Man smashes car window, grabs purse as woman leaves Burbank gas station

Burbank police are searching for a man who allegedly smashed a woman’s car window Wednesday and snatched her purse as she was leaving the 76 gas station on Hollywood Way and Alameda Avenue.

The woman had pulled into the gas station that evening after another driver informed her of her flat tire. She called AAA for assistance and got her tire fixed at 6:15 p.m.

As she was backing out from the gas station, the man allegedly shattered her front passenger window and reached for her purse. She struggled with him to keep it, but eventually lost control of her belongings, police said.

The tow truck driver reportedly heard the victim screaming as the man fled and hopped into a silver car, believed to be an Audi A4 or Volkswagen Passat.

The man was described as a white with dark hair, in his late 30s or early 40s, and as wearing a purple baseball cap and a collared shirt.

Anyone with information on the incident was encouraged to call Burbank police at (818) 238-3210.

-- Alene Tchekmedyian, Times Community News

Follow Alene Tchekmedyian on Google+ and on Twitter: @atchek