Woman robbed, assaulted by stranger after finding him in her car at Ross Towne Center, police say

A woman was assaulted and robbed by a stranger she found sitting in the front seat of her car after she left work at the Ross Towne Center on Tuesday night, police said.

The Ross Police Department said 25-year-old Travis Patricca of McCandless is facing charges of robbery, simple assault and possessing instruments of crime after the strong-arm robbery in the shopping center's parking lot. 

Ross police said the victim called 911 shortly after 9 p.m. and said that a man had just taken items from inside her car and driven his bike onto McKnight Road.

The victim told police that when she got into her car after leaving work, she found a stranger in the front passenger seat. Police said she asked the man, later identified as Patricca, "Why are you in my car?" Patricca started to get out and said, "I'm not," police said. 

When Patricca tried to get onto his bike, officers said the victim grabbed his bike to stop him from leaving, and then he grabbed her purse and ripped it from her hands. Patricca started pedaling, and police said the victim caught him from behind and pulled her purse back.

Patricca then got off his bike, grabbed the victim and threw her onto the ground, police said. He then continued to ride his bike across McKnight Road.

Police said they followed Patricca to the Guardians self-storage lot. He got off his bike and ran into the woods, and, after forming a perimeter, police said they arrested him around 11:30 p.m.

While searching Patricca, police said they found key fobs and a programming device to unlock cars. He was taken to the Allegheny County Jail for arraignment. 

The victim had several scrapes on her arms and legs, police said. No one else was injured.