A man recently learned why the lobby of a police station is no place to commit a crime.

The incident unfolded on Thursday after a man was acting “erratically” inside the Niagara police’s St. Catharines detachment tried to snatch a woman’s purse.

Officers say that a 39-year-old man approached a 77-year-old woman who was seated on a bench in the front lobby and began to “ramble and make incoherent conversation.”

While that was happening, the woman kept to herself and went to grab her purse.

At that point, police say the man violently grabbed the handbag and tried to make a break for the main entrance.

The 77-year-old who refused to let go was subsequently dragged to the ground, through the front vestibule and towards the concrete steps at the front of the station.

To no one’s surprise, officers were already on the scene and were able to intervene and arrest the man.

According to police, the woman suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

She was taken to a local hospital, and her purse was returned to her.

Police say 39-year-old Ajitsingh Chandel, of St. Catharines, was arrested and charged.

He’s facing one count of robbery and was scheduled to undergo a bail hearing on May 31.