Apr 24, 2017 2 min read

MONONGAHELA – A Monessen woman was charged Monday with robbing a convenience store clerk Saturday and attempting to strike the employee with the getaway car as the clerk tried to photograph its license plate.

Monongahela police filed a string of charges against Lori Lee Pidich, 45, of 24 Crescent Drive, accusing her of telling the 7-Eleven clerk she had a gun in her pocket after she walked into the store and went straight to the counter about 10 p.m., police said.

The clerk told police Pidich said, “This is a robbery.”

Pidich also threatened to use the gun before ordering the clerk to open the register and step back, police said.

She is accused of grabbing an undetermined amount of money from the cash register and also grabbing a handful of cigarette packs before fleeing the store at 200 Dry Run Road in a white sedan and driving away on Route 136.

Police, armed with a partial license plate number, were able to determine the car was reported stolen from Pidich’s mother in Monessen. It was later found by state police in Brownsville.

Pidich is charged with robbery, making terroristic threats, reckless endangerment, theft and retail theft. Charges related to the auto theft are expected to be filed today.

The charges were filed before District Judge James Ellis. Police said Pidich is at large.