Police Hunt Suspect In Brea Who Attacked Employee Inside Cellphone-Repair Shop

BREA (CBSLA.com) — Police in Brea are on the hunt for a suspect who attacked a man inside a cellphone-repair store.

The attack was captured on video.

KCAL9's Rachel Kim spoke to the victim Friday evening.

The owner of the store said the customer has been coming to iCrack Repair for a number of years.

But on Monday the man apparently got violent and flipped out when he was told his phone wasn't ready and he wanted to make a call.

The owner said the man dropped off his phone for repairs last Friday. He came to pick the phone up on Monday -- earlier than he was told it would be ready, according to the store.

The employee said he told the man a part they ordered hadn't come in and the repair would take a little longer.

That is when he says the long-time customer flipped out.

The man can be heard on tape getting agitated and cursing. He reportedly told the employee that no one was leaving that store until he got his phone back and again said he had an important call to make.

The employee -- Levi Barela -- said he didn't have a loaner phone to give the man and offered him a refund.

After about 10 minutes, Barela said the suspect became violent.

"He came back, he slammed me into the tech bench," said Barela, "at that point, I just turned and pepper sprayed him, as soon as I could. Before he could do anything else. He shoved me extremely hard into the tech bench and I got whiplash, I got a concussion from it. My whole brain got swollen."

Barela said the man then grabbed his phone, Barela's phone and several others, and then jumped over a counter and ran out of the store.

The store's owner said he is upset because he gave Brea police the suspect's name and information but the suspect hasn't yet been arrested.