quincy man with a record for robbery-related offenses was charged with stealing a woman’s BlackBerry from her purse on a subway train, only to be caught by MBTA employees who detained him until police arrived, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

Suffolk prosecutors recommended that CASEY SHAWN TARUSHKA (D.O.B. 3/9/86) be held on $7500 at his arraignment on charges of larceny from a person. South Boston District Court Judge Michael Coyne set bail at $1500, further ordering that if Tarushka posts bail he stay away from and have no contact with the 25-year-old victim.

Tarushka allegedly snatched the phone from the victim’s bag, which was on the floor of the subway car, shortly before 9:30 this morning. When the train doors opened at Broadway station, Tarushka and a female accomplice stepped out; at about the same time, the victim looked in her bag and saw that the phone was gone.

The victim observed Tarushka attempting to rush through the crowd while clutching her phone against his chest. She ran, caught up with him, and took it back. Tarushka’s female accomplice allegedly shoved her. When the suspects allegedly tried to flee, she raced after him.

“Stop him,” she cried out.

MBTA personnel present at Broadway station physically detained Tarushka until Transit Police arrived on scene and placed him under arrest. The female suspect – described as a white female with short blonde hair, long fingernails, and an eyebrow ring who may be known as “Cat” – successfully evaded authorities.

“They made a split-second decision to stop a potential getaway,” Conley said of the employees who stopped Tarushka. “We don’t want to see anyone get hurt, but when public employees takes decisive action like that, we’ve got to commend it.”

During the booking process, Transit Police recovered a small quantity of marijuana on Tarushka’s person. Additionally, he made statements indicating that he had been on the way to a methadone clinic at the time of his arrest.

Tarushka was represented by attorney Regina Hughes and will return to court next month.