Two Bridgeport parents demanded increased police presence after they say a man robbed their 16-year-old son on a public street.

The teen says the man slammed him against a gate from behind and punched him in the face around 8 a.m. as he walked to Harding High School.

The man reportedly escaped in a dark-colored, 1990s Honda Civic.

Police say that "Apple Picking," or stealing Apple products from people using them in public places, is a new trend.

They say that thieves can generally convert smartphones to cash quickly, but iPhones are the most popular and command the highest prices.

Police say one of the most common-sense ways of guarding against the style of robbery is to avoid wearing headphones or ear buds while walking down the street, because they limit your awareness of what's going on around you.

Police want anyone who witnessed the robbery to contact them.