A teenaged boy was foiled in his attempt to steal a woman’s cell phone Monday, police said.

The 22-year-old woman was sitting on the bus holding her phone at Third and Williams streets around 3:30 p.m. when a 16-year-old boy snuck up behind her and tried to grab her phone, cops said.

The woman struggled with the punk and was able to snag back her phone, police said.

The rapscallion fled and got away empty-handed.

rnagle@sfexaminer.com