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Man With Long Arrest Record Held In iPhone Robberies

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Police are holding a man with 53 prior arrests, who now faces charges of robbing at least three people of their iPhones.

Michael Roberson, 28, is charged in connection with three separate robberies of iPhones. He is also being looked at as a suspect in at least eight others, police said.

Roberson was arrested Monday by Near North District officers.

He has 53 arrests on his criminal record, including two felony convictions. He was being processed Tuesday afternoon, police said.

In one of the robberies, Roberson is accused of hitting the victim in the forehead before nabbing his iPhone.

Police have not said whether the iPhone robberies that Roberson allegedly committed occurred on the street, on public transit, or elsewhere.

Police have been warning in recent months of a rash of "Apple picking," -- robbing people for their Apple technology such as the iPhone or the iPod – on CTA train stops.

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.

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