Man Charged After Elderly Woman Robbed, Forced To Strip Down
ROSTRAVER (KDKA) – Police have made an arrest in a home invasion where an 80-year-old woman was robbed and forced to take her clothes off, but the suspect isn't in jail just yet.
Rostraver Police say what happened inside an 80-year-old's Belrose Drive home comes down to this.
"Unfortunately, we have this victim who tried to be good-hearted, tried to help an individual out, and this is how she was repaid," Rostraver Police Chief Gregory Resetar said.
Police say the woman was terrorized in a home invasion. The man who did it, according to investigators, was alleged career criminal and Denora native Errin Rose. He knocked on her door, saying he was out of gas and the two had met before.
"He made reference to a prior occasion where he may have actually been at the residence with the victim and asked the victim if she remembered him," Resetar said. "He was trying to form a relationship of trust so she'd allow him in her residence."
Police say the truth is Rose, 44, never met the woman and played on her kindness. Once inside the home, Rose was anything but kind. Officials say he told the woman to strip down, sit on the couch and not to move for 10 minutes. According to Resetar, approximately $150 was stolen.
Rose took off, but his getaway car was spotted and tracked to a Sheetz. Store video showed Rose inside shortly after the alleged crime.
"The male was observed making a purchase at the Sheetz and paying with similar denominations of money stolen from the victim," Resetar said.
After being identified by officers, Rose was brought in on outstanding warrants. Once questioned about the home invasion, he started getting tied up in his own story. According to police, investigators pressed him, and he developed "chest pains."
"Not being a physician, I truly cannot respond as to whether he was in physical distress or not, but I can tell you from past encounters with this individual, through our department and others, this appears to be a habit of his," Resetar said.
Taken to the hospital for observation, Rose remains under police guard. The victim, meanwhile, tells police she's at peace.
"The victim herself is just thankful," Resetar said. "She said that she would be able to have a good night's rest."
Once Rose is cleared from the hospital, he will be going to the Westmoreland County Jail, charged with two felony counts of robbery. Police say a little bit of the $150 stolen from the victim was spent at the Sheetz where Rose was caught. The rest was spent on drugs.
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